I have seen (by accident) the cartoons (or at least one of them) now causing so much trouble in the world. I have to say I wasn't impressed. The one I saw reminded me of the depiction of the jews in 1930s Germany. I found it offensive - and unintelligent.
Unusually I found myself in agreement with Jack Straw. I heard him speaking in an interview on BBC radio this lunch time. In outline he was supporting freedom of speech, but believed that this right did not obligate someone to offend or advance reasonable argument by such unnecessary attack. I agree - freedom is not the same thing as licence. Respect and understanding should be part of political debate. Whether or not the Koran permits the depiction of the Prophet is neither here nor there. Showing by means of exageration or racial stereotyping (whatever that might mean) no one is advancing the debate about the wrongs of extremist religions.
If by displaying offensive materials the extremists on either side are given support to their prejudices then we are all the losers - once the centre ground is abandoned and fought over by the extremists then that way is violence and unrest, gradually gaining greater and greater involvement from the moderates.
As someone remarked - you may be free to make offensive remarks to me - to ridicule me - and urge others to attack me. That is freedom of speech. But beware there may well be consequences - and you may find that you have achieved nothing but hurt to yourself as a result. The demonstartions in London and the burning of Embassies are unacceptable and need to be condemned but is this the effect that may have been caused by licence in the name of freedom?
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2 comments:
Freedom of speech must mean the freedom to offend, or else why declare it to be a protected right?
I don't think that we should accept the burning of embassies as legitimate consequences for these cartoons. That only accepts that it's okay to turn violent -- as violent as the cartoons depict Islam -- when people disagree with you.
No - burning embassies isn't right, but equally we need to be careful about limits to 'free speech'. As a Supreme Court judge once said - you can stand in a field and shout fire loudly and no law could be broken, but to shout fire in a crowded theatre when there is no fire is a breach of the law.
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