CARTOONS, FREE SPEECH, AND RESPONSIBILITY

I'm not really a political animal .... perhaps because I'm so deeply
suspicious of the motives of politicians ....

But the other great furore going on is of course the question of these
insulting cartoons, and whether they should have been published.

No-one can condone the appalingly violent response which we have seen to
the cartoons - that to me is a different matter - concerning the
behaviour of people whom Westerners understand all too little - and not
something which I wish to comment on at this point ... But I can comment
on our own behaviour. It amazes me that there are attempts to justify
the publication of these obviously insulting bits of tat by talking
about Free Speech.

Anyone who aligns themselves with our government's policies, is on

insupportably shaky ground if they support the right of the Danish press
to publish such material. Again, nobody seems to have noticed this, but
this government has clearly established the fact
that it tolerates some forms of free speech and not others. Remember ?
They recently passed a Bill that enables them to put in prison anyone
who, in their 'free speech", incites racial hatred or violence.

Are you telling me that these particular Danes looked at these cartoons,
and did not realise that they have the potential to cause racial and
inter-religious hatred, and the threat of violence? Do we WANT to
support the right of everyone to go around insulting a
religious or racial group ? To me, it's a bit like freedom of action. We
all like to be free to walk around and punch the air, and feel our
power, but if one of those punches lands in someone's face, haven't we
abused our freedom ? A large helping of common
sense is lacking here.

Let's hear it for consideration, moderation and keeping a true sense of

humour - which means being able to laugh at ourselves, not laugh at
other people's expense. Remember when you were at school .... being
laughed at was at least as hurtful as being punched ? And made us just
as angry ?

And please ... calls for violence never solved anything. That's the
lesson our own leaders learned in Afghanistan and Iraq. Oh, sorry; I
forgot - they DIDN'T learn it .

My God, they still can't see it.

Peace

bri

C brianmay.com