Ed. Note: The title of this entry is taken from a recent Islamic cartoon that intends to equate the mocking of a religion with genocide. As much as this fallacy sickens me on a logical level (to say nothing of a basic human one), I think it is a good first step. If they think that free speech breaks down at the level of the Holocaust, it is our duty as free human beings to teach them otherwise. As most children can attest, there comes a time to learn that one can take offense without violence.
I've tried to stay out of this whole Mohammed cartoon business, but I can keep my tongue no longer.
I've made no secret about my rather intense hatred of Zionism, and even, to a large extent, Israel. This has cost me a certain degree of credibility, as I'm not exactly in good company when it comes to some of my political views. Sometimes I feel like the bastard son of Pat Buchanan and Phil Donahue, and raised, in a non-traditional household, by Russ Feingold and John McCain. Needless to say, I am utterly incapable of being pigeonholed politically.
What sets me apart from most anti-Zionists is my equally strong hatred of Islam. I'm not claiming to be an expert, but I think it's safe to say I'm reasonably informed about Islam- more than most, sad to say. I could claim that Islam is a bloody, war-mongering, xenophobic, anti-pluralistic religion, but that would hardly set it apart from Judaism. Indeed, there are even some extant strains of Christianity that fit such a description.
But I'm not going to do that, because any religion with a large number of followers is likely to develop some beautiful art, fascinating theology, and most importantly, a large enough minority of followers who ignore the violence inherent in their scriptures in favor of peace and love. This moderating force invariably claims to be the true voice of their respective religion. And so, there are too many people today claiming that Islam is a peaceful religion for anyone to take me seriously when I claim that it is as horrible as the conduct of its most misguided believer.
Truly, Islam is not all roadside bombs and crashing aeroplanes. A Christian monk might have defended Christianity during the Crusades (even the really bad later ones!), but would that have made him correct? Obviously Christianity has had mixed results in making the world a better place, and, in fact, the much more friendly and watered-down version that exists today does, and has done, a lot of good work throughout the world; but Islam is not so watered-down.
I think the consequences of the Danish cartoons prove this.
Is Islam, as a religion, so pathetically over-sensitive as to condone the violence surrounding these, frankly, quite offensive depiction of Allah? Perhaps, but I hope not. Are its followers, largely, so medieval and backwards as to believe that it is? Evidently.
The sixty-four thousand dinar question is "Why does the West disrespect Islam so?"
Answer: Because Islam is, in its current form, a joke, and one in particularly poor taste.
Let me say this: Islam has a rich history and great potential, but if it continues to be so rabidly violent and close-minded it will never be worthy of any more respect than its fellow moral-toddler, the Christianity of a thousand years ago. And until such time as it does grow up and prove itself, it must be resisted by every rational person. Until it can behave itself at the kiddie table, it must never be accorded more respect than any other silly tribal religion.
How many more Arabs have to die before they free themselves of the Islamic yoke? Our enlightened Western pluralism is under enough internal threat without the threat of Islamic violence.
Religion is surprisingly rare as a root cause of conflict. Rather, it is used as a weapon, often politically, and always self-defeating when forcibly imposed. Islam is a very sharp sword.
So I propose we dull it.
I want more cartoons.
I want to see pictures of Ariel Sharon wearing the Koran as a diaper. I want to see more pictures of Imams molesting swine. Maybe a depiction of the Kaaba stone as fossilized Moses-dung?
Every little erosion of the over-sensitivity of Islam will pay dividends one day, when Alpha Epsilon Pi fratboys can ululate down the streets of Beirut without being shot.
There is nothing so sacred that when derided one should fear for his life.
So, Allah, you pork-eating bastard, what have you got to say about it?
We are not afraid!
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3 comments:
The pictures were ridiculous.
Freedom of speech doesn't mean insulting someone's religion.
The prophet peace be upon him is dear to us. And as Muslims, we aren't allowed to meant to draw pictures of other prophets e.g. Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and we are not allowed to disrespect other religions.
Freedom of speech DOES mean insulting someone's religion.
The POINT here, my dear anonymous sir or madam, is that you take yourself far too seriously.
I do not mean that MUSLIMS take themselves far too seriously, though many often do.
I say YOU take yourself too seriously, because you're full of shit. If YOU don't want to draw pictures of Jesus sodomizing a sheep, that's fine. But people who share your views seem to feel you can tell me that I shouldn't say something, simply because you have decided not to say it.
That, sir, is what I object vehemently to. Is your faith so vulnerable that the verbal or visual slings and arrows of a few comedians are enough to shake it? If not, then why is it worth the effort?
Your anonymity makes you all the more ridiculous. What did you do, perform a random weblog search for anything containing "Islam cartoon," and then spit your unsolicited opinion out?
Moreover, you are completely wrong, and that makes you a fool.
Who are you to say what freedom of speech means?
The commonly accepted version in a genuinely free society is this: you may say whatever you like, so long as it does not cause physical harm to others.
You don't get to whinge about being OFFENDED about someone's speech, particularly that which you aren't forced to listen to. Jyllands-Posten is one newspaper. In Denmark. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Why is this hard for you?
Watch this progression and fall off of your illusory soapbox:
Me : "Muhammed raped children!"
Others : "Death to you, and all 300,000,000 people who happen to be evil enough to be from the same country as you!"
If you don't think that's ridiculous, then you don't deserve to speak.
I think the guy who wrote "Peace Train" just commented on my blog.
Muslim, if that is your real name, I appreciate your civil comments. I find your claim about being forbidden to disrespect other religions to be a little disingenuous, however.
You're right about one thing, freedom of speech doesn't mean insultng someone's religion. It means much more than that. It is a principle to which I am very deeply devote, and one that allows me to say whatever I please. it allows me to write whatever I'd like. It allows me to discuss my sexual preferences, and it allows me to put down a religion.
This is pluralism. This is diversity. These things are very dangerous to your present Islam.
My hope is that Islam is not so static as has widely been claimed. You're going to have to change with the times, or become a dinosaur. And we all know what Allah did to the dinosaurs.
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