[lit-ideas] Re: Link to "Mohammed" cartoons
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2006 23:22:12 -0800
Mara Liasson from PBS & Fox News commented that the U.S. has taken a
"diplomatic" stance regarding these cartoons. The official position from
the White House is that the U.S. condemns the cartoons but condemns the
violence as well. She said the Europeans are engaged in something closer to
a "Clash of Civilization" because they are not so inclined to condemn the
cartoons. That is a strange twist because the U.S. had hitherto seemed more
pugnacious against Islamic extremism, but at the moment it is a voice of
moderation. The Europeans who had hitherto been preaching moderation have
become pugnacious.
I am reminded of some of the arguments of Samuel P. Huntington in Clash of
Civilizations. No matter how the U.S. and European nations argue and
bicker, when it comes to serious clashes with other "civilizations," the
West shall band together. At this point it doesn't seem as though we (the
U.S. & Europe) have a common position. We seem to have walked past each
other on this one.
Lawrence
-----Original Message-----
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of P.H.Lundbech
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 10:51 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Link to "Mohammed" cartoons
On Wed, 8 Feb 2006 18:52:02 +0000 (GMT), Judith Evans
<judithevans001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>I think you miss the point, which concerns offence.
Offence is irrelevant. There will always be someone who feels
offended when there's free speech and a free debate on important
issues. That is inevitable.
The point is in fact quite contrary to what Mr. Savory believes,
when he writes: "Muhammad isn't our prophet to depict however we
like."
Exactly because Muhammad isn't our profet, we can depict him
however we like. That does not mean that we should not try to be
polite or respectful towards the religion or culture of others,
but satire seldom is and after all the cartoons were published in
Denmark by a danish newspaper and so danish laws and customs
apply. We have seen much more offensive cartoons featuring Christ
published by the same newspaper and there is absolutely no reason
why Muhammad should be treated differently from any other
religious figure.
That is the way we do things here in our country. We do not force
muslims to look at pictures of Muhammad and their children are
not forced to draw pictures af the profet in school. But they
must accept that there are certain rights of freedom that are an
important part of our society.
P. H. Lundbech
Odense, DK
------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
Other related posts:
