Solidarity with Whom?
That's what a poster below wants to know.
(There's also a poster who asks for my address, which is either a joke or a threat. If it's the former, it's kind of creepy; if it's the latter, it proves my point.)
The poster writes:
No one can support the violence that these drawings have sparked, nor does one have to defend the religious convictions that make them offensive to Muslims. But they are offensive. Still, more to the point, solidarity with whom?
I find that a curious construction. No one can support the violence,
but....
That comes perilously close to excusing the violence, insinuating that it's, well, understandable.
It isn't—it is mayhem, madness, and hatred—and we shouldn't apologize for or excuse away the behavior of those Muslims who've been making death threats, rioting, and
burning the Danish embassy in Lebanon.
I agree that the cartoon is "offensive." So what? Nobody really gets hurt from being offended. Being offended is the price you pay for living in a free society. Would you rather live in a theocracy? Because that is what these people—who are hardly representative of all Muslims, by the way—would impose on the world if they could.
Andrew Sullivan has a lovely quote from
Matthew Parris on his website:
"Offence implicitly offered, and offence actually taken, are two different matters. On the whole Christians, for example, take offence less readily than Muslims. The case for treating them, in consequence, differently is obvious, but we should be wary of it. It means groups are allowed to be as thin-skinned as they wish: to dictate for themselves how delicately we must tread with them — to create, as it were, their own definition of respect and require us to observe it. Those who do this may not always realise that that they create serious buried resentments among those of fellow-citizens who are more broad-shouldered about the trading of insult."
In addition to that, I would say simply that violence is not the answer.
You can't go around attacking people every time they offend you. The world can't survive like that.
The New York Times has
a story today suggesting that it's inevitable that Iran will become a nuclear power. What if the people who lead Iran get offended?
Is it bye-bye, Denmark?
I never thought I'd agree with Michelle Malkin, but she's been all over this and she's got it exactly right; this episode can not be excused away. Michelle has this Reuters quote on
her website:
In an Internet statement, the Islamic Army of Iraq, which has claimed responsibility for killing foreign hostages, urged militants to kidnap Danes and "cut them into as many pieces as the number of newspapers that printed the cartoons".
"The Islamic Army in Iraq also declares that all countries whose newspapers printed the insulting and disgraceful pictures are legitimate targets and our response will be ... tremendous."
There is so much about Islam that is worthy of respect; it is a great religion
. The behavior of these terrorists and protesters, who carry signs saying "Death to Freedom" and "
Behead all those who insult Islam" only degrades that religion.
So...solidarity with whom?
With Denmark...
With all those who believe in a free press, including all those newspapers and bloggers around the world which have run the cartoons as a gesture of support for Denmark...
With the values of free speech, tolerance, and non-violence....
With Salman Rushdie, whose book I bought—even though I had no intention of reading it, he's not my thing—because of the fatwa....
With all those Muslims who deplore the culture of violence and hatred that has spread throughout some parts of the Islamic world....
These cartoons may not be the ideal symbol to rally behind in defense of Western values. They are clumsy and, yes, offensive. Too bad. I find Rolling Stone's cover with
Kanye West as Jesus offensive, and I'm not about to blow up their offices or cut their art director into pieces.
Yes, the cartoons are offensive. But you can't always choose the moments when you have to stand up and be counted. The reaction to these cartoons is appalling, and those who would burn and threaten and intimidate must know that they face a united front.
