Furor Over Cartoons Not Funny

Welcome Malkin readers!

Michelle Malkin has more on the extent of the Muslim outrage aimed at Denmark.

Zombietime has created the fantastic Mohammed Image Archive that displays many historical renderings of the prophet, by Westerners and Muslims alike. In the Middle Ages, Muslims avoided the prohibition of depicting their prophet by leaving his face or figure blank. Such iconoclasm, ostensibly for the purpose of avoiding idolatry, has occasionally extended to Christians, including many Protestants who destroyed Catholic symbols, relics, paintings, and sculptures during the Reformation.

This current prohibition, however, challenges Western notions of freedom of speech. According to the Muslims, this is a tolerance and sensitivity issue. They argue that since they images are offensive, they should immediately be taken down. That may work under Sharia, but not under freedom of speech guarantees that, if they are to be taken seriously, should apply to everyone, regardless of their material quality or ability to offend. Ward "Shitting Bull" Churchill (see, El Presidente couldn't say that if there were no freedom of speech!) offends every decent American with his pro-terrorist rhetoric; but, being free, any American can criticize his writings, sayings, and beliefs. The free exchange of ideas, beyond any legal arguments, is the cornerstone of Western freedoms. China suppresses freedom, and Google submits. Throughout the Islamic world, blogs are discouraged (except, of course, those labeled alqaeda.blogspot.com) and dissent limited. If the right to not be offended actually existed, no one could say anything about anyone at anytime, without fear of condemnation or persecution. This is the essence of totalitarian regimes or religions. Nothing contradictory, counterrevolutionary, or blasphemous (as defined by the authorities) may be said, published, or thought. This is slavery, pure and simple: slavery of the mind.

El Presidente's top pick:



In other words, if the shoe fits. . .

Martin Niemöller's statement of Nazi oppression, updated for today:

When they came for the cartoonists,
I remained silent;
I was not a cartoonist.

When they locked up the bloggers,
I remained silent;
I was not a blogger.

When they came for the free press,
I did not speak out;
I was not a journalist.

When they came for the infidels,
I did not speak out;
I was not religious.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

---

Or try this for "outrage":


Andres Serrano's Piss Christ

Or. . .


Chris Ofili's The Holy Virgin Mary (covered with elephant dung!)