The end of civilization was a joke (The world isn't mad over cartoons; the world IS a cartoon)

townhall.com ^ | February 8, 2006 | Kathleen Parker

[Tolik]

What if the world went up in a mushroom cloud over a cartoon - or because of a photograph of some reveler dressed up like a pig?

Well, of course, that would be absurd, a comedy, a Clouseauean flick about a bumbling inspector, right? No, that would be a documentary about the end of civilization circa 2006 - unless we come to our senses.

The cartoon implosion now rocking the Muslim world - featuring embassy burnings, threats of 9-11 sequels and the Arab street equivalent of the Terrible Twos - is based on equal parts fake photographs and a default riot mode looking for an excuse. Extreme propaganda on one side and a lack of fortitude on the other have brought us near the brink of extinction through a global act of accidental self-mockery.

The world isn't mad over cartoons; the world IS a cartoon.

The dozen Danish drawings everyone by now has heard about - but not necessarily seen thanks to our own media's sanctimonious sensitivity to insanity - were mild by modern satirical standards. In brief, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten last September published 12 cartoons that depicted Muhammad in various poses. The worst of them showed the Prophet wearing a bomb-turban.

Naturally, the Muslim world has gone insane.

And unnaturally, much of the Western world has retreated into fetal repose. Only in Europe did a few newspapers republish the allegedly offensive cartoons, while most American papers have genuflected to the altar of multiculturalism.

One after another, editors have explained their decision not to run the images for fear of offending American Muslims. Never mind that the same papers, notably The Boston Globe, felt no such compunction in the past when they defended "Piss Christ," a photograph of crucifix submerged in urine. Or the Virgin Mary covered in feces.

Meanwhile, querulous Americans still reliant on traditional media are left in the kind of darkness admired by Islamic states. How are they to debate and make a judgment about the cartoons without seeing them?

They can go to the blogosphere, that's how.

The Internet is now the only place Americans can view the cartoons and, as a bonus, learn that much of the outrage now seething through the Middle East was stoked not by the cartoons in question, but by three bogus photographs circulated by the (peace-loving) Islamic Society of Denmark. A spokesman for the group said they circulated the photos to demonstrate Denmark's Islamophobia.

Except that the photographs weren't published in Denmark or elsewhere on terra firma. One of them, allegedly depicting Muhammad dressed like a pig, is in fact a photo of Frenchman Jacques Barrot as he participated in last August's annual French Pig-Squealing Championships in Trie-sur-Baise. And that's no joke.

The pig photograph, lifted from an MSNBC story, is posted at neanderNews.com, where other blogs (Gateway Pundit and Counter Terrorism Blog) also are credited with reporting the photoscam. The other photos (origins unknown), including one of a man dressed in Arab garb being mounted by a dog, are the sort of images bored college students Photoshop in dorm rooms late at night.

Whether Islamophobia inspired any of these images is a question for documentarians to explore. Meanwhile, fear for our future is an appropriate response to mass insanity. But potentially more dangerous than short-fused fanatics is our own cowardice in declining to treat this madness as anything but inexcusably barbaric.

Instead, we kneel in apology for our own hard-won principles. Newspapers especially deserve contempt for their spineless refusal to deal honestly with this controversy. Instead of publishing the cartoons and explaining why free expression is central to the West's survival, editors with few exceptions have swaddled themselves in the blankie of "sensitivity."

Kudos and curtseys to Philadelphia Inquirer editor Amanda Bennett, who published one of the cartoons along with a story about the controversy. For her trouble, she has been visited by Muslim protesters who promise to return if the paper doesn't apologize. Bennett deserves not just congratulations, but solidarity from other newspapers that have a fresh opportunity to prove their mettle.

Incensed Iranians are preparing to lob a few cartoon bombs of their own with a Holocaust cartoon competition. Fine. All comers are welcome to the free-speech fray. Far better that we wage the war of ideas with words and images than with bombs and bullets.

That's the beauty of free expression, in honor of which - and as an opportunity to teach - American newspapers surely will print the Iranian cartoons. Won't they?

Kathleen Parker is a popular syndicated columnist and director of the School of Written Expression at the Buckley School of Public Speaking and Persuasion in Camden, South Carolina.

[Tolik]

Kathleen Parker Nailed It!

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[fanfan]

BTTT

[ExcursionGuy84]

...the world IS a cartoon.

Oh for the chance to be Donald Duck.

[OpusatFR]

The idiots in our State Department have created a situation where the Muslims will view government requests for censorship (don't give me the self-censorship garbage) as government recognizing the superiority of Islam to our resident religions which are constantly derided in the press.

What a bunch of flipping morons! Sharia by default in the blasphemy laws of Islam.

Protecting people in harms' way was the intent, but as in everything, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

We have a bunch of fourth rate thinkers unable to create. No wonder they call it bureauracracy

[Rummyfan]

The Boston Globe, felt no such compunction in the past when they defended "Piss Christ," a photograph of crucifix submerged in urine. Or the Virgin Mary covered in feces.

They are very careful to only be provocative with those who are not very easily provoked, in these cases Christians.

[quesney]

Yep, the MSM are a true profile in courage...not.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Donald Duck? No way! Bugs Bunny was Da Rabbit, yo! He'd be able to outsmart the Islamowhackos. Not that it would be that hard to do...

[bcsco]

"Oh for the chance to be Donald Duck."

That's okay. I've got dibs on Daffy!

[Alia]

American newspapers surely will print the Iranian cartoons. Won't they?

chuckling...

[ExcursionGuy84]

True that, Doc!

[MortMan]

You just want to cozy up to Daisy for som "bill service"! ;-P

[ExcursionGuy84]

Naaaaawww!!!

First things first on my list as THE DUCK:

Defeat the Axis of Evil, namely...

1. Chip & Dale
2. Huey, Dewey & Louie
3. Pete

[SampleMan]

They are very careful to only be provocative with those who are not very easily provoked, in these cases Christians.

Assuming Christianity is God's true teaching, and I do. Then attacking God would only involve attacking Christianity. It would in fact be counter productive to attack false religions.

[CPOSharky]

...the Arab street equivalent of the Terrible Twos...

And the US lamestream press mommies are writing excuses for them.

(Spank the little brats and put them in the corner.)

[Dark Skies]

Ping to this interesting article.

Newspapers especially deserve contempt for their spineless refusal to deal honestly with this controversy. Instead of publishing the cartoons and explaining why free expression is central to the West's survival, editors with few exceptions have swaddled themselves in the blankie of "sensitivity."

Thank God for the internet! It looks like the MSM is still too busy writing its collective obituary to play a role in the defense of freedom of speech.

[eyespysomething]

the world IS a cartoon.

I know I am:

[yankeedame]

Oh for the chance to be Donald Duck.

Oh, for the chance to be Scrooge McDuck!

[SJackson]

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[Blood of Tyrants]

No, that would be a documentary about the end of civilization circa 2006 - unless we come to our senses.

WE? THEY need to come to THEIR senses and realize that the world will not put up with the rantings of lunatics and fire bombings and murders for very long.