Posted on 04/15/2007 3:39:58 PM PDT by Cornpone
I have not taken part in demonstrations, I have not held any spiritual-political speeches, and I have not organised any activist cells. Although I have tried hard, I have not come upon a Final Truth concerning the nature of the universe.
Nevertheless, I have been told that I am a fundamentalist.
A yearbook on journalistic criticism published recently in Tampere examines the uproar that took place just over a year ago over the Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Researchers divided the participants of the debate into different groups. One of these are liberal extremists who emphasise freedom of expression - the "fundamentalists".
I believe that I belong to that group.
As I am a fundamentalist, I claim that in matters of freedom of expression, "fundamentalism" is actually part of the mainstream - or at least it should be. It is part of the core of Western culture, a norm, a state to be attained, as corporate consultants would say.
Let’s spell it out quite clearly: it must be permissible to depict and satirise the Prophet Muhammad in the media - just like any other prophet, any politician, any celebrity that occupies space on the pages of newspapers and magazines, any Jesus, any banker, and any Idols contestant.
I suppose that as a fundamentalist, I imagined that this point of view would be understood, but this does not seem to be the case.
What is the end result of the whole Muhammad controversy? Possibly a new kind of reticence.
It may be that each of us will be thinking more cautiously than before about what to write about Islam, Muhammad, and the Muslims. That’s all right; reflection is always a good idea.
But in the worst of cases, rioters and those who make threats will have succeeded in changing the criteria of the media on what to publish and what not. Perhaps a greater number of journalists, commentators, and television executives will think: "Best to let it go; what’s the point of making noise - it will only lead to more brouhaha. Should I buy some salmon, or bratwurst from Lidl to take to the cabin for the weekend.?"
A free-speech fundamentalist cannot accept this kind of thinking.
Unpleasant examples have been seen both in Finland and elsewhere.
It is a well-known fact that the Oulu-based publication Kaltio decided not to publish a cartoon by Ville Ranta, which commented on the Muhammad affair. A Finnish researcher of Islam refused to write a foreword to a biography of Muhammad, after the publisher of the book had initially planned to put a portrait of the prophet on the cover.
Some schools in Britain have removed part of the history curriculum dealing with the Nazi holocaust of the Jews for fear of upsetting Muslim children. In the United States, the Comedy Central television channel did not show an episode of the cartoon series South Park in which Muhammad takes part in adventures with other prophets.
And so on.
The Muhammad protagonist of South Park must be shown on television immediately! After all, the show has also had Jesus as the host of a television show, and Satan in a difficult relationship with his gay lover Saddam Hussein.
By way of information to the researchers in Tampere: consideration was given at Helsingin Sanomat to whether or not to publish the Muhammad cartoons well before anyone could imagine that the pictures would turn into an international controversy. The cartoons are both of poor quality, and stupid, so it was decided not to publish them.
Did an obligation emerge to serve the readers and publish the cartoons later, when zealots had turned them into a topic of debate? Perhaps.
I’m a free speech fundie and proud of it. I’m also big on manners, but not when they serve to cover up important truths.
One other point, however, I refuse to use “the Prophet Muhammed.” He was no prophet.
Where are the “Stop Jihad Now!” signs?
in America liberals (who are not progressive) are anti free speech. in fact they are pretty much anti constitution. their Bill of Rights would exclude amendments 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10,
It may be that each of us will be thinking more cautiously than before about what to write about Islam, Muhammad, and the Muslims.
WRONG ANSWER.
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2007/04/uk-and-scandinavia-counterjihad-summit.html
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