Posted on 02/02/2006 7:11:45 AM PST by Cornpone
PARIS, Feb 2, 2006 (AFP) - France's respected daily newspaper Le Monde joined a European press campaign for freedom of expression Thursday with a front-page cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed and an editorial defending the right to ridicule religions.
The drawing by the paper's long-time cartoonist Plantu featured a head of the prophet made up of the words "I must not draw Mohammed" written repeatedly in long-hand.
"Religions are systems of thought, constructions of the spirit, beliefs which are to be respected certainly, but also freely analysed, criticised and even turned to ridicule," Le Monde said.
"A Muslim may well be shocked by a picture of Mohammed, especially an ill-intentioned one. But a democracy cannot start policing people's opinions, except by trampling the rights of man underfoot," it said.
Plantu told the newspaper that cartoonists and other humourists find it increasingly hard to touch on religion in their work.
"People do not understand to what point -- outside the Catholic Church which we can attack and which is, one has to say, very lenient -- it has become impossible to criticise religious things," he said.
Equating naked people to religious satire is naive/disingenuous
The similarity should be very clear, particularly if you realize that pornography is not about "naked people", -- visit an art museum and count naked people depicted there. Pornography is a type of message desired by some people and offensive to other people. The solution everyone recognizes as fair is to ensure people do not get pornography unless they requested it. Likewise, blasphemy is a message desired by some and offensive to others, and should be treated by law similarly.
This is their way of trying to break the chains, but I'm afraid it is too little too late So, if all this does is stir up debate on islam then it is well worth it.
It is not too little too late, it is completely counterproductive. You do not start a debate by insulting your opponent, you finish it. All this silliness did is letting the Arabs score a point in the grand debate. The press will be emboldened to a greater viciousness with which they will attack Christians, and the angry imbeciles in the "Arab street" will get angrier.
It is not accurate to say that Europe is not conducting a productive debate. They have politicians who call attention to the insane immigration policies in Europe, and to the incompatibility of islamic treatment of women with the Western values. Some, like Fortyin (sp) and Theo Van Gogh paid with their lives. Cartoons like this hinder real debate.
Gosh...when will the queers at NYT, Wash Post and LA Times join the bandwagon?
When I think of pornography I think of this:
1 : the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement
2 : material (as books or a photograph) that depicts erotic behavior and is intended to cause sexual excitement
but I will concede that it also means this:
3 : the depiction of acts in a sensational manner so as to arouse a quick intense emotional reaction
While we debate in America concerning the fate of Europe, they know all too well what it's like to be in islam's merciless grip. It is past the point of debate for them. While there may be some European politicians with the intestinal fortitude to question their immigration policies my feeling is that they will at the least be shouted down and at the most assassinated. I don't think that hypothetical is outrageous either.
Paris will be a target. Muslims can't afford to let this pass.
I think the EU leadership wants Europe de-Christianized and dependent on immigrant labor, and they want a permanent hostile underclass to justify bigger and more centralized government. Nothing good will happen there until people realize that the European Union is the enemy just as much as the islamics. Also, who knows, maybe nationalistic right wing will learn how to win elections one day.
The move towards secularization can be seen in Europe, but also here at home. It leaves a spiritual void and what better way to fill it than with islam.
1 But know this, that in the last days, grievous times will come....Men will be.....lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God;
5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof.
Enlightening
Be prepared! We are very close now to where not believing in Islam will be met with the same violence as not respecting Mohammad.
Por nada.
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