Growing up, I aspired at different times, to be a florist, a marine biologist, an archaeologist and a botanist. I worked for many years as an entomologist. I never thought I would become a writer.
Now I am a writer I am very aware of the importance of ideas, evidence, and freedom of expression in particular as a counter to the power of propaganda. I have written about the five basic rules of propaganda as defined by Norman Davies in a blog post titled 'Interest versus Propaganda'.
Propaganda is perhaps easier to define than 'free speech' and usually much more subtle.
Free speech can be very offensive.
Explaining why e-journal Online Opinion did not publish the cartoons mocking Islam, but defending the right of others to publish the cartoons, Graham Young has written,
"If free speech defends only the right to be nice to others, then it is not worth defending itself. Free speech exists to protect the objectionable and the unreasonable, or it means virtually nothing."
Today I read at Reporters without Borders that as a consequence of publishing those offending cartoons,
"At least eleven journalists are being prosecuted in five countries and six have been jailed. Some face long prison sentences if convicted. Two editors in Jordan have been charged with provocation and encouraging disorder. Four journalists have been jailed in Yemen and charged under article 103 of the press law, which bans publication of anything that "harms Islam, denigrates monotheistic religion or a humanitarian belief."
I support the call from Reports without Borders for the imprisoned journalists to be released.
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The cartoons can be seen by linking to Tim Blair's blog.
The last paragraphs of this blog post was changed and updated, following comment and advice from readers of this weblog including those offended by the cartoons, on the morning of 20th February and the cartoons and direct link removed.
Travis,
You asked what did I mean by the phrase "They have done themselves more harm than good.etc"
It it very simple really, in that the world commmunity is now even more aware of the agenda of these people, and the medieval mindset of ignorance that lies behind it all.
If you doubt this then you should :
a)Observe what is going on over a period of time.For this blogs like Dhimmiwatch and Jihad Watch are a good source of news on the subject from around the world. It is mainly material written by others, and yes it may be biased, but at least it has a stated purpose and one knows this. But over all, the message portrayed is strongly founded.
b)Read books by Bat Ye'or and Oriana Fallaci,etc,There are others such as Ibn Warriq.
c)Read also, the Atlantic Monthly article about the old records found in Yemen concerning the origins and historicity of the Koran.
I am sure those more informed than I could provide even more persuasive material, to point to the fact that unless the religion of Islam undergoes radical reform, we are in for nothing but trouble. The cartoons however are a solid forwarning, and hence have done their agenda some harm.
Schiller still nothing you've said supports your absolute and narrow interpretation of the Koran. You dismiss it as quibbling now, but you clearly felt it was a substantial point when you hinged your categorical judgements of Islam on your certain interpretation of a translation of a subtle and complex original. In fact these interpretations of the meaning of the Koran are crucial as they give rise to great differences in behaviour between moderate and extreme Islamists.
I haven't excused anyone's behaviour, nor have I pointed an accusing finger at 'others'. I am trying to understand the various forces at play. Troubles will amplify for as long as any side believes its position to be 'right' and the other 'wrong'; for as long as any side defensively holds absolute beliefs about the other and doesn't even try to understand the situation that the 'other' is coming from.
I'm certainly not defending the protests or any killings. However there's hyprocrisy in the intolerant attitudes of Westerners who label all muslims as intolerant; who argue selectively for free speech; and it's bigoted to declare that we shouldn't give a shit what muslims think when they are citizens of our democratic society, and a large nation in this small world.
(My last comment on this thread)
Malcolm,
You wrote "They have done themselves more harm than good out of this because the west is even more aware of their mindset. We should at least be thankful for that." What does this mean?
Schiller, your writings above regarding Thinksy are a good example of intolerance. No one here, as far as I can ascertain, is supporting what the fanatical Muslims have done in reaction to the cartoons.
Thinksy,
You're cornered. You have to come up with intellectual excuses for mayhem, incivility and murder. All of these are *very* hard to dress up and make them look pretty. This is heavy lifting.
Tell me, sir, do you wish to live in a civil society where "civility" means that someone can kill you over a cartoon they saw in the newspaper? Until you say explicitly, you would sincerely like to die in order to play a role in someone else's "street theater," I cannot take you seriously.
Life and death are in the balance and if the best you can do is quibble over vagaries of translation, you are part of the "banality of evil" that plagues us to misery.
Schiller.
David Irving has been falsely imprisoned; Austria has still to embrace "free speech".
Egypt is relatively liberal and long ago tolerated different religions side by side. As per my earlier post above, it seems some trouble-makers stirred up protests in the stricter Islamic countries by adding some incendiary cartoons and words of their own.
There is a huge rift within the Islamic nations that they need to find a way to address. The extremist few don't do them any favours (nor do western extremists eg white supremists or repression of muslims help our cause any). There's a huge gulf dividing our outlooks and I can't see how further alienation or dismissive generalisations about Muslim people can possibly help.