Satire is the very essence of free speech. "Free speech," as a term and as a concept, is devoid of meaning if it does not apply to speech that makes any number of us uncomfortable for any number of reasons. No one challenges speech with which they agree; that's why the ACLU defends the right of Nazis to march, why Voltaire's "I disapprove of what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it" resonates so strongly.
Satire — "a literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit" — is sacred because it is often the only way to shock people out of their habitual frames of reference, perhaps allowing them to see previously unrecognized "human vice or folly." Vice and folly must never be shielded from derision under the cloak of religious sensitivities, or all vice and folly will be drawn under that cloak.
Cartoons of which we disapprove should be fought with more cartoons, not with violence, boycotts, and legal action, which is why the call by the Muslim Action Committee for changes to the U.K. Race Relations Act and the Press Complaints Commission code in response to the Danish cartoon controversy is dangerous.
MAC is also staging a protest march in London on February 18, expected to attract 20,000 to 50,000 people.
Shaikh Faiz Saddiqi, who chaired the MAC meeting this week in Birmingham of over 300 Islamic religious leaders from throughout England and Scotland, said the Press Complaints Commission code of conduct should be tightened to prevent publication of any images of Muhammad. Saddiqi said, "That act in itself is deeply offensive, it's akin to someone standing up in your face and abusing your mum, your sister, your dad, and it's akin to a deliberate act of provocation."
"What is being called for is a change of culture," he continued. "In any civilized society, if someone says, 'don't insult me,' you do not, out of respect for them. Europe has a history of not treating minorities properly. The Holocaust is an example of that. The imagery being used today is the same kind that Hitler used against the Jews. Look where that ended up: in world war."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - SFC SKI
Thanks for a great article.
2 - Nancy
I knew about the numerous artistic representations, but not the humor, altho I've read considerable mid-eastern lit. I wonder if it's because it doesn't translate, or because it hasn't been translated? Middle-easterners are not noted anywhere in history by anyone, including themselves, for a sense of humor.
3 - Eric Olsen
thanks Ski, long time no... hope all is well!
I don't think anyone is trying to say that Islam is a yuk it up culture, but that these modern claims that awe-stricken reverence is the only possible posture toward life is simply historically false
4 - Scot Butki
Good piece, Eric.
What makes these cartoons satirical as opposed to just editorial cartoons?
I've always thought of satire as being a reference to literature, i.e. words not images, which is how it's defined here.
A better word for this might be caricature.
5 - Peesbeaponhim
Islam preaches only peace and goodwill to all men and we will kill anyone who says otherwise.
6 - passingOn
the same paper clearly has double standards, you have fredom of speech except when it might offend Christians or Jews
guardian.co.uk /international/story
7 - Veggii
omg, someone made an attack against christianity. Time to gather my christian friends and go riot...
8 - kjhuy
a guy in germany is just beind judged today for criticizing the holocaust where is the freedom of speech ?????????????
9 - Craig
Thank you for a very interesting article
:P
10 - Scorpion
The News & media industry have a double standard on freedom of speech and every one knows who is holding the News & media ??
The very latest example is the statement of some leader from middle east that settele the Jews in Europe those who are leaving there homes in the occoupied Palestine.
when this statement published every one is condemed the leader who give the statement and says that this is against the freedom of speech.
And now these bastards are saying that the publish of cartoon of Holy Prophet is freedom of speech.
that shows the double standard of these ass holes.
if you dont know the rules of other persons religion dont make any joke of it..
thats the number one rule.
the originator of cartoon is try to exploit the emotions of he Muslim world at that time when the BIG DEVIL (USA) is prepearing to attack Iran.
11 - Infidel
FYI: Mohammed had the sited poet killed for mocking him. The lies of apologists are simply astounding. Check out www.jihadwatch.org, www.faithfreedom.org, www.islam-watch.org and www.thereligionofpeace.com for the truth about Islam.
12 - U R STUPID. WHOEVER IS BEHIND THIS IS A RACIST
you are just stupid, two great movies where made about prophet "Mohammad", and non showed him, his voice or even shadow. plus whatever drawing that were made in Iran illustrated something very important in islam like him on the Buraq, but not making jokes about him. if anyone doesn't want to offend us, then don't show this pics, and we are asking for that in a polite manner. regardless of what is now done in the middle east, if you keep it, then u r either a hater, and a racist for thinking stuff like the 9/11 scam which muslims are blammed for falsly.
13 - Eggheart
I am not a muslim, but I disagree with what the author of this article is trying to say. Whether Islam has allowed Mohammad to be depicted during some brief periods in its history is irrelevant. What matters is that at this time in history Islam does not allow depictions god or the prophet and we should treat their beliefs with respect, not contempt. The right to freedom of speech should not be used as a shield for racist people to defend the dissemination of racist propaganda. The parallel that has been drawn between these cartoons and the anti-jewish imagery of nazi Germany is a good one, and the authors' attempt to dismiss it totally ignores the point. As for the author's inference that mainstream media that has not published the images is 'timid', I believe the correct wording would be 'responsible and considerate'. These cartoons are obviously a provocation at a time when relations between muslims and the western world are at their worst. They are not funny or insightful, just derisive and hateful. We need to try to build bridges, not burn them.
All of you history lovers might also be interested to know that christianity too had brief periods when it was considered wrong to depict Jesus, the apostles or saints, because it might lead to the worship of the images and 'idols' rather than god. Also it was recognised that any attempt to depict divinity would be so far inferior to the truth as to be a hollow mockery. It makes a great deal of sense.
14 - homzpanda
interesting and provocative.
Free Speech is a concept and not a given.
Blasphemy and free speech seem mutualy exclusive.
For rational humanists religious reverance is a mater of ideology and consequently all ideologies require continual testing of their hypotheses and limitations are contrary. For the deeply religious, or at least those wearing religious reverance as a veneer, religious faith is unarguable and an inalienable right and must not be unpicked or attacked.
In this context neither side speak the same language or use the same mind-set.
Eventually the logical progression will be that ALL faiths must be treated exactly the same irrespective of the perspective of the faith or of the believers.
15 - SHUTUP MOHAMBURGERHEAD
im sorry to say this but hey....the middle east is lame, nobody likes your extremist culture or mistreatment of women...and i give a flying !@#$ what you think about cartoons we publish in OUR ownn country under OUR own laws....sure you may have been insulted....but thats like me insulting you from the privacy of my own home, and you wanna come into my house and tell me what i cant say....@!@# you terrorist !@#$% everyone knows all you wanna do is use this for an excuse to kidnap more people and blow yourselves up some more... im gonna go buy a turban and take a big poop on it then burn a koran....ps i aint white neither or your everyday racist....im jus tired about hearin yuou akbar bastards cryin all the time
16 - Eric Olsen
I agree free speech is not absolute, I am not attacking the US/UK media for not running the cartoons and there is nothing wrong with voluntary sensitivity, but what I do object to is a lack of proportionality that seems to afflict much of the Muslim world, and in particular, those with an Islamist viewpoint. If moderate Mulims are offended by the cartoons, they should say "I am offended by the cartoons" and call it a day.
17 - matp
i still remember when Prime Minister of Malaysia says that muslim must fight jews by working harder to gain economic and not by weapons. And new all over the world the next day print a news about malaysian PM as a anti semintic. So what about free speach? double standard!
18 - Eric Olsen
a lot of people seem to have trouble separating out two different things: suppression of free speech and criticizing thecontents of free speech. Anyone can voice displeasure with the ideas of another all they want, but this does not extend to suppressing the speech they disagree with in the first place
19 - Daryth
Long story and longer debate short, the cartoon could very well have depicted every single major religeous figure involved in an act (I cant think of one persay) offensive to all religeons and be followed by an essay asserting its intent to upset and offend and STILL it would be unnacceptable for any person of any faith to complain to anyone outside thier faith unless the publication in question is of a religeous nature, sorry everyone but unicorns and gods are the same thing to the real secular world, imaginary things that are open like everything else to mockery, either believe in your gods ability to withstand my disapproval stop believing entirely.
20 - Pandoruix
What i cant believe is that 2,000 years later this planets habitants are still killing each other someone or somthing that is not no one can prove exists. Humans are so weak minded and so full of themselves we are so selfish to beleive there is a almighty being and he made us and there is a reason for us to live.
Not to mention no one abides by there own rules. Every Religous SECT has a point and believes itself to be right. Aliens prolly ride by and point at this planet and say its the trailor park of the universe. Really. Whocares what someone says about another. Thats our species biggest down fall.
P.S. Im at work so sorry for typos was in a hurry
21 - ZFR
i'm a muslim. and i can say that i was somewhat disturbed by the cartoons, but took no actions against it. I support free speech 100%.
BUT i think, when it comes to peoples believes, the freedom of speech have to be taken with responsibility.
it is not right what the Jyllands Posten did, to mock a religion. it's free speech, but it's ethicly wrong.
the muslims are reactive people. if you anger them more, it'll just cause more violent.
someone have to be the bigger person in this kind of stuff.
22 - Eric Olsen
I think it's a reasonable complaint that the cartoons generalize the worst actions of a minority to the greater Muslim population.
23 - OmegaRED
Muslims have no right to dictate the affairs of a Danish newspaper nor the Wests depiction of Muhammed.
What the Muslims are doing now is real terrorism. Rather than instill respect for their religion and prophet they terrorize anyone that prints the images by riots and burning down embassies.
To prove my point ask yourself this:
Are you afraid of terrorist strikes at home?
Probably not.
Are you afraid of publically supporting the cartoon?
Bet your ass.
24 - Eric Olsen
there is no question that threat is implied in the protests, even the (presumed) moderate MAC
25 - hounddog
#11
Scorpion
Dear Scorpion, do you have a hole, where other people have a brain?
And what bad uneducated language for someone who wants to help islam, or do you want to help islam?