Snarky Sermon on the Blog: Cartoon Wars

Demonstrations, embassy burnings, cartoonists in hiding.

The message I'm getting from the Muslim community's reaction to some editorial cartoons is: "Too Much Freedom, Y'all!"

Haven't seen those offensive Muhammed cartoons yet?



Here's the deal with freedom: you have to be willing to put up with the most offensive statements and images you can ever imagine in order to preserve your freedom to express your own equally offensive statements and images. Otherwise, no one is free.

Besides, it's not like US Christians aren't also involved in these cartoon wars...

From Hal Lindsey Oracle Cartoons (a distinctly fundamentalist Christian, right wing political site):

There are lots more of these 'toons!

The enemy of my enemy is now my enemy, but the god of my enemy (in whose name a holy war against me has begun) is my... er, friend?

Of course. Makes perfect sense in Bushville.

Especially if you've invaded, destroyed and occupied the cradle of civilization by lying to your country and initially calling your actions a crusade.

Especially if you've rounded up Muslim Americans and disappeared them for months or years, and you'll now take any good PR you can get.

Especially if you want to send a message to your own fundamental religious political base and slam "old Europe" at the same time.

US backs Muslims in cartoon dispute

By Saul Hudson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States backed Muslims on Friday against European newspapers that printed caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad in a move that could help America's battered image in the Islamic world.

Inserting itself into a dispute that has become a lightning rod for anti-European sentiment across the Muslim world, the United States sided with Muslims outraged that the publications put press freedom over respect for religion.

"These cartoons are indeed offensive to the belief of Muslims," State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper said in answer to a question.

"We all fully recognize and respect freedom of the press and expression but it must be coupled with press responsibility. Inciting religious or ethnic hatreds in this manner is not acceptable."

Hey, Republican-controlled US State Department!

Will you hold our homegrown zealots accountable, too? If "old Europe" is to blame, how about the Egyptian press?


"Offensive" has many faces and tongues. Who decides what's offensive or not?
Where do you draw the line?

Thus Endeth Today's Sermon.

Go forth today, armed with this fact instead of a simple, gut reaction when someone picks on your deity:

Editorial cartoons are on the opinion pages of newspapers. They do not represent the political or religious beliefs of entire countries

And pay no attention to zealots worldwide who would suck freedom of expression out of the entire world.

I mean it, damn it!


File this under: He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself. ~ Thomas Paine