Cartoon Update
The whole cartoon thing is starting to get scary to me. What happens when mindless, irrational people get stirred up over something that we in the west consider to be a basic, human right? How do we reconcile their religious fervor and our devotion to freedom of expression? I’ve long believed that religion is dangerous. This wasn’t exactly what I meant, but it does make the point.
I’m not sure if I agree with Jack Straw or not. On the one hand, I applaud the European newspapers who stand in solidarity with the Danish paper that originally started this mess. On the other hand, I’m not sure that they’re accomplishing anything by poking sticks into a hornet’s nest. Various people have issued statements either for or against the cartoons.
What I find truly sad is that we even have to discuss this. I think there is a whole lot more to this issue than simply whether Jyllands-Posten should have published those images. What do we do about huge groups of people who are so steeped in their own religious beliefs that they would be willing to die or kill to preserve them? Not just one or two wierdos, but hundreds or maybe thousands of people? This is not an issue that will simply go away tomorrow.
More interesting links:
Liberal Danes catapulted into conflict of cultures
Religious Extremism Great Advertisement for Atheism
And just for fun:
Hippie Jesus cartoon angers church
Cleric’s Christian jihad rocks Georgia
Not so fun, but something to consider:
