Freedom of Speech
If it is “Freedom of Speech” to put up offensive images, then why have people in our society decided to ban cartoons such as the ones below?
The truth is that it is not a “Freedom of Speech” issue. No one is threatening to arrest those who make the offensive cartoons of today. The point that people of good will make is that as a society, we have decided that we will not portray entire ethnic groups in highly a stereotypical manner. Hence over time, media outlets decided to self censor because they do not want to offend entire segments of society (i.e., their customers)
Here are a couple of examples:
A waiter has every right to offend the customers of his employer by calling them names (in that they will not be arrested for doing so), but he will not be employed very long. Can that waiter reasonably say that his “free speech” has been violated?
Does a radio talk show host have the right to swear on the airwaves? Would it be a violation of that talk show host’s right to “free speech” if he/she were fired?
In neither case would the person go to jail, so how are their free speech rights being disrespected?
So to those of you claiming to be “standing for free speech” by posting offensive cartoons on your websites, then I ask you why not also post cartoons such as the ones above? Is it not “free speech” to do so? Why would you not post it? Is it because it is offensive and you are self censoring?
Think about it
Filed under: Race | Tagged: Freedom of Speech
Salaam ‘Alaikum
A good point, but I can foresee some of the arguments (namely, that it is not okay to offend Black people with racist cartoons, but it is okay to offend 1/5 of the world’s population with… racist cartoons b/c… we’re kinda sorta fighting against them. But only the bad ones. But only the bad ones would be offended).
(I say the cartoons are racist b/c they usually involve a man with a huge nose, buggy eyes, a fuzzy black beard, and sometimes swarthy skin colored in to represent the Muslim, regardless of his origin being Morocco, Saudi, or Afghanistan).
This is an excellent point. The same goes for drawing the Nazi logo. If someone were to do that, they’d be attacked from all sides. Yet when someone makes fun of the most beloved man to billions of Muslims for over 1,000 years, it’s called “Freedom of Speech”. It is clearly hypocrisy.
God will take care those unjust on the Day of Judgement. Ameen!
No one posts these cartoons because no one would get so riled up that they threaten to kill the person who released the cartoons.
By the publisher’s own admission, the muslim cartoons were posted to expose the “kill them” fear-mongering reaction causing issues to freedom of speech, not for hateful reasons. Once the reaction is a nonissue (and thus freedom of speech isn’t threatened), posting hateful cartoons just exposes one’s own hatred.
Let’s talk about cartoons. As you mentioned, the West generally agrees not to self-censor offensive cartoons, but your co-religionists have shown no such restraint in their cartoons. Please see the link below:
http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/ArabCartoons.htm
Let’s talk about it. Why no outrage over these depictions???
Come on Ed. Don’t you know that Muslims are not supposed to be held to the same standards as the rest of the world?
Demand mosques be built in the West, while denying churches in Muslim lands.
Demand Freedom of Speech in the West, while demanding prison for those who express it in the Muslim lands