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Tony Blair has suffered a double defeat in the British Parliament, appropriately on a bill limiting free speech that leads to religious hatred.
Meanwhile, on the continent, the European press is exercising its free speech to reprint some of the twelve Danish cartoons that have enraged Muslims across the globe. Seven publications in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain have printed some of the cartoons.
“Enough lessons from these reactionary bigots!” France Soir editor Serge Faubert wrote in a commentary explaining why his newspaper printed the cartoons.
“Just because the Koran bans images of Mohammed doesn’t mean non-Muslims have to submit to this,” he continued. In the article with the pictures, France Soir stated: “No religious dogma can be imposed on a democratic and secular society.”
The fate of France Soir’s managing director, Jacques Lefranc? He’s been sacked for printing the cartoons. Has this got anything to do with the fact that the owner of France Soir is an Egyptian?
Notice the violent undertones in French Muslim Council Dalil Boubakeur’s response when he calls French press actions a “genuine provocation towards France’s millions of Muslims.” So it’s not an insult, it’s not an offence, it’s a provocation. A provocation leading to what may we exercise our free speech in Europe to ask? Boycotts? Violence? Terrorism?
Quelle surprise!
Germany’s Die Welt pushed the boat out even further saying Muslims would be taken more seriously if they weren’t so hypocritical. See my earlier blog entry for what hypocrisy Die Welt is talking about.
Editor-in-chief Roger Köppel said he had no regrets. He told the UK’s left-obsessed Guardian newspaper: “It’s at the very core of our culture that the most sacred things can be subjected to criticism, laughter and satire. If we stop using our journalistic right of freedom of expression within legal boundaries then we start to have a kind of appeasement mentality.”
The irony of Muslim reaction? The more Muslims boycott and march in the streets and placard their reactionary statements, the more newspapers around the world will pay attention and want to print the damn things to let their readers know what all the fuss is about.
To call this whole kafuffle a culture clash would, of course, be an understatement. It’s not that Muslims don’t understand the concept of free speech as the Swedish Prime Minister seems to think in his criticism of Denmark’s handling of the case.
Most Muslims understand free speech totally. The issue is that so many don’t want free speech especially when things clash with what it says in the Koran.
We could go through a whole Oslo Accord (or “Copenhagen Accord”) with them but, as Israel will destify, no matter what is signed and agreed upon, Arabia will never accept it. And that’s the real clash. Bit by bit, Europe is waking up to Dhimmitude reality. Welcome aboard, Europe! How long will you be staying with us?
Updates:
Okay, I know it isn’t exactly the event of the year, but now it even has its own page on Wikipedia.
Anyone else notice how the BBC daren’t show the cartoons on TV, only increasing everybody’s curiosity?
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