Tuesday, February 07, 2006

The Cartoon Riots Continue

Afghanistan seems to be the hot country today, with four killed in riots.

I still find it amazing that cartoons first published 6 months ago are inciting riots now.

These events have allowed some in the US to further portray Muslims and Islam as violent, intolerant and dangerous. They seem to think that this type of grotesque overreaction to an insult is a systemic character flaw that we in the US are blessed to not be cursed with. I guess they have not seen this.

Saying the nation's symbol "deserves more respect than the protest message of some liberal hippie," a Missouri state lawmaker has introduced a bill legalizing the use of force to stop someone from desecrating the American flag.


So this wingnut wants to make it legal to beat someone up who is disposing of their own property in a manner of their own choice. That is just as absurd as rioting because someone drew and published an insulting cartoon.

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1 comment:

wormstooth said...

Cartoons of Mohammad and burning flags share a common thread. They cause great emotional pain to those that feel strongly about them. Do we have the right to wound someone in the heart just because there`s no visible scar? The line between sacred icons, which nobody needs, and an insult to the soul is a fine one. Does the KKK have the right to participate in the adopt a highway program? I say no. Freedom of speech is a dangerous toy.