Shakespeare's King Henry VI Part 2, act iv has this line: "The first thing we
must do is kill all the lawyers."
In the current inflamed world of middle eastern anger, the object of the wrath would now appear to be low-class filmmakers and/or cartoonists.
France has now erupted in flames and the object of the Muslim fanatics wrath? Cartoonists. Again.
Here's a defiant response today by a French cartoonist, named Luz:
"We treat the news like journalists. Some use cameras, some use computers. For us, it's a paper and pencil," he said. "A pencil is not a weapon. It's just a means of expression."
And THAT may well be the crux of the problem: "a means of expression".
There seems to be a systemic problem in certain areas of radical Islam.
The probelm? Freedom of expression.
In the 90's the artist Robert Mapplethorpe photographed a crucifix with Christ on it, dipped in a container of urine. Uproar resulted. The Queens-born, international artist smugly took another drag on his european cigarette and watched... as Christians (and others) strongly but civilly disagreed about paying for such art with taxpayer funds - yet, the image and the furor eventually died down and moved into obscurity.
Freedom of expression won out both sides of that debate. (Taxpayer funding of that expression is still very much discussed.)
Urine-dipped crosses never became the rage; in the long run this artwork did nothing but diminish the reputation of the artist. For all the good that Mapplethorpe did with art in his lifetime, he's basically only known for a defiant piece of art. Hmm.
Jesus didn't need defenders to rise up in anger and tear down the art museum's walls. Debate and discussion occurred. Not death.
Apparently Islamic fundamentalists believe the object of their worship needs such defenders.
Or could it be that these folks are just spoiling for a fight and any cause will do? Even a cartoon...
Through bold and free expression, may the pencils of cartoonists worldwide drive these foolish/crazy/violent men to the sidelines of civil discourse and then into the prisons where they belong for their acts of violence. And may the nations stand up against such religious tyranny.
Den
Comments