Cartoons Being Used To Settle Scores

When the cartoons over which there is a fire storm raging across most of the muslim world were first published in Sept 2005, apparently there was no hoo-ha then. Perhaps emboldened by this meek no-reaction, the Denmark paper printed more of the same some ten days back recently, I guess, to push the envelope further and test the level of the bar of muslim tolerance. The publishers who reprinted these cartoons in other countries, too, believe that they have the right of expression, which is the hallmark of the free world; such a right and its implementation has kept their countries away from the grip of tyranny and dictatorships. This is necessary to uphold public scrutiny in the affairs of the state, good governance and to maintain checks and balances between the different branches of the government while holding them accountable to the citizens from whom they derive their power. Drawing caricatures of the muslim prophet does not enhance or help any of the issues mentioned here, other than dare the publishers right to do so. The consequences for doing so have not been taken to account, certainly the publishers would have least expected the passion and violence that this incident has unleashed across some parts of the muslim world. All muslims are offended by the cartoons but many don't agree that burning of national flags or torching of embassies is the way to register their dismay and protest.

I read in a newspaper that Financial Times in an editorial last friday said, " Freedom of speech is among the most invaluable of our liberties. But it is not absolute; It would not, say, include the right to cry 'fire' in a crowded theatre. But there is something dishonest, too, about the way arab leaders defer in these matters to reactionary clerical establishments that they rely on to legitimise their autocratic rule."

When the Danish Embassy in Beirut was burnt down, there was speculation that the Syrians may have a hand in it. State sponsored protests in Iran reflect the defensive stance of a government determined to devleop nuclear power against the will of the UN nuclear watch dog , the International Atomic Energy Agency. From United Kingdom, all across the middle east, to Pakistan, Afghanistan, to Indonesia and New Zealand; the extremists have come to the fore front to demonstrate radical forms of protest and violence. Whenever an incident like this occurs, the moderate muslims are blamed for not speaking up and making their voices heard. Unfortunately in this instance the wrath of fury and passions are running so wildly high that unless the muslim religious and political leaders come out to calm the frailed nerves, the moderate majority would be marginalised once again.

Final Word: To try to still justify reprints of this cartoons in the name of freedom of expression is to justify the misuse of the highest value that the free world so cherishes unlike the monolithic muslim middle east that Financial Times pointed out and which the US and the West have supported for far too long. Cooler heads need to prevail over the extremists to put this incident behind us and move on.