Comic Relief

I've been somewhat following the whole Danish Comics debacle. It seems to me that this whole thing has been staged by one or more parties that have something to gain from forcing the conflict between western culture and Islam. There are plenty of options for who that might be. But consider:

A) A Danish newspaper gets the notion that the media is censoring itself when it comes to criticizing Islam. So their solution? To see if it's true they offer money to a bunch of cartoonists to do it.

Problem #1 - I doubt, if their thesis is true, that the problem is reporters or cartoonists being unwilling to criticize Islam. Most of these people will likely do whatever brings in the money. It's the editors that are performing the censorship, if it does exist. So all that they really prove is that they're acknowledging their own self-censorship and changing it. Nothing more.

Problem #2 - Why did they choose the cartoon medium? This medium is typically controversial, vicious, and inflammatory by nature. Editorial cartoons are generally intended to evoke emotion, not discussion or thought. Furthermore, did they do any research beforehand to know if they were treading on thin ice by specifically targeting Mohammed? Neither answer paints the paper in a positive light.

Conclusion: The paper is knowingly picking a fight, not promoting dialogue or self-reflection within the media. Freedom of expression aside, shame on them. This is a deliberate provocation of a religious group at best, and very near to shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater at worst.

B) The cartoons were published in September 2005, with no response noted at the time. A Danish Muslim cleric takes it upon himself to "educate" the Muslims in the Middle East as to what the climate in Europe is, not just taking copies of the controversial cartoons, but additional "samples" of anti-Muslim sentiment (some of questionable authenticity) to show around. Nearly five months after the fact, suddenly there is outrage.

Problem #1 - Why such a long delay? If it was that upsetting, then why does it take nearly half a year for the fury to manifest itself?

Problem #2 - What was this cleric's purpose for showing the cartoons around? This seems a calculated act intended to provoke exactly what has occurred.

Conclusion: A delay of five months makes this entire situation seem premeditated. Someone formally decided to be offended and stir up trouble. Time will tell if the timing is coincidental or if this is a calculated move to muddy the water prior to a particularly nasty bit of business that would otherwise have provoked universal outrage. (My prediction: Al Qaeda is about to stage another attack, which will rebuild their image as defenders of Islam in the Islamic world following their PR bungling in Iraq while keeping the West off balance as to the justice of a decisive response. See Prediction #17)

C) At the heart of the situation is supposedly a Koranic passage banning the physical depiction of Mohammed, supposedly to prevent idolatry.

Problem #1 - Since when are infidels expected to follow the Koran? That's what makes us infidels, does it not? It could be just as simple to dismiss this entire incident as the ignorance or pathetic insults of an infidel unworthy of note, but that's not what's happening.

Problem #2 - Mohammed has been depicted in art, both Western and Islamic, many, many times through the ages. Why are infidels expected to keep an Islamic edict that the Muslims themselves do not keep, nor have precedence for enforcing?

Conclusion: It would be very easy for Muslims to dismiss this whole incident and prove they can be a reasonable people. They are choosing not to take that path. That should be telling us something.


D) An Iranian newspaper has announced their own contest to draw cartoons debunking/mocking the Holocaust, supposedly to reveal the hypocrisy of Western defenders of free speech when they don't print these cartoons.

Problem #1 - The original cartoons would have passed on into obscurity (and nearly did, from the sound of it) if the Muslims hadn't kicked up their delayed fuss. The primary reason they have been reprinted so many times lately is because the Muslims insist on making it a news item and a point of cultural conflict.

Problem #2 - Unless they purposely delay the results of their "contest" until after things calm down, the current situation almost guarantees their cartoons will be reprinted. But the Muslims will not be satisfied, placated, or impressed. In fact they'll likely re-spin it that now the West is trying to further stoke anti-Muslim sentiments by publishing the new cartoons.

Problem #3 - Muslim papers have been running nasty cartoons about Jews and the West for quite some time. They see no hypocrisy in the current furor.

Conclusion: Damned if we do, damned if we don't. It will help nothing.

Ultimate Conclusion: The original cartoon contest was a stupid idea hardly worthy of the "Fight For Our Rights" that has sprung up over it. This situation is being manipulated to advance the Muslim Extremist agenda. The timing of this suggests that this particular issue was hand-picked to force the West into a poorly-defensible position in a lose-lose fight. If we back down they will just keep coming back again and again. If we don't back down they'll be able to use this incident to redirect a "Muslim street" that has been shifting every so steadily West-ward, as well as a cover to excuse their next 9/11. Heads: they win. Tails: we lose.

To summarize, let me borrow a couple quotes from Star Trek:

"It's been my experience that evil usually triumphs unless good is very, very careful." - Dr. McCoy, "The Omega Glory"

"Please let me know if there's some other way we can screw up tonight." - Capt. Kirk, "Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country"