Cartoons

[liadnan]

Many are aware already that The Religious Policeman, a Saudi dissident, is well worth reading and often extremely funny. But his take on the Danish cartoons story, particularly today, really deserves attention.

ETA: In the meantime, various newspapers reprint them, for which the editor of France Soir is sacked (by the Egyptian owner). And (via Ritu) the New York president of the World Jewish Congress weighs in with a letter to The Times

I have to wonder whether it would be a criminal offence to print the cartoons in the UK, ECHR not withstanding, had the Government managed to reverse the Lords amendments on the question of incitement to religious hatred. I think there would be a real issue there, which to my mind highlights why it was so important the Government lose that one.

Seems to me it's a grave insult to any religion to suggest that it is so weak it requires threats of penalties under the civil or criminal law or of violence to protect it and the faith of its members from criticism, comment, or satire.

Comments

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

I love it!

[knell.livejournal.com]

mahmood_feed can also be pretty good, although as Mahmood's Bahraini he can speak out a lot more while still actually, y'know, being in Bahrain. (Also, the feed URL changed and hasn't been updated, but I've mailed support to ask them to fix it)

[knell.livejournal.com]

And, er, I got the LJ username wrong there, too.

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

Re: the racial hatred bill, The Times had an article detailing the backstage machinations by which the whole thing was pulled off. It was an absolutely delightful, utterly heart-warming piece. Good politics. :)

[chickenfeet2003.livejournal.com]

It wasn't a racial hatred bill. That's already illegal. It was a religious hatred bill.

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

Yep, my bad.