"The Ahmadinejad Code"


One sided cartoon wars
Cox and Forkum tried a little experiment. The results were mixed, but telling.

The Iranian challenge, however, was an obvious ruse. The mullahs and their supporters had not suddenly become free-speech advocates troubled by European anti-holocaust denial laws. Nor did the existence of such laws, as wrong as they are, suddenly diminish the broad lack of basic freedom in Iran's Islamic theocracy, which is known for its ruthless suppression of dissent and systematic abuse of rights. Even the newspaper sponsoring the contest is controlled by the municipal government of Tehran. There may be expression in Iran, but it it is not free.

If free speech includes anything, it includes the right to speak against one's own government, which can have dire consequences in Iran. Not surprisingly, even cartoons can get one in trouble.

In 2003, a newspaper was banned and employees were arrested after publishing a cartoon perceived as insulting to the Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Revolution. It didn't matter that it was an American cartoon from 1937 depicting a Supreme Court justice.

One of my persistent worries is that the Western notions of compromise and accommodation are exactly what isn't needed when dealing with the Islamists. As the reoccurring cartoon flap illustrates, the Islamists have found a way to "guilt" people in the West into voluntarily giving up freedom of speech, a little bit at a time.

For an ideology based on forcing others to submit, that is a major victory.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Thu - October 12, 2006 at 04:10 PM  Tag


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