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February 5, 2006

A Proper Perspective On The Muslim Reaction To Muhammad Cartoons

Topics: Understanding Islam

Jim Geraghty's piece at NRO today encapsulates the difference between an intolerable, unacceptable, and inappropriate reaction to an offensive writing, work of art, or caricature, and an acceptable, reasonable, and honorable one. What we've seen from much of the Muslim world, particularly in Europe, the Middle East, and Indonesia (and especially in Syria), has been totally intolerable, unacceptable, and inappropriate for anyone living in today's world.

... while I am appalled by the violence and threats of violence by those who claim to be so offended, I have a hard time mustering much vigor for a defense of the cartoonists. Yes, they have a right to say it, but must we defend these cartoons as if they were a good thing? I don't like Kanye West comparing himself to Christ, or Serrano's "Piss Christ" art, or that idiotic Jesus-was-gay play "Corpus Christi", or other efforts to poke at Christians' sensitivities; I'm not sure why I should be cheering when someone else makes an effort to poke at Muslims' sensitivities.

When I see someone creating a piece of art that offends me, what are my options? Let's agree that killing him or any violent acts should be off the table. But I can protest, I can picket, I can urge others not to see or sponsor the work, and I can denounce the creator. Muslims ought to have these rights as much as we do.

As Geraghty points out in his piece, The Syrian reaction ranks as intolerable, etc., while the Muslim reaction in Turkey, Canada, America, and elsewhere, is honorable. We all can only hope that the world sees and understands the difference, especially those in the Muslim world (although I don't have a lot of confidence in that happening any time soon).

BTW, readers will note that we have posted the controversial photograph, "Piss Christ," by American photographer Andres Serrano. It depicts a small plastic crucifix submerged in a glass of the artist's urine. Some have suggested that the glass may also contain the artist's blood. The piece was underwritten by the National Endowment for the Arts, which offers support and funding for projects that exhibit artistic excellence. I am a Roman Catholic, and the photograph is extremely offensive to me and all of my Christian brothers and sisters. However, how many death threats, riots, and burned buildings do you expect to occur by Christians as a result of our posting this?

The piece caused a scandal when it was exhibited in 1987, with detractors accusing Serrano of blasphemy and others raising this as a major issue of artistic freedom. On the floor of the United States Senate, Senators Al D'Amato and Jesse Helms expressed outrage that the piece was supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, since it is a federal taxpayer-financed institute. All of this was acceptable and honorable reaction, as one would expect from Christians - but no death threats, no threats of going to war over it, no buildings were burned, and no rampaging riots. The reaction was an honorable one.

Posted by Richard at February 5, 2006 6:15 PM

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