Canis lupus hominis

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

4 Responses

1. on September 3, 2011 at 2:49 pm retrieverman

   Yes. The cartoon is culturally insensitive, much more so than Jesus in a dog’s arse.

   But in free societies, people have a right to express their views, whether they offend us or not.

   That’s why Ernst Zundel can sell his little pamphlets in America, which are full of shit.

   It’s not because we endorse what he says. I certainly don’t.

   It’s because we recognize the right of people to put ideas out there, even if they are full of errors and are very offensive.

   
   
2. on September 4, 2011 at 12:57 pm Suhail

   So in a free society I can sow the seeds of discord by raising non-issues. I can create divisions along religious and ethnic lines. Also, I can bash gays or straights if I want to. In fact, in the name of first amendment, I can distract all Americans away from economic problems and bad governance and make them focus on hating each other.

   Guys and galz! Act smart. Stop getting into non-issues. Love humanity. Celebrate our love for our animal companions. Hold our representatives accountable for economy.

   Finally, remember your rights and free space stop where my rights and free space begin. Is that clear?

   
   
   • on September 4, 2011 at 2:09 pm retrieverman

     Recent polling in the United States shows that the majority of Muslims living in this country do not feel that the government and the people of this country hate them.

     Polling in Western European societies has found something very different.

     I think that’s because in Western European societies free speech and freedom of religion have regulated contours. For example, there are many places that have laws against inciting racial hatred or being anti-Semitic, but they don’t have any laws that say you can’t say nasty things about Islam. Seeing that double standard, you create a lot of tension in the society.

     That’s why you’re better off having virtually no regulations upon speech, expression, or religion. Everyone recognizes that the government that provides freedom for you also provides freedom for me.

     
     
     • on September 5, 2011 at 12:05 pm Suhail

       In Europe, it is the double-standards, like you said, as well as politics. In 50s and 60s the right-wing parties supported immigration from Muslim countries due shortfall of labor. Having lost their traditional vote bank to liberals from there onward, they have recently reverted to religious extremism to gain popular vote. This is what is happening almost all across Europe – right wingers creating fear factor and hate in order to gain popularity.

       This has very well happened post 9/11 in the USA as well, only that Americans in general are more tolerant and perhaps because till recently the USA did not seem to have any sustaining economic problems. Unfortunately, Republicans, who in the past had support of Muslim vote bank and of Muslim countries, have taken the route of creating hate and fear factor driving their traditional vote bank to the other side.

       There is a series of article (and perhaps a book) written recently by two American Muslim students, who traveled all across the USA to determine whether the hatred against Muslims is on the increased as is commonly believed. Their finding disconfirms this preconceived notion. They found that Americans were generally very supportive of them. For example, they narrated incidents from the back roads of Montana and Idaho where ‘cowboys’ and ‘fishermen’ helped them out.

       
       

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