CARTOON CRISIS, DOUBLE STANDARDS ETC

In an attempt to be sensitive, I have waited somewhat patiently for this cartoon crisis to die down before I felt compelled to write a few words about it. But it seems they (and forgive me for this "they", this is me at a loss here) are not willing to put the matter to rest, and in the process are also making complete fools of themselves (ok, my apologies again).

Sure, the prophet is the prophet and according to Islam he cannot be depicted, ridicularized etc etc. Sure. But hey, how about other people's traditions and religions? Also - the restriction against depicting Muhammad, doesn't that apply to Muslims alone? How can they impose that on the rest of the world?

Since the crisis broke out a couple of weeks ago (a little late in the game, I must add, since these cartoons have been circulating ever since last September), flags have been burned and embassies have been set on fire; death threats were made, theatrically serious warnings and 10-hour-apology deadlines were issued by masked gunmen surrounding the UN mission in Gaza and so forth. Will it ever end? Not so soon, that's for sure.

It is time to analyze the issue as it is. For instance - these cartoons were originally created and printed in highly democratic Denmark. Then they were reprinted in highly democratic France. Then once again in highly democratic Germany. And so forth. My point being, who are these people to issue threats to newspapers and cartoonists in foreign lands to begin with? Plus, Denmark, France and Germany are not theocratic states. They are not Muslim states either. They do not boast a Muslim majority (yet) and they separate church and state. Do the Muslims calling for the beheading of the cartoonists realize that?

Answer: no, they do not. See, they do not because they conform to the school of thought according to which 'if you're not with us, you're against us' (oops, that sounds eerily familiar, I'd better strike that one out, who knows with all the surveillance going on, David Horowitz - our dear Horrorwits - and the like...) - more like 'if you're not a Muslim, you're an infidel'. And infidels deserve to be beheaded, I suppose.

So this is about those Muslims living and raising their families in France, Italy, Brazil, United States and wherever else they move to without acknowledging that these countries are not their private playground. Come to think of it, and from a lay person's perspective, there must be a parallel in psychology on an individual level - I will definitely look into it. Something along the lines of collective psychotic break (does that exist?)... After all, these people seem to be totally disconnected from their surroundings (again, eerily familiar - it is the bubble all over again!).

Sure, I myself cling to my roots. Both my Brazilian and Jewish ones. I cling to them with all my might. After 11 years, I feel less americanized than during my first 6 years here. But I understand that this country was only kind enough to let me be here, granting me visas, allowing me to pursue an education, and finally a green card. I am thankful, and I do my part - meaning, I respect the laws and the customs. At least I'd like to think I do my best.

Why is such a concept lost on some Muslims? Certainly an innate cultural predisposition to be less receptive to change in general and, as we know, some xenophobia from the part of the host countries don't help ease the situation (as we saw in the recent French riots, hints of which can be felt in this cartoon crisis as well). But the fact remains that they obviously feel no obligation whatsoever to acknowledge local customs if the same conflict with their own beliefs.

Now the response to the crisis from the non-Muslim world: the Danish newspaper issued apologies, and the editor of the France Soir was fired for reprinting the cartoons; his replacement then resigned; and from our dear El Presidente's compound came the following: the cartoons are indeed offensive (but hey, not even that helped to placate their fury...). Fun, right?

This is terrible. Why should anyone apologize here? This is freedom of speech at its best. It is not even inflammatory speech per se - if anything, it is a reading of current events. Perhaps a biased one - but then again, cartoons are by their very nature biased.

Furthermore, it is never too late to remember that in Saudi Arabia churches and synagogues are against the law; Pakistan has different electorates for Muslims and non-Muslims, and limits the public positions a non-Muslim can hold; Iran, although it formally tolerates Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians, subjects the three groups to discrimination in practice. All this while in France, Denmark, Germany, United States and other countries, Muslim families can choose to send their daughters to school wearing traditional head covering without any substantial threat to their lives.

So no, I don't think anyone should be apologizing for anything. I don't see any Jews jumping to their feet and demanding apologies for the perennial, and what's worse, state-sponsored publication and distribution of the Protocols of the Elder of Zion. And let's face it - communication is null when the other party is so completely uncompromising and exclusionist about its own worldview.

Last but not least - in the wake of this all, the latest news is the rather infantile contest put together by the Iranian best-selling newspaper for the best cartoon on the Holocaust... I say let them have their contest. And to be honest, it is not like they have not ridicularized us Jews before.

Which reminds me - there was considerable furor over that Dutch spoof that circulated on the internet about a macabre rave taking place in Auschwitz (Housewitz). We all remember that, and it certainly was in very bad taste. Protests ensued. But I don't recall any death threats, loss of life, calls for beheading, incendiary acts of destruction against the Dutch embassy in Israel and so forth. Not to mention that it would be hard to compare the two: the prophet cartoons depict the state of political Islam today, consumed with holy wars led by fanatics of the worst caliber. The Holocaust was about the genocide of innocent victims, singled out because they were Jews. There is no correlation here, unless it is a reversed one.