Cartoon Power: Danish newspaper and cartoons of Muhammad

[e_dog]

in the West, the name of Jesus Christ is synonymous with blasphemy. the name is uttered, i would surmise, much more often in vain than in its solemn uses.

John Doe stubs his toe and yells, "Jesus Christ!" in fact, look at the quote from Robert Fisk that ST pasted above: "Lordy, Lordy!"

in the West, the Christian West that is, the name of God is almost definitionally blasphemous, not in a Jehovah sort of way but in a Goddamnit! sorta way. this is different from those who worship Allah and Mohammed-blessed-be-he. Christians worship Jesus Christ, Goddamnit! very different attitude.

this is all a long way of saying, with regard to insulting images of Christ -- such as the 'piss Christ' statutette of some years back, or the Mother Mary Made of Dung -- the fact is, been there done that. Christianity has been profaned beyond repair. Capitalism and liberalism, the twin inheritance from the bourgeosie, mean that Nothing is Sacred in the West.

[stilltrucking]

John Doe stubs his toe and yells, "Jesus Christ!" in fact, look at the quote from Robert Fisk that ST pasted above: "Lordy, Lordy!"

I found that link on the home work assignment page. If you use a middle initial it ain't blasphemy no more. Every time I hear some preacher on TV hissss the precious name of Jeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzussssssss. I think of the old Captain Marvel comic book where the kid said the mystical word SHAZAM! and turned into the mighty super hero.

Jesus H. Christ Microbe

Sounds like we need a final solution to this Muslim problem.

[microbe]

Christianity has been profaned beyond repair. Capitalism and liberalism, the twin inheritance from the bourgeosie, mean that Nothing is Sacred in the West.

And Hallelujah to that!!

Sounds like we need a final solution to this Muslim problem.

Sounds to me like we need to defend ourselves from the Final Solution that Islam has for us.

[stilltrucking]

bourgeosie

Oh lordy how I hate that word. Not only a bitch to spell but it is meaningless. It has been corrubpted beyond all meaning.

And Lenin told Red Emma.
"But as to free speech," he remarked, "that is, of course, a bourgeois notion.

[hester_prynne]

Political cartoons have never really interested me very much at all. They usually go way over, (or maybe under) my head.

Cartoons depicting any percieved holy figure in questionable or violent frameworks of course are gonna have a strong edge as they tap into some of our most ingrained conditionings. This is a no brainer, and we all know it.

I can't help but think an awareness of this sensitivity is important in preserving free speech for us all. I can't help but think that mutual sensitivity to each other is the better example to set in foraging a path to a broader acceptance of freedom of speech worldwide.
So.....here's my question.

When is free speech free speech, and when is it a covert wielding of insult, covered up in it's own ideology?

So far, this is where i'm stumped.
H

[e_dog]

as the waggish jurist once said,

One man's profanity is anothere man's lyric.

and so,

one man's insult is another's polemic.

there's a

p o e m

in

p o l e m i c s

[stilltrucking]

You comment about the Bible being like the Norton Anthology of Literature is pretty far removed from the reality. To the true believer the book is an organic whole. It all fits together as one story of god's revelation and plan for mankind. It must be accepted that way. I am not saying that is what I believe, but if you went church or bible class in any city, say Midland Texas for example that is what you would be told.