Blog round-up
By Thoreau
1) Jennifer is wise.
2) Following on what Sean Scallon said, if 9/11 is such a solemn thing that the sacred surroundings of the site must be Muslimfrei, why is it OK to profit handsomely from the commemoration? Are those fees going to widows and orphans? And why is it OK for the money changers (AKA Wall Street) to be a block away from the sacred ground? Didn’t Jesus say something about commerce on sacred ground?
3) What Greenwald said. The guy who may or may not burn a Quran tomorrow is a bigot, but he is also a powerless and pathetic figure whose only real protection is the same First Amendment that protects every other powerless American with an unpopular stance. Moreover, to suddenly see Serious People going after him for the bloodshed he might cause, well, um, excuse me as I repair my irony meter.
I’m proud to live in a country where even the most odious speech is protected along with our right to criticize that odious speech. I am dubious that there will be any blood spilled in response to his stunt if he does it (I mean, it’s not like the insurgents in Afghanistan were originally planning to lay down their weapons before some dumbass in Florida decided to pull a stunt), but if there is, well, this is America. Free speech is one American thing that genuinely is worth dying for, as civil rights protestors and revolutionaries and soldiers and numerous other patriots can attest. We spill lots of blood over things that are far less worthy than free speech, so if this jackass’s stunt does cause somebody else to attack us, well, this ink doesn’t run. (And that’s about as jingoistic as I can get.)
Comment by Sean T. Collins —
September 10, 2010 @ 1:52 pm
Free speech certainly is worth dying for, but as a comics blogger I followed the original Danish Muhammad cartoon story for ages, and the people who died weren’t the cartoonists or the newspaper who published them or even, as if this were okay in any way, Danish nationals, they were random innocent people caught up in riots egged on by assholes who were often lying about the content of the cartoons to begin with by adding still more offensive cartoons into the mix. I don’t think any Americans will die if this shithead burns his pile of Korans, but I do think people will die.
Comment by Eric the .5b —
September 10, 2010 @ 2:30 pm
Wow. I really hope you didn’t mean to suggest that it would have been OK in some way if some of the cartoonists or some of those working for the newspaper had been killed.
People have been working on the former – the cartoonists have had a number of murder and kidnap attempts on themselves and their families; the most recent one was back in January.
Yes, someone might think those guys were responsible, especially as the whole thing was a complete non-story that hadn’t caused much of anything in Denmark or anywhere else for months after the cartoons ran. The threats and riots only started when they began to flog it and sex it up with fake details. Very much like the Park51 business, really.
Even if the story isn’t “enhanced” in the retelling, I’m not willing to hold anyone, even some idiot like the Koran-burner, responsible for riots or killings perpetrated by someone he offends (or who just encourages and takes advantage of others being offended).
Comment by Sean T. Collins —
September 10, 2010 @ 4:11 pm
Of course not. I suppose what I’m saying is that if you’re the kind of fuck who wants to kill people over cartoons, the cartoonists and publishers make more “sense” than then just random people who come from their home country. But no, of course not.
Comment by Leonard —
September 10, 2010 @ 4:49 pm
You mean the bloodshed others may cause although blaming him. Let us be clear: people who kill and riot are to blame for killing and rioting. A burning Koran does not cause anyone to do anything at all. Let’s not fall into the trap of viewing Muslims as automata.
Comment by Eric the .5b —
September 10, 2010 @ 4:56 pm
That’s cool, Sean. I was just very startled by your phrasing.
Comment by Eric the .5b —
September 10, 2010 @ 4:58 pm
Leonard, he’s describing the viewpoint of the Serious People there.
Comment by joe from Lowell —
September 11, 2010 @ 11:25 am
False. A burning Koran does not compel anyone to do anything. It can, however, cause people to do things.
Comment by Madelaine Erlandson —
September 11, 2010 @ 10:12 pm
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Comment by Mr. Obscura —
September 13, 2010 @ 7:37 am
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