Idiots with Assault Rifles

I realize many people are upset over the portrayal of Islam’s Prophet Mohammad in two political cartoons, but threatening to kidnap people over it is hardly the right approach. Myself, I’d call that offensive. If they do follow through with their threats, they should hope they don’t accidentally kidnap Americans. And for that matter, avoid the British. And the French. When you piss any of those three off — you know, the ones who have been funding your little experiment at statehood you call “Palestine” — by kidnapping their citizens, the money will dry up (electing Hamas has already pretty much prompted American money to stop). You aren’t in Iraq; the above three can get to you. And more than likely they’ll just have the Israelis do their dirty work. They’ve gotten good at it.

If you want to know what would happen to anyone trying this in Europe, ask yourself how we would handle it in America. Extrapolate from there, taking into consideration the endgame of the riots in Paris a few months ago. There’s your answer.

I’m running out of patience waiting for idiots with assault rifles and masks to figure out that no one wants to negotiate with idiots with assault rifles and masks. I will not wish them dead, but I do wish they would seek a peaceful solution. The response to their refusal will no doubt be considered “American imperialist aggression,” but they’ll still all be dead.

On a side note, Kamal wrote quite eloquently yesterday about what it means for something to be offensive. I don’t agree with everything he says — I think he lets the protesters off too easily; they are responsible for their actions in response, no matter how offended — but he is right that we really don’t care about offending each other. This is more a symptom of globalization than some universal lowering of standards. Cartoons like this, and worse, have been around for as long as there have been newspapers. Now they reach the entire world, where before they reached their own little cultural sphere.

Personally, it takes a lot to shock me, and even more for me to take offense. These cartoons are mild to me. I’m not offended, but I can see how someone who’s life is governed by Islamic faith would be. Saying they should get over it is like saying Blacks in America should just laugh off a white comedian in blackface. So they are within their rights to get upset, just as the newspapers are within their rights to publish offensive cartoons, and I’m within my rights to blog about it.

That being said, protesting and rioting over a couple of cartoons in a foreign newspaper? Overreact much? It is all well and good to take offense, but get a little sense of perspective. We used to joke that the official pastime in Barcelona was burning cars after a football match. Win or lose. Especially if the opponent was Real Madrid. Home or Away. This has the same flavor. Sure, you’re pissed. Do you have to seize an embassy over it?

As for the content, I believe they derive from the idea that everyone knows suicide bombers come from all faiths; we just haven’t seen any of the other ones yet. That is likely just an accident of geography.

I’ll probably think more about this later, and might write again about the topic. I’m still trying to decide if it is ever right, or even acceptable, to be offensive for the sake of being offensive. I’m also contemplating what role intent has in defining something as hate speech.