[Peace-discuss] Cartoons

[Matt Reichel]

When this was published in Charlie Hebdo a few days ago, I waited in a 
longer than usual line at my local news stand here in the 14th 
arrondissement to buy the published material, realizing full well that this 
junk periodical was using hate speech as a means of making a little extra 
cash, and that I was letting my curiosity help fuel that process. Everyone 
in line seemed to mirror my sentiments: telling me that this has nothing to 
do with "free speech," at least in part because we were paying for it.

I am opposed to the publishing of this crap in much the same way I publicly 
opposed the publishing of the zionist, anti-palestinian trash that appeared 
in the DI a few years ago. (full page ad depecting palestinian children as 
terrorists to be...)

Free speech has never meant freedom of speech at all times and places, but 
instead requires an understanding of the balance between right and 
responsibility: one can possess no right in a free and democratic society 
without carrying it out in a thoughtful and responsible manner.


Side Note: if the riots that englufed the northern balieue of Paris a few 
months ago actually had anything to do with a "clash of civilizations" as 
many commentators would have you believe, then publishing this cartoon would 
most certainly have fueled the flames again...RIGHT??

cheers,
matt e r

>From: "Janine Giordano" <jgiord2 at uiuc.edu>
>Reply-To: Janine Giordano <jgiord2 at uiuc.edu>
>To: <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>,"Bob Illyes" <illyes at uiuc.edu>
>Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Cartoons
>Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 18:01:43 -0600
>
>Bob said, " I have no sympathy for the folks
>that are rioting and burning, but am disgusted that the DI
>has gotten into the fray by republishing stuff that is seen
>as obscene by many Muslims. But then I believe they are behind
>the Chief as well, so should I be surprised?"
>
>Yeah, that's an interesting question of whether or not offensive material
>should be republished--for a particular purpose of pubic notice and open
>critique. This is an interesting issue that I suspect the ACLU deals with
>often---I, for one, really appreciate knowing what these cartoons that we
>are all talking about actually look like. I don't personally like the idea
>of opposing something on the grounds of hate-speech simply by taking the
>"media's" word for it that these cartoons were so horrible. Seeing them, I
>can have something to say. I have appreciated Ken Cuno and Behrooz
>Ghamari-Tabrizi's explanation for why these are so offensive. Their
>assessments lead me to wonder whether or not it matters how *intentionally*
>hateful these cartoons were. Part of me believes (or wants to believe) that
>these were made in real ignorance, and a climate of excessively racialized/
>politicized religion. As Ghamari-Tabrizi's article implies, whether
>consciously malicious or not they are part of an old system of
>discrimination. But, in terms of responding to the incident here and now, I
>wonder if we should consider constructive ways of theorizing/categorizing
>hate speech from pathetic stupidity coming from a subculture of bigoted 
>individuals. Is every racist/ close-minded remark a product of its culture, 
>or is it possible that we have some bigots in Denmark? (Because,... we 
>don't have to go all the way to Denmark....)
>
>janine
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Illyes" <illyes at uiuc.edu>
>To: <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
>Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 3:46 PM
>Subject: [Peace-discuss] Cartoons
>
>
>>Thanks for the news, David. I have no sympathy for the folks
>>that are rioting and burning, but am disgusted that the DI
>>has gotten into the fray by republishing stuff that is seen
>>as obscene by many Muslims. But then I believe they are behind
>>the Chief as well, so should I be surprised?
>>
>>Bob
>>
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>>Peace-discuss mailing list
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>
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