Attacks on Freedom of Expression

I have tried very hard to avoid the controversy over the "Danish Cartoons", that is until now! I looked at them for the first time this morning, and quite frankly I think that they are quite badly drawn and have no artistic merit at all, and that is a subjective personal opinion. I also think that given the climate of the last couple of years that this was a very ill judged and quite frankly a stupid thing to do.

However, there is also the other side of the coin, and that is the reaction to them; which is completely outrageous! The calling for the execution of those who insult Islam is just not acceptable in any shape or form; if we go down this route then we loose all forms of freedom of speech and artistic expression, and would be like Christians going along and burning down the houses of the members of the Monty Python team for the making of The Life of Brian! I have absolutely no time for anyone who promotes religious intoleance of any kind, and this includes the fanatical fundamentalists who were out calling for those who insult Islam to be beheaded.

I have no problem with anyone of any colour or creed practising, or living according to, their own particular set of beliefs; but I do have a problem when those people think that it is OK to inflict their particular way of thinking on those of us with a different set of beliefs. Let us not forget that we live in a democratic society with freedom of speech and freedom of expression. If those who are out there calling for executions and whipping up religious hatred want to live as equals in a democratic socety then they have to realise that they have to accept equality of treatment in the said democratic society; and that works equally for those who are out there whipping up anti-muslim feelings also.