Muhammad's Bomb

  2006-02-07


For those of you who keep up on international news and events, the Danish free press problem may seem a bit absurd. After all, several countires now have severed their ties with Denmark, and there are riots over these cartoons published months ago. And it would seem that Denmark is now quite concerned (en français). Of course, this is an interesting confluence of events. The notoriously open, liberal, and tolerant countries are meeting a culture that is known for being rigid, traditionalistic, and violent. It almost makes me want to reach for the popcorn... Immigration and the quest for profit have wrought an uneasy alliance in Europe with its North African and Middle Eastern neighbors. Unfortunately, something soon here will have to give. I can't see the Danes abandoning the sacred cow of free press, but neither can I see the Muslims backing down over some cartoons in poor taste. I think that Europe may have to come to grips with the fact that its working idea of tolerance is hypocritical at best and patronizing at worst. The Muslims have called them on it. For a long time now, Christians have put up with all sorts of mockery, from the "Life of Brian" to later Family Guy episodes that stepped over the line. However, I do not see us taking to the streets. Oh sure, there may be some grumbling from time to time, but on the whole we get over it and move on. I supsect that the end of this will be somewhere along the lines of an unspoken truce... The European press will generally self censor itself in order to avoid costly public offense and political debacles, while the Muslim world will have to let infidels do what they do best: ignore Muslim law.