Freedom of Speech

I was able to post on offensive Islam cartoons and free speech since it seems like the in thing to do, and then I realized that Greg had already done so. I essentially agree with him. I think it is wrong to publish those cartoons, that is why I will not do so. I do not think it should be illegal to publish them. Freedom of speech should not only apply to things that are pleasant. If you are deeply offended by these cartoons, write to the newspapers asking them to apologize, create a petition for them to apologize, start a boycott of all media that published these cartoons, or simply try to inform as many people as you can that these cartoons are not representative of Islam. The reaction that shouldn't happen is violence. The violent reactions and threats that happened are quite ironic, as they are upset with being characterized as violent people. I know it is only a subset that do this, but this certainly won't make the spread of the offensive ideas like this die down (I'm not saying it makes it valid to depict Muslims as terrorists, just it isn't helping disprove it).

I do not believe that people have a right to not be offended by anything. If this was true, I probably would have to cut down about half of the things I say. I have a right to say what I want, offensive or not, on this blog. Google, which owns Blogger, has the right to limit what I say on their website. My ISP has the right to restrict the content I access/distribute over their network according to my service agreement (including Rogers annoying block on bit torrent/P2P progams that I hate). The administrator of Blogging Tories has the right to kick me off the blogroll for making offensive comments, just as any political parties I hold memberships in have the right to cancel my membership if I do not comply with conditions of membership. Finally, you, the reader has the right to not read what I write. I am not forcing you to read this, so if I offend you, stop reading what I write. I try not to be offensive because I do not want to offend people, and please let me know if I do say something offensive, but you do not have to the right to tell me what I cannot say.

Part of the reason I am against any laws that limit free speech (and really only why I'm against implementation of the law, I am against the law in general because I respect freedom) is because there is no standard for offensive. If anyone makes any comment that is contrary to any religion, is this offensive? If a Muslim says, "The Jews are wrong," is this crossing the line? I think it is silly if it is crossing the line because if you are Muslim you implicitly say that you believe you are right and other religions are wrong, or else you wouldn't be Muslim. What about if I say there is no god? I am clearly saying I think every religious person in the world is wrong, and even if that offends you, I don't see how I could face any legal ramifications for the statement. Or what about when Christian groups make comments about gay people being sinners? This may raise more questions about whether it is offensive enough to justify the law getting involved, but many would still disagree. The line cannot, and should not, be set. The line will be set by everyone, and the market will react accordingly. If a newspaper offends enough people, it won't stay being published very long, or at least it won't be a mainstream paper.

(On a side note, I have read certain bloggers, who I won't name because I don't want to start a religious argument when I don't think it is an important enough subject, who seem to say that all "anti-religion" or "godless" people do it to somehow rebel against the religious establishment, as if we really did think there was a god and we just choose to ignore it/him/her. I am not religious or spiritual whatsoever. I am not rebelling against anything, there just is no god. Sure, there are some on the radical left that will oppose anything that religious people do, but this is not everyone. As Penn Jillette said on his radio show, "Atheists are given a bad rap from Socialists and Communists.")

I am not hypocritical either, if any Christian wants to make a cartoon of me burning in hell for not accepting Jesus and my lord and savior, go right ahead (but it isn't like you need my permission to do it)!