The responsibility of free speech
I am absolutely amazed at the stupidity at the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish press. Amazed how they can act in such a manner when every expert opinion, and even common sense, screams no, no, no! How they can publish pictures of a person revered by many, and who set down a rule that he should not be portrayed. How they can justify such pointless agitation, how they get the hubris to pour gasoline on the fire is beyond me. But they have done it. The Danes did it, we reprinted it, and the Swedes gave the finger. Thank God for Jonas Gahr Støre who remains the only diplomatically inclined person in the whole mess. He, and the local Palestinian commander of the Al-Aqsa brigade. They kept their heads cool. But knowing the nature of things, that might hardly be enough to contain such a giant leap backward. Into the shit.
Yes, the freedom of the press is a wonderful thing. But common sense, in all its glory, leaves it in the dust. And that's the only argument in that matter I believe is worthwhile presenting, anything else would be redundant.
No, they have no right to threaten the lives of our citizens who are there to aid, or to burn our flag, or the Danish flag. But let's take into the account the political side of things. Not to justify, because it is not my place to do that, but to provide a context. The original drawings were published over four months ago in Jyllands-Posten, yet it is not before now we see the reactions in the muslim world. We're not communicating with smoke signals anymore; shit spreads fast. So why no public outrage or flagburning until recently? Al-Fatah lost their election to Hamas not very long, and it was a massive defeat for them and the repercussions for Palestine remain to be seen. But with this in mind, the entire ordeal of the recent days is put into new light: it is a rallying point, a case for which the losers can make their stand and yell their defiance at, to show that they're still fierce and not to be forgotten.
Not to say it is entirely thus and nothing else, but it is politics fanning the flame of religious outrage - which has been, and remains a potent political weapon.
EDIT: Well, it's no longer only Al-Fatah, Hamas is definitely on the bandwagon; or rather, they're building their own.