I actually have a bunch of “climate change” articles saved to Pocket, but this article, via Hot Air headlines, intrigued me
(UK Guardian) Four out of ten French people want the press to avoid publishing further cartoons that will upset the Muslim community, according to a poll published on Sunday.
While supporting the idea of freedom of expression, 42% of those quizzed in the Ifop poll for Le Journal du Dimanche said cartoons that made Muslims feel injured or threatened should be avoided.
However, a majority – 57% of those asked – said magazines and papers should be free to continue publishing cartoons whatever the reaction.
Traditional media was treated slightly more favourably than new media by those asked: 50% said there should be limits put on the freedom of expression on the internet, while 49% said there should be no restrictions.
Here’s the thing: should media and other outlets avoid publishing material that upsets others? Not just Muslims, but the targeted group? We’re not talking about forced censorship, but personal censorship. Civility. Respect. Responsibility. In Starship Troopers, Robert Heinlein wrote
“A dying culture invariably exhibits personal rudeness. Bad manners. Lack of consideration for others in minor matters. A loss of politeness, of gentle manners, is more significant than is a riot.â€
Regardless of it being a science fiction book, that always made quite a bit of sense to me. Too often people are willing to forgo civility. With free speech comes responsibility. Much of the world has forgotten this as an attitude that makes everything not just about “me me me”, but infused with an attitude that everyone else is simply an ant. What does that mean? Do you think about all the ants and bugs you step on? No. You almost never notice them. You’re just doing your own thing without regard to the bugs. This is the way so many people think today. When they’re driving along and cut people off, it’s more than just selfishness, it’s a complete lack of regard for what can happen to other people. The fender bender behind them is of no regard as they drive off without knowing they are responsible for causing that accident.
Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should. Was it appropriate when cartoonists were penning cartoons portraying Condi Rice in a horribly racist manner, many which were published in major American newspapers, such as the Washington Post and NY Times. When we do, we should be responsible for doing, be it speech, actions, the pen. We may not be to blame, we we can bear responsibility.
