Carpenters In The Forehead/ Celebrating Free Speech (But Only For A Day On Facebook)

The first annual “Everybody Draw Mohammad Day” started out with a bang, of sorts, on May 20^th, with a Facebook group submitting many hundreds of cartoons that depicted each person’s version of the Messenger of Allah.

Knowing full well that participating in such an endeavor would upset many devout Muslims, the effort was put forth in response to overt death threats that had been directed at writers for a Comedy Central cartoon show that portrayed Mohammad in an irreverent way.  Satire as a style of humor has always been an integral part of the show, but for Muslims, such an attitude is definitely not permitted when it comes to Mohammad.  Outrage from Muslims was also focused on cartoonists from all over the world who had the same audacity to exercise their freedom of speech.

Yielding to Muslim displeasure, the producers of South Park censored the material and struck a blow to the principles of free speech and a free press.  Several years prior to this, the Muslim faithful had gone on rampages with unbridled hatred and violence in response to Danish cartoonists who had published pictures of Mohammad that were drawn with the clear intent of rendering him as a parody.  Thus, the potential deadly consequences were well known to the censors when they made the choice to be intimidated and redact the material.

The article I wrote two days ago in support of the “Everybody Draw Mohammad Ddy” was entirely consistent with the stance that has been taken many times in these pages since the inception of appindie.  As an absolute believer in very few things, for me freedom of the press and freedom of speech qualify as two universal rights that are fundamental to free-wheeling, democracy-loving people everywhere.  As was stated lo some eighteen months ago when the Appalachian Independent was birthed and I submitted my first column, these beliefs are just as valid today:

"Unfortunately there are others who would prefer not to have these freedoms exist. Freedom of speech has been under siege in many parts of the world by those who fear the consequences of allowing people to express themselves, as the free exchange of ideas can be dangerous to those who wield the power. With the world’s eyes focused on the spectacle of the Olympics, we have also been made acutely aware of how in China the control of speech and denial of a free press keeps its citizens under the boot. The same is true of the potentates in the Middle East with their repressions cloaked in the guise of authoritarian religion."

"Is it not proper to be vigilant against attacks directed at our freedoms? Violence has been used repeatedly to try and silence those who wish to speak their minds, as radical followers of the Muslim religion have seen fit to condone gruesome murders while raging against non-violent criticism of their behavior. Video-tapes of horrific beheadings are broadcast throughout the world. Authors are put on death lists, and translators are murdered. Cartoonists are condemned, and embassies of countries that will not kowtow to their demands of censorship are bombed."

"With no apologies to those who plan and enact suicide murders, behead the innocent, and intentionally target the blameless, I contend that you have absolutely no right to complain about any satire heaped upon your brand of religion. Maybe it would be more appropriate to call it your brand of irreligion, for any claim of spiritual belief that is wedded to a terrorist mentality becomes, in my moral universe, open for criticism. And yet I offer sincerest apologies, if needed, to those faithful who reject a doctrine of violence and murder, for no offense is intended towards you."

"So, Dear Readers of the world, now that you have your ticket and have entered into the Big Top, allow the mental power of free speech and a free press to take you on a “magical mystery tour.” The tickets are free, as they well should be, and all you need is an imagination. Close your eyes and compose, layer by layer in your mind, a palimpsest in your frontal lobes that starts with the figure of a man. Not just any man, but a businessman who has recently returned from Mount Cone, with verses that are of questionable veracity. Grow onto him a bushy beard that moves up to encompass his upper lip and that matches the black sternness of his brows. Below this commanding brow you can visualize and add the eyes, dark orbits that pierce through to the center of your being and demand obedience. Now place upon his head a turban of ebony hue, and when it is comfortably settled, add an embroidered moniker that indicates La Profeta, informing all around him of his status. Take a moment at this point and direct that magic carpet of your mind to a different locale in your brain and place there a vision of a match and a stick of dynamite. And now, each time that there is another atrocious murder committed by a Muslim zealot in the name of religion, take a lighted match, ignite the fuse of the dynamite, and layer the explosive onto the fabric of the turban, thereby announcing to the world what his religion hath wrought."

"To viewers in the stands of the Big Tent, and to everyone the world over, no matter what your religious or philosophical belief, in the event that there may be any difficulty in composing this mental picture crafted from the written words, herein is provided a visual assist in joining cerebral synapses. "

But not everyone in the United States wants to be put in a position of defending our Bill of Rights, and the honchos at Facebook backed down when protests were lodged and their website was blocked in Pakistan.  Just a few hours after I published my article in appindie, you could no longer go onto Facebook and look at the cartoons.  Vanished into cyberspace because of the demands of angry Muslims, once again wielding their power over our basic liberties.

Censorship reared its ugly head, and the uncertain threat of violence won out over our freedoms.  But let’s clarify this censorship a little bit, for it pertains only to images of Mohammad, and not to any other religious figures.  South Park can poke fun at Jesus, the Pope, the Dali Lama, and anyone else they deem worthy of their caustic barbs, but Mohammad is definitely off limits.  Instead, radical Muslim terrorists call the shots and dictate to our country what is permissible to be published.

These demands, however, are not adhered to by all, and the Appalachian Independent stands out in the defense of our Constitutional rights, with no intention of squelching the freedom to openly express one’s opinion, even though others may disagree, and even though they may be offended.  We may be a little-bitty, teeny-tiny internet newspaper, but we pack a wallop in the freedom of speech category.

So take a moment of free-speech time and examine the attitude that comes across on this you-tube video, and then try explaining to me the illogic of the complaints coming from Muslims about the denigration of their religion.  Their terrorist and hateful beliefs cancel any legitimacy in complaining about images of Mohammad, and they deserve no slack in the lampooning of their lack of morality.

Who amongst the Muslims will be willing to answer this gentleman’s question and to condemn their culture of violence?  The free world has the right, and yes, the duty, to speak out and ridicule their immorality cloaked in religion.  The Muslims have no standing to lash out at those who wish to point out the obvious hypocrisy of their so-called peaceful faith.

To those who would throw acid in the faces of young women for the crime of wanting to go to school; who would stone to death women accused of adultery; who would slaughter innocents at food markets and mosques because they don’t adhere to a particular brand of Islamic faith:  to all of you, I say, “Too bad if you don’t like the criticism directed your way; for it is well deserved.”

Killers you are, and if Mohammad is the symbol of your religion, he deserves no sparing of unadulterated scorn.

This iconic cartoon of the Prophet as Bombhead will be indelibly imprinted in the minds of millions who see his religion as hijacked by thugs and murderers alike:

Mohammad for millions of people embodies the face of evil, and it is well past the time for Muslims to look within themselves to see the well-deserved reasons for that impression; to realize that they are equally the culprits and not, by any stretch of the imagination, worthy of being proclaimed as victims of disrespect.

So Facebook can take the cowardly path and join with the producers of Comedy Central, allowing the intimidation of our media outlets, but here at appindie we will continue to speak out, and even shout out, with a free voice and a free press.

Once again, the words of my favorite wordsmith, Salman Rushdie:  “Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game.  Free speech is life itself.”