FEBRUARY
      22,
      2005
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      e
      15
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      that
      the
      Danish
      imams
      were
      willing
      to
     
     
      accept
      because
      they
      understood
      the
     
     
      potential
      for
      the
      matter
      to
      get
      out
      of
     
     
      hand.
      The
      European
      editors
      really
     
     
      didn’t
      care
      if
      it
      got
      out
      of
      hand,
      and
     
     
      like
      Rose,
      were
      in
      fact
      excited
      by
      the
     
     
      prospect
      of
      being
      able
      to
      further
      stoke
     
     
      the
      fires
      of
      anti-muslimism
      in
      Europe.
     
     
      They
      pretended
      to
      support
      press
     
     
      freedom
      when
      in
      fact
      they
      only
     
     
      wanted
      to
      be
      provocative
      and
      pour
      oil
     
     
      on
      the
      fire.
     
    

    
     
      Those
      same
      papers
      would
     
     
      never
      publish
      anti-Semitic
      cartoons
     
     
      and
      in
      fact
      would
      be
      subject
      to
     
     
      prosecution
      if
      they
      did.
      Day
      before
     
     
      yesterday,
      in
      Bethlehem,
      a
      large
     
     
      demonstration
      was
      held
      by
      Muslims
     
     
      and
      Christians,
      who
      joined
      hands
     
     
      (literally)
      and
      marched
      in
      protest
     
     
      against
      the
      cartoons
      from
      the
      Church
     
     
      of
      the
      Nativity
      to
      the
      Mosque
      of
     
     
      Omar.
      They
      had
      a
      banner
      that
      said
     
     
      “Holocaust
      denial
      =
      unpardonable
     
     
      sin!
      Defamation
      of
      prophets
      and
     
     
      religions
      =
      free
      speech!”
     
    

    
     
      To
      understand
      the
      anger
      of
     
     
      Muslims,
      you
      have
      to
      transpose
      the
     
     
      situation
      to
      something
      Westerners
     
     
      (especially
      Christians)
      can
      appreciate.
     
     
      After
      all,
      hundreds
      of
      caricatures
      of
     
     
      individual
      Muslims,
      of
      Ben
      Laden
      and
     
     
      of
      stereotypical
      Muslims
      have
      been
     
     
      published
      without
      incident.
      Why
      is
     
     
      this
      incident
      different?
     
    

    
     
      As
      an
      analogy,
      take
      the
      case
     
     
      of
      a
      pedophile
      priest.
      There
      wouldn’t
     
     
      be
      much
      controversy
      among
     
     
      Christians
      if
      an
      editorial
      cartoonist
     
     
      used
      that
      case
      or
      the
      spate
      of
      recent
     
     
      similar
      cases
      to
      draw
      a
      cogent,
      biting
     
     
      cartoon
      illustrating
      some
      aspect
      of
      the
     
     
      problem.
      Suppose,
      however,
      that
      the
     
     
      cartoonist
      went
      further.
      Suppose
      that,
     
     
      instead
      of
      drawing
      a
      stereotypical
     
     
      pedophile
      priest
      representing
      those
     
     
      actually
      involved
      in
      child
      sexual
      abuse,
     
     
      the
      cartoonist
      drew
      a
      picture
      of
      Jesus
     
     
      with
      his
      pants
      around
      his
      ankles
      in
      the
     
     
      act
      of
      raping
      a
      young
      boy
      and
      the
     
     
      legend
      read
      “Let
      the
      little
      children
     
     
      come
      unto
      me
      and
      forbid
      them
      not”
     
     
      —Mark
      10:4".
      ;
     
    

    
     
      |
      Do
      you
      think
      that
      cartoon
     
    
   
   
    
     
      would
      be
      considered
      part
      of
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      overall
      corpus
      of
      run-of-the-mill
     
     
      editorial
      cartoons
      and
      that
      no
     
     
      widespread
      controversy
      would
      follow?
     
     
      Well
      that
      cartoon
      is
      analogous
      to
      the
     
     
      Danish
      cartoons,
      which
      depict
      another
     
     
      Prophet
      of
      God
      as
      (1)
      a
      terrorist
      whose
     
     
      turban
      is
      a
      fizzling
      bomb,
      (2)
      as
      a
      pimp
     
     
      at
      Heaven’s
      Gates
      turning
      away
     
     
      suicide
      bombers
      because
      there
      are
      no
     
     
      mote
      virgins
      and
      (3)
      as
      a
      demon
      with
     
     
      horns.
     
    

    
     
      In
      Germany,
      to
      which
      Canada
     
     
      recently
      extradited
      Ernst
      Zundel
      for
     
     
      trial
      for
      the
      crime
      of
      Holocaust
      denial
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      in
      his
      writings
      and
      on
      his
      Web
      site,
      the
     
     
      paper
      that
      republished
      the
      cartoons
     
     
      argued
      that
      press
      freedom
      is
      absolute
     
     
      and
      that
      newspapers
      can
      say
      anything
     
     
      even
      if
      it
      offends
      people
      or
      is
     
     
      defamatory
      in
      nature.
      Yet
      that
      same
     
     
      newspaper
      cannot
      call
      any
      historical
     
     
      facts
      of
      the
      Holocaust
      into
      question
     
     
      and
      certainly
      would
      never
      dare
      to
     
     
      publish
      caricatures
      depicting
      Jews—not
     
     
      Jewish
      prophets,
      just
      ordinary
      Jews—
     
     
      in
      situations
      similar
      to
      those
      in
      the
     
     
      Muhammad
      series.
     
    

    
     
      Fortunately,
      editors
      of
      North
     
     
      American
      papers
      (with
      the
      exception
     
     
      of
      the
      Philadelphia
      Inquirer)
      have
     
     
      understood
      that
      they
      can
      be
     
     
      responsible
      journalists
      and
      comment
     
     
      fully
      on
      the
      controversy
      without
     
     
      actually
      reprinting
      the
      cartoons.
      After
     
     
      all,
      when
      someone
      is
      arrested
      for
     
     
      selling
      child
      pornography,
      they
      do
      not
     
     
      fell
      compelled
      to
      publish
      examples
      of
     
     
      the
      seized
      material
      in
      order
      to
      “fully
     
     
      inform”
      their
      readers.
     
    

    
     
      Actions
      that
      are
      legal
      are
      not
     
     
      necessarily
      responsible,
      prudent
      or
     
     
      recommendable.
      Considering
      the
      level
     
     
      of
      angry
      and
      emotion,
      any
      editor
      who
     
     
      would
      reprint
      the
      cartoons
      would
      be
     
     
      doing
      the
      equivalent
      of
      crying
      FIRE
     
     
      in
      a
      crowed
      theatre
      where
      there
      was
     
     
      to
      fire.
      And
      that
      editor
      should
      be
      held
     
    
   
   
    
     
      responsible
      for
      any
      ensuing
      violence.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      U.S.
      has
      fewer
      laws
      |
     
    
   
   
    
     
      restricting
      press
      freedom
      than
      most
     
     
      countries.
      Here
      in
      Canada,
      we
      have
      a
     
     
      hate
      speech
      law
      that
      could
      conceivably
     
     
      be
      used
      to
      prosecute
      editors
      who
     
     
      published
      the
      Muhammad
      cartoons.
     
     
      We
      also
      have
      a
      criminal
      statute
     
     
      outlawing
      “blasphemous
      libel’.
      It
      has
     
     
      not
      been
      used
      for
      about
      80
      years
      but
     
     
      tries
      to
      balance
      the
      right
      of
      expression
     
     
      and
      the
      obligation
      of
      the
      government
     
     
      to
      preserve
      domestic
      tranquility
      by
     
     
      providing
      an
      exemption
      from
     
     
      prosecution
      for
      the
      expression
      of
     
     
      opinion
      on
      a
      religious
      matter
      that
      is
     
     
      “made
      in
      good
      faith
      and
      using
      decent
     
     
      language”.
      poe
     
    

    
     
      Unfortunately,
      in
      most
     
     
      jurisdictions,
      it
      is
      not
      possible
      to
      bring
     
     
      criminal
      or
      civil
      procedures
      against
     
     
      someone
      who
      defames
      (libels
      or
     
     
      slanders)
      a
      dead
      person.
      If
      the
      Prophet
     
     
      Muhammad
      were
      still
      alive,
      it
      would
     
     
      be
      relatively
      easy
      to
      win
      such
      a
      case
     
     
      since
      the
      burden
      of
      proof
      would
      be
     
     
      on
      the
      publishers
      to
      show
      that
      the
     
     
      allegations
      made
      or
      implied
      in
      the
     
     
      cartoons
      were
      true.
     
    

    
     
      You
      and
      many
      commentators
     
     
      in
      Europe
      seem
      to
      confuse
      “press
     
     
      freedom”
      (a
      precious
      right)
      and
      “press
     
     
      license”
      (the
      irresponsible
      exercise
      of
     
     
      that
      right).
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Salutations,
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      K.-Benoit
      Evans
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      To
      Ray
      Keating
      and
      his
      UPEI
      Cadre
     
     
      “Editorial
      Board”:
     
    

    
     
      I
      was
      beyond
      disappointed
      that
      a
     
     
      Canadian
      university
      paper
      would
      be
     
     
      so
      irresponsible,
      reckless,
      and
      frankly
     
     
      parochial
      and
      unsophisticated
      enough
     
     
      to
      reprint
      the
      offensive
      and
      hugely
     
     
      controversial
      Mohammed
      cartoons
      in
     
     
      the
      name
      of
      freedom
      of
      speech.
      The
     
     
      Renaissance
      leaders
      would
      roll
      over
      in
     
     
      their
      graves.
      I
      have
      been
      a
      member
      of
     
     
      the
      editorial
      boards
      of
      university
     
     
      student
      papers
      at
      UBC
      and
      U
      of
      T,
     
     
      and
      I
      can’t
      imagine
      the
      arrogance
      and
     
     
      hubris
      you
      and
      your
      editorial
      staff
     
     
      must
      have
      exhibited
      when
      you
      met
      to
     
     
      decide
      to
      do
      this,
      assuming
      you
      even
     
     
      attempted
      to
      have
      an
      intelligent
     
     
      debate
      about
      it
      and
      weigh
      the
     
     
      consequences
      of
      your
      actions.
      The
     
     
      UPEI
      Cadre
      under
      your
      leadership
      is
      a
     
     
      real
      black
      mark
      on
      the
      vital
      student
     
     
      newspaper
      movement
      across
      Canada.
     
     
      And
      this
      coming
      from
      an
      atheist!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      David
      Khan,
      B.Sc.,
      J.D.
     
     
      Calgary,
      Alberta
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      live
      in
      Niagara
      Falls,
      and
      I
      am
      a
     
     
      Danish
      Canadian.
      I
      knew
      that
      these
     
     
      cartoons
      were
      an
      issue
      in
      October.
      I
     
     
      figured
      that
      I
      would
      be
      able
      to
      find
     
     
      the
      cartoons
      on
      the
      internet
      too,
      just
     
     
      as
      Beverly
      Thomson
      had
      suggested.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘But
      I
      can’t
      find
      them.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Just
      like
      you
      I
      want
      to
      see
      if
      it
     
     
      is
      a
      really
      big
      deal.
      Usually
      in
      the
      past
     
     
      things
      like
      this
      which
      have
      been
      huge
     
     
      issues
      really
      don’t
      look
      like
      anything
     
     
      drastic.
      Of
      course,
      ’m
      dying
      to
      see
     
     
      for
      myself.
     
    

    
     
      Congratulations
      for
      having
      the
     
     
      guts
      to
      post
      these
      drawings
      in
      your
     
     
      school
      paper.
      Of
      course,
      things
      like
     
     
      this
      upset
      people,
      but
      at
      least
      your
     
     
      school
      will
      know
      what
      the
      truth
      about
     
     
      the
      current
      upset
      in
      the
      Middle
      East.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Thank
      you,
     
     
      Diana
      Madsen
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Dear
      Editors
      of
      the
      UPEI
      Cadre,
     
    

    
     
      I
      read
      with
      interest
      an
      article
      that
     
     
      described
      your
      printing
      of
      the
      cartoons
     
     
      depicting
      the
      prophet
      Muhammad
      in
     
     
      various.
      derogatory
      ways.
      I
      find
      it
     
     
      interesting
      that
      a
      group
      such
      as
      yours
     
     
      at
      an
      institution
      of
      learning
      shows
     
     
      such
      ignorance.
     
    

    
     
      Granted
      that
      the
      university
     
     
      years
      of
      a
      person’s
      life
      are
      often
      given
     
     
      over
      to
      iconoclasm,
      to
      expressing
     
     
      “freedom”
      by
      breaking
      the
      norms
      and
     
     
      motes
      of
      a
      society,
      to
      seeing
      how
      far
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      bar
      can
      be
      pushed,
      but
      at
      least
     
     
      admit
      this
      in
      your
      rationale
      for
      printing
     
     
      the
      cartoons.
     
    

    
     
      To
      claim
      that
      you
      did
      this
      so
     
     
      that
      other
      people
      could
      decide
      for
     
     
      themselves
      whether
      or
      not
      the
     
     
      cartoons
      are
      offensive
      is
      irrelevant.
      I
     
     
      am
      not
      Muslim.
      Therefore,
      I
      am
      not
     
     
      offended
      by
      the
      cartoons.
      Unless
      you
     
     
      are
      Muslim
      you
      cannot
      hope
      to
     
     
      understand
      the
      depth
      of
      this
      insult.
     
     
      However
      I
      am
      aware
      that
      Muslims
     
     
      NEVER
      depict
      the
      prophet
     
     
      Muhammad.
      Never
      mind
      in
      a
     
     
      derogatory
      fashion.
      They
      do
      this
      to
     
     
      prevent
      idolatry.
      For
      the
      same
      reason
     
     
      Muslim
      art
      is
      all
      geometrical,
      never
     
     
      representative,
      because
      to
      depict
     
     
      images
      of
      creation,
      gives
      to
      much
     
     
      honor
      to
      the
      created
      thing
      and
      draws
     
     
      attention
      away
      from
      the
      Creator.
      This
     
     
      is
      not
      my
      belief,
      but
      I
      am
      aware
     
     
      enough
      to
      know
      that
      my
      own
      view
      of
     
     
      the
      world
      does
      not
      reflect
      Muslim
     
     
      reality.
      Therefore
      I
      am
      unqualified
      to
     
     
      determine
      how
      a
      Muslim
      person
      ‘would
     
     
      feel
      insulted
      and
      enraged
      by
      such
     
     
      cavalier
      disregard
      for
      their
      beliefs.
      I
     
     
      can
      sympathize
      by
      putting
      myself
      in
      a
     
     
      similar
      imaginary
      position
      as
      a
     
     
      Christian.
      If
      someone
      printed
      similar
     
     
      cartoons
      of
      Jesus
      Christ
      I
      would
      be
     
     
      appalled.
      I
      would
      consider
      it
      hate-
     
     
      mongering,
      as
      it
      would
      attack
      a
      whole
     
     
      group
      of
      people
      simply
      on
      the
      basis
     
     
      of
      their
      beliefs,
      much
      the
      way
      the
      Jews
     
     
      have
      been
      treated
      throughout
      much
      of
     
     
      History.
     
    

    
     
      Not
      to
      mention
      that
      you
      must
     
     
      be
      completely
      culturally
      illiterate
      to
     
     
      assume
      that
      just
      because
      we
      live
      in
      a
     
     
      society
      of
      apathy
      and
      cynicism
      that
     
     
      the
      rest
      of
      the
      world,
      should
      follow
     
     
      suit
      and
      not
      take
      any
      action
      when
      the
     
     
      beliefs
      at
      the
      very
      core
      of
      their
      being
     
     
      are
      insulted.
      Most
      of
      the
      world
     
     
      doesn’t
      operate
      that
      way.
     
    

    
     
      Freedom
      does
      not
      consist
      in
     
     
      everybody
      being
      able
      to
      do
      what
      they
     
     
      want.
      Freedom
      consists
      in
      an
     
     
      established
      rule
      of
      law
      that
      prevents
     
     
      the
      majority
      from
      trampling
      on
      the
     
     
      minority;
      that
      upholds
      the
      dignity
      and
     
     
      worth
      of
      the
      person;
      that
      forbids
     
     
      abuses
      in
      the
      name
      of
      whatever
      power
     
     
      you
      choose
      to
      hold
      dear.
      Freedom
      does
     
     
      not
      give
      anyone
      sanction
      to
      trample
     
     
      on
      someone
      else’s
      soul.
      That
      is
      an
     
     
      abuse
      of
      the
      freedom
      we
      have
      fought
     
     
      for
      in
      this
      country.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Respectfully
      Yours,
     
     
      Elizabeth
      Tan
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Well
      done!
      It
      is
      a
      good
      thing
      that
      you
     
     
      should
      print
      these
      cartoons.
      Free
     
     
      Speech
      must
      be
      promoted
      and
     
     
      preserved.
      I
      believe
      in
      a
      Christian
      god