Embrace Offensiveness

It seems to me that this whole flap about offensive cartoons is just another excuse for hypocritical fundamentalists to demand, to the point of direct violence, their "my way or the highway" world view. A view that should be totally rejected out of hand.

We are a country that is founded on free speech, we owe no apologies, nor should we accept censorship in exchange for perceived safety. That's called blackmail. Embrace the freedom of offensiveness. Question it, debate it, reject it if you so desire. But embrace and defend it's existence.

Sonia Mikich hits the nail on the head here;

"It should go without saying that individuals in a secular democracy have every right to caricature and mock authorities, even religious ones. They should be prepared to meet criticism but not punishment."

http://www.signandsight.com/features/597.html

More here;

http://www.slate.com/id/2135499/

and here;

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,398853,00.html

-UF