[extropy-chat] thought space map on cartoons

[Amara Graps]

Dirk:
>The bottom line is that 'free speech' includes freedom to say things that
>are offensive, stupid and provocative. If it only included things that by
>definition could offend nobody it would not be free speech.


Yes (obviously), but what possibly could be gained by the newspaper
printing them again, and by the other European newspapers joining in,
if not to provoke?

Those countries have  minority Muslim populations who are often
nonpersons anyway due to immigration problems, many are out of work,
they have experienced ongoing harassment from the police and others in
their societies because of their skin color and religion, they find
too often that their values count for nothing against those in the
West, and they are angry at the US and the West in general over the
Iraq War, Palestine, etc.

At its mildest, such actions in this context seem to me a bit rude.
(Remember that nothing much happened the first time the cartoons were
printed). To people who are already near the boiling point because of
their present life situations, other provocations, etc., it is the
metaphorical pouring salt in the wound. I'm not surprised at the
outcome.

Amara


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Amara Graps, PhD          email: amara at amara.com
Computational Physics     vita:  ftp://ftp.amara.com/pub/resume.txt
Multiplex Answers         URL:   http://www.amara.com/
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"It is intriguing to learn that the simplicity of the world depends
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