The National Post steps up
Though the National Post has not published the cartoons themselves, the paper has come out strongly in defence of the Western Standard, seeing the big picture:
Last week, the Calgary-based Western Standard newsmagazine published eight of the 12 Danish cartoons that allegedly blaspheme the Muslim prophet Muhammad. Some Muslim groups responded by demanding the magazine be charged with hate crimes, and by applying to have its senior staff hauled before the Alberta Human Rights Commission. In the interest of protecting freedom of expression, both Alberta's Department of Justice and the province's rights investigators must reject these demands summarily.
We have disagreed with the Standard over the need to reprint the cartoons that first appeared last September in Copenhagen's Jyllands-Posten newspaper. But the magazine's decision was certainly defensible: Its publisher and editor argued the best way for their readers to place the images in context was actually to see them.
If the legal actions against the Standard are successful, it will send a dangerous message: that any group in society can use mechanisms of government to censor views it disagrees with. The result would be a media environment that is timid and bland. Even those who disagree with the Standard's editorial stance should support it in its campaign to uphold the principle of free speech.
The editorial board at the National Post gets it. This is about sovereignty, and about the duty of the media to defend it. We have our rights and freedoms, and they have theirs. We live by a set of standards, and the media acts as the watchdog, calling out when we fail to live by those standards, or when those standards are threatened. It can be a dangerous role to play, but that is why the media garners so much respect (or used to).
Our standards are for ourselves. People in other nations don't have to like them, but then they have their own countries in which they implement their own standards.
And maybe that's the real difference between us and the rabid crowds screaming their fury over the cartoons:
We don't demand that those living in other countries live by our standards. On the other hand, they are demanding we die by theirs.
The media needs to make that clear. Part of that is not cowering in the face of the mob about the cartoons. And for those media outlets like the National Post that have decided not to print the cartoons, they have to be unequivocal in defending those who do.
You can't pick and choose which rights you want to defend and when to defend them. The media needs to remember that. Otherwise the mob will attack when while we dither and wring our hands.
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Comments
I agree with the NP in this instance--but where is the outrage against the loss of freedom of speech for that Professor in Austria who was just sentenced to 3 years in jail for denying the Holocaust 17 years ago? We do not have free speech when it comes to more equal groups. Maybe Islam wants to be named a more equal group?
Posted by: George at February 21, 2006 07:56 AM
Look how far everything has come…
If just a year ago, hypothetically, the Jehovah Witness’s, who were tired of doors being slammed in their faces, made the following public declarations;
“When Jehovah’s Witnesses come to your door, Canadians must do the following.
1.Open their doors
2.Listen to the entire presentation without interruption
3.Accept all literature offered
4.Agree to attend Kingdom Hall within a week.
Failure to comply will result in Hate Crime charge investigation, editorial condemnation for intolerance, and of course, the threat of violence and/or death to anyone who does not fully comply, or even appears not to comply.”
What would have been your reaction? What would have been the public reation to the Jehovah's Witnesses?
Canadians need to take a stand.
Posted by: Pete at February 21, 2006 08:04 AM
We must not only tolerate other cultures, but embrace them as well. Once we accept our Muslim brothers into our society, once we incorporate their values and make them realize that their concerns matter to us - this will be the salve that heals the festering boil.
It's so simple.
Posted by: Liebermann at February 21, 2006 08:43 AM
There is only one problem, Muslims don't want to incorporate their values into our society. They want to surplant our values with their values.
Awake Canadian
Posted by: Awake Canadian at February 21, 2006 09:05 AM
That's just paranoid thinking, Awake.
Posted by: at February 21, 2006 09:22 AM
Paranoid??
"Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others."
extreme or irrational fear??
What is the death count at the hands of offended Muslims?
(http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2006/02/nigerians-rampage-with-machetes-after.html)
What is on the banners at Muslim protests? Words like "death" and "beheading"?
...move along everyone, nothing to fear here, just move along...
Posted by: at February 21, 2006 10:52 AM
That the NP decided not to run the cartoons is an indication that they don't get it. If they did get it they would have published them. Not publishing them but defending the WS for doing so is nothing besideds useless pieties.
Posted by: Jc at February 21, 2006 11:12 AM
The media isnt now, already, Timid & bland?
I think people who care about this issue, and wish to understand the Islamic response to these 'insults' is to see them. I dont see how anyone could reasonable expect to understand the issue without knowing what the issue is. Orwellian.
Posted by: Curtis at February 21, 2006 11:14 AM
JC the reason they didn't run them is because they have a plan to get all the people who might buy their paper to instead surf the net.
I didn't say it was a good plan but I want to barf everytime some msm says if you want to see them go on the net.
Why give them my $$$,
Check "the list" at the bottom, if you want to know the numbers of casualties.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/
Posted by: DrWright at February 21, 2006 12:31 PM
I had occasion to call Peter MacKay's office today after reading a shocking entry on Judith Apted Klinghoffer's site from Nigeria. The author of the email said had all the major news services in the world stood together it would have protected them, instead the fact that only a few will publish is getting people killed. I wanted to tell MacKay's office I'd sent an email about publishing and why it's important and have someone follow-up with me. The lack of interest and actual condescension on the phone was palpable. I was so shocked I could not believe that this is what I went through all the trouble campaigning for to elect this wishy washy politically correct guy and his party who were as his assistant put it 'off putting together a government'. Here's the whole sad tale in my link to the lgf thread on the Klinghofer post. Please read Judith's post at her site. Just scroll up from this post after you've read it to read what she posted:
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=19340#c0138
Posted by: foreign devil at February 21, 2006 02:59 PM
 
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