MWL Condemns Norwegian Magazine for Publishing Offending Cartoons

MINA, 12 January 2006 — The Muslim World League yesterday expressed its resentment over the cartoons published by a Norwegian magazine offensive to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

I’m choosing “thin skin” as the fault here, rather than rank hypocrisy at the root of this annoying article.

The West enjoys–to greater, though lessening extent, thanks to “hate laws”–freedom of speech. That includes hateful and odious speech on all matters, including religion. As offensive as it may be to hear it, there is a general sense that there is largely unlimited freedom to say it. That means that all religions, Islam included, are open to criticism, mockery, and disdain by those who choose to do so.

That’s difficult to accept, no matter what one’s religion. It’s not a good thing, but it’s far better than the alternative in which we must never speak ill of matters protected by laws based on the religious beliefs of one single religion. One needn’t think long or hard to see how well a law that singled out Islam would go over.

It can also be pointed out to the MWL that they are rather slow off the mark to protest the condemnation, the slander and libel aimed at religions other than Islam. In fact, I don’t recall a single quote from a member of the group that rose to protest the calumnies aimed at Christians and Jews in mosques around the Muslim world, starting in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps the MWL could lead by example?