Cultural Sensitivity V. Political Correctness
I must preface this commentary by stating categorically that I oppose militant religious fundamentalism be it from Christian, Jewish Muslim any other dogma.
Naturally, therefore, I vigorously support freedom of expression whether it be in speech, writing, art or performance.
That being said, I must confess that the freedom we hold so dear demands those of us engaged in one form of communication or another, exercise some form of judgment in what we say or do.
The violence that some Danish cartoonists have excited by depicting the prophet Mohammed in various unsavory situations is to be deplored since it seems to have originated with militant Islamists.
But, I ask myself, in a Europe where attitudes toward Muslims are often fuelled by racism, why on earth did the cartoonists seek to exacerbate the situation? The fact that Arab newspapers publish anti-semitic cartoons doesn’t justify two wrongs making a right.
I know some of you are going to dump on me for being politically correct, but I must tell you that there’s much about political correctness I dislike. Cultural sensitivity — that’s a another matter and that’s just what those cartoonists didn’t have.