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The Free Expression Post

Freedom of Expression. Freedom of Speech. Has another right been so radically denied and cherished simultaneously throughout the course of human events? What amazes me is the hedonistic ferver which the defense of freedom of expression conjures in people. "Freedom of Expression" is in actuality "Freedom of MY Expression" or, perhaps more appropriately, "Freedom of MINORITY or DISSIDENT Expression."

I say this because after decades of mocking Jesus Christ in the media, four European newspapers publishing cartoons featuring Muhammed have resulted in trade relations severed, embassies set ablaze, and a whole lot of Danish cheese going bad.

This discrepancy (and the recent outbreak of violence) does not say do a lot for Islam... but it also does not say a lot for Christianity. The vast majority of those professing to be Christian are the very consumers who chuckle at a political cartoon picturing Jesus being flippant about George Bush or find it somehow poetic or poignant that Kanye West (the very man who combined the ideas of "Jesus walks with me" and "we eat pieces of s*** like you for breakfast" into a 3 minute, 13 second, multi-million dollar soundbyte) portraying Jesus on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Querying "Jesus" on the Google Image Search (with SafeSearch set to On no less) produces an irreverant portrayal of Christ on the second result.

Where is the justice in this? Should not a Christian regard Jesus as the risen savior? The very son of God? And Muhammed as merely a decendant of Ishmael who invented a religion and gained political power in Mecca and the outlying region? If this is so, why do we allow Jesus to be offensively portrayed and then accept violent Muslim protests at the portrayal of Muhammed? Why are we so careful in saving the rights and religions of others when we tread upon our own?

The only discrimination still acceptable in the Western world is that of the perceived majority. And as a white, Anglo-Saxon, evangelical protestant, middle-class man, I can tell you it's wrong. And what's more, it just plain sucks.

...but I guess there's nothing I can do about it - you can't burn down an embassy when the disrespect comes from within your own nation. So if you'll exuse me, I'm going to go eat some Danish cheese.

posted by Michael @ 5:08 PM Comments: 1