Is this Muhammad?
In two days, May 20th, it was supposed to be “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day.” Will it be? I don’t know.
In my opinion, if the event is to go on, it should be re-branded, “Everybody Draw a Peaceful Muhammad Day.”
My reasons:
1.) To put the emphasis squarely on free speech, rather than the freedom to offend (they are actually one and the same, but that point conflates and inflames the issue from the get-go — better to keep it simple).
2.) To highlight the fact that most non-believers and secularists of all sorts have no problem with the peaceful practice of religion out of the public square. What believers do in their homes and houses of worship is their business. Provided they aren’t hurting anyone. And here we get back to free speech. When you restrict free speech, and allow people to threaten violence to accomplish it, that hurts the world community, present and future. How so? It pushes minorities into hiding, or, in the least, second-class status. It also restricts the flow of information, etc.
Tolerance of religion is one thing. Tolerance of religious intolerance is another. The second I don’t tolerate. And hopefully I have to the guts to stand up for this essential civil right and democratic value.
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[This post simultaneously published at FloridaFreethinkers]
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