So...
the Cartoon Protesters are going down, AND getting serious sentences, I have to be honest and say I was pleased when the news.
Freedom of speech is one of the most important factors in what makes us a democracy, but there responsibilities that have to be observed when exercising that right. Inciting death, murder and violence under the guise of protest is just wrong. In this instance, there was the irony of people objecting to images of the Prophet being depicted as a terrorist calling for violence to be meted out on the cartoonists, other nations and it's citizens.
Yes, freedom has it's limits...
Not only was it doing a disservice to their community, but it was perpetuation the exact stereotype some have of the fringe elements whom follow that religion.
In terms of the PR war, the Muslim community have much to do to gain the upper hand. One could argue that because the majority are not of the fanatical leaning, then they should not need to do this.
In November 2005, al-Qaeda killed 57 at a wedding in a hotel in Jordan. A few days later 100,000 Jordanians took to the streets to protest against this atrocity.
This led to the unprecedented spectacle of the al-Qaeda leadership having to defend they actions; They went too far and had lost all sympathy of the general populace in Jordan.
Such a tactic would be very powerful if repeated here, and would remove that impression that many in the Muslim community have, that the British people generally see them as not being vocal on this matter. A "Muslims Against Terror" protest would be a powerful symbol.
However, this does not mean that people should abdicate they duty to not promote hatred; to this end, the right sentences were passed today.
