Free speech, not violence

The recent controversy surrounding the Danish cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed provides a good opportunity to examine free speech. Most people don't truly understand what it is, at least not in the context of Western liberal (in the classical sense) democracy. The application of a proper understanding of free speech simplifies this potentially complicated dispute.\nIn case you've been living under a rock recently, back in September, a Danish newspaper ran cartoons that depicted Mohammed, the prophet of Islam. The most contentious cartoon depicts the prophet wearing a bomb as a turban.\nWere these cartoons disrespectful? Sure. Were they blasphemous? To many Muslims, absolutely. But far worse than disrespect or blasphemy has been the response of a small but visible minority of Muslims. According to The Washington Post, protesters in London held up signs that said, "Butcher those who mock Islam" and "Be prepared for the real Holocaust." In Damascus, Syria, protesters set fire to the Danish and Norwegian embassies.\nAn Iranian newspaper is now holding a competition and asking for cartoons about the Holocaust. A spokesperson for the competition said, "Does the West extend freedom of expression to the crimes committed by the United States and Israel, or an event such as the Holocaust? Or is its freedom only for insulting religious sanctities?"\nThe quote leaves me with the impression that he thinks he will have proved something if anyone from a Western democracy condemns the cartoons, when in fact that would prove nothing. You won't see Jews burning down mosques to protest this competition.\nDespite all the uproar, free speech has not been violated throughout this episode but for one exception. No government has forcefully prevented its citizens from publishing the cartoons or from protesting those who did. The problem is not that the cartoons were printed or reprinted, that Muslims are furious, or that they want to publicly protest or boycott Danish goods. The one violation of free speech has been violence and the threat of it.\nAs a group of Muslim and Arab youths write at www.sorrynorwaydenmark.com, "Anyone offended by the content of a publication has a vast choice of democratic and respectful methods of seeking redress. The most obvious are not buying the publication, writing letters to the editor or expressing their opinions in other venues. It is also possible to use one's free choice in a democracy to conduct a boycott of the publication, and even a boycott of firms dealing with it."\nFree speech means I get to say that fags are among the worst groups of people on this planet, and you can call me a heartless bigot. Free speech means that I can drop the N-bomb to describe a group of people I consider subhuman, and you get to boycott anything I produce as retribution. Free speech means I can ridicule your savior, prophet or god. Free speech means I can be wrong, stupid, ignorant or obtuse. But you don't get to commit arson or incite murder. It's that simple.