Animated Reflections on Cartoons

"Yoo-hoo! Mr. A-rab....over here!" Bugs Bunny

"Wo, camel. Wo! When I mean wo, I mean WO!" Yosemite Sam

"Oh come Lisa, everyone knows leprechauns are extinct..." Kent Brockman

This cartoon thing has legs alright. As a writer, I very rarely ever delve into the world of religion. Though a fascinating subject, my knowledge of it is limited. Not that I think other shouldn't do so. However, when it comes to art and religion, the marriage has at times been rocky.

The Muslim outrage - what aren't they ever outraged over? - is religious based. Now let me say this: I think we're over-dramatizing and over-analyzing this whole thing. It very much is about freedom of speech. We're at the point that Muslims are demanding that Denmark apologize.

How a government should apologize for something a single newspaper published points to the heart of the matter. Muslims back home at the mothership simply can't comprehend how we function here. They believe that all this is a conspiracy. Sure it is.

Oddly, their depiction of Jews as eating babies or as Nazis is perfectly within the realm of good taste for them. Conversely, here in North America we tend to tolerate anti-Christian postering (Christian iconography in general) a little too much. Time and again we see artists interpret Jesus in whatever light they choose - at times relfecting the philosophical fads of the times. Most of it not smart at all but they have the right to their expressions. Jesus still towers above them all. If you read anything into the religious revival in America. Lennon is out. Jesus is so in.

Back to Muslims, do they have armoires filled with flags of the West pulling them out as needed? It's all a scam, I tell ya. Perceptions dictate that Muslims have become the raving and ranting incoherent Uncle at family gatherings no one dares offend. Always upset that he's misunderstood, though never once looking at himself in the mirror. Indeed, perceptions are notoriously unreliable.

They wonder why we don't learn about their history (though I suspect we now know more about them then they do of us), but do they ever take a minute and actually look at how they behave at times? Worse than Ile Nastese and John McEnroe combined. Can they seriously blame people for wondering what the hem is going on within their ranks?

In fairness, Toronto and Montreal did have peaceful demonstrations but the rhetoric remains completely oblivious to how Western society functions. The cartoons should be displayed and CNN was not being respectful when they chose not to run them; just scared.

All these North American Muslim leaders keep pointing and wagging their religious fingers at my secular mindset, but they are doing a massive disservice to their own people. I don't need them to tell me what was wrong with the pictures. Most people already concluded that before the insane uprising. Then again, who am I to judge? If that's what they prefer, be my guest. Just don't make me feel guilty for anything.

Someone once told me, "I don't hate you Italians. I love lasagne." My how times change. Now I can say to a Muslim, "I don't hate Muslims. I love vine leaves." What do they think? We dream up ideas to offend Muslims in a boardroom over doughnuts? Are they that vain? We have better things to do - like watch American (or Canadian) Idol for instance.

Still, I refuse to paint all Muslims in this light - I have read a few insightful articles from Muslim North Americans. However, this is counter-balanced by Muslims disturbingly calling for those Danish cartoonists to be 'sentenced to death.'

The cartoons reveal distastefulness, not racism. One caller on a national radio show suggested we think hard before we publish things... wise and prudent words. However, what degree of thinking is needed? A left-wing newspaper will have different considerations than a right-leaning one. And what if they do and determine it's alright to publish cartoons, only to have miscalculated? Is this immoral or irresponsible? This is where balancing moderation and freedom of speech comes in. Secularism has freed us to explore the nether-regions of our culture and mind. Islam and Mohammed are one and the same.

That's the problem. Freedom itself is ignorant of race or religion. That's why many Muslims in the West have learned to balance their religion within an Occidental construct.

Protest, write to the editor and move on. Italians are still depicted as fat Mobsters; Mexicans as immoral and lazy and Irishmen as drunken pugilists. Cripes, the Poles and Newfies are punchlines to everyone's jokes! Get used to it me Muslim friends. It's part of the fun. I know, it's not the same as attacking a Prophet but it still makes a point. Is there a Muslim equivalent to George Carlin? Thought not.

Islam is home to some of humanity's greatest achievements. Yet, you would not think this in contemporary times. Everyday I have to read about how the West is killing the environment, how Americans are evil, that Jesus never existed (in some parts of the Middle-East people think he ate babies), and how insensitive and ignorant we are (to name a few).

At some point you stop and reflect over a fresh piece of apple pie and wonder if we are really that bad. Did these cartoons arise because we are the masters of evil-dom? The answer, of course, is no; unless you're Bobby Fischer or Noam Chomsky.

In the case of Jesus I find it offensive that scholars/writers would even attempt to refute his existence, but am I out bombing embassies? I'm a coward that way. Are we freaking out that Arabs think Americans and Jews (if the Freemasons prove me wrong so be it) plotted the attacks of 9/11? The West should speak as one clear voice in this matter.

The American and British weak response was absolutely shocking if not maddening. We should stand behind Denmark. Not as enemies to Muslims but as allies to freedom.