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<P><SPAN class=890294519-06022006><FONT face=Arial size=2>Cristopher
Hitchens on "Cartoon Debate: the Case for Mocking
Religion":</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN class=890294519-06022006><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><A
href="http://www.slate.com/id/2135499/nav/tap2/">http://www.slate.com/id/2135499/nav/tap2/</A></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN class=890294519-06022006>",,,</SPAN>there
is a strong case for saying that the Danish newspaper <EM><A
href="http://www.jp.dk/" target=_blank><FONT
color=#000000>Jyllands-Posten</FONT></A></EM>, and </FONT></FONT><A
href="http://www.humaneventsonline.com/sarticle.php?id=12146"
target=_blank><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>those who have reprinted its
efforts</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2> out of solidarity, are affirming the
right to criticize not merely Islam but religion in general. And the Bush
administration has no business at all expressing an opinion on that. If it is to
say anything, it is constitutionally obliged to uphold the right and no more.
You can be sure that the relevant European newspapers have also printed their
share of cartoons making fun of nuns and popes and messianic Israeli settlers,
and taunting child-raping priests. There was a time when this would not have
been possible. But those taboos have been broken.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>Which is what taboos are for. Islam makes very
large claims for itself. In its art, there is a prejudice against representing
the human form <EM>at all</EM>. The prohibition on picturing the prophet—who was
only another male mammal—is apparently absolute. So is the prohibition on pork
or alcohol or, in some Muslim societies, music or dancing. Very well then, let a
good Muslim abstain rigorously from all these. But if he claims the right to
make me abstain as well, he offers the clearest possible warning and proof of an
aggressive intent. This current uneasy coexistence is only an interlude, he
seems to say. For the moment, all I can do is claim to possess absolute truth
and demand absolute immunity from criticism. But in the future, you will do what
I say and you will do it on pain of death.<SPAN
class=890294519-06022006>..</SPAN><SPAN
class=890294519-06022006>"</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P></DIV>
<P><FONT size=2>**********************************************<BR>Ron
Force <SPAN
class=890294519-06022006>M</SPAN>oscow ID <SPAN
class=890294519-06022006>USA</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2><A href="mailto:rforce@moscow,com">rforce@<SPAN
class=890294519-06022006>moscow,com</A></SPAN><BR>**********************************************</FONT>
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