Saturday, May 22, 2010

What Freedom of Expression?

So this is the genius that came up with "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!" US television channel Comedy Central (wisely) cancelled an episode of the "South Park" because the show had depicted the Prophet Mohammed in a bear suit. Molly Norris, an American cartoonist was so angry at that she drew a cartoon in April to protest the decision.

In her cartoon, Norris proposed that May 20 as "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day," and in this time and age the idea was picked up on Facebook. Ho and behold, a series of crude offensive pictures showed up on Facebook on May 20 and we got ourselves another religious problem.

Ms. Norris has now condemned the Facebook idea and issued an apology to Muslims saying her work was nothing but a satire. Too late lady! Your work was the one who “inspired” the Facebook page so it’s a little late for you to say you have nothing to do with "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day."

As a fan of comics, I have a huge problem with these idiots using the art-form (yes, I consider it art) as a way to spread hate against…well, any religion! The man behind the Facebook page may say otherwise but what else could you call drawings that show a man in Arab garb (no need to guess who he is suppose to be) engaging in sexual acts?

Never a Facebook fan to begin with, I do not know why Facebook don’t ban the page. I mean seriously; what freedom of expression, freedom of speech can there be in allowing people to insult religion? Surely freedom of expression should be more than that?

And all this for an episode of South Park!

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