Almost half of those in France believe cartoons of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed – like those printed by satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo – should not be published, a poll said Sunday, with a similar number in favour of “limitations” on free speech.
Val says I really did not like them, but I have never liked the controversial cartoons in Charlie Hebdo. I would however support their right to publish them. Freedom of speech has got to be supported even if it is not "your cup of tea" Charlie the magazine pokes fun at all religions equally and we do not find Roman Catholics thinking "they have insulted the Pope printing rude Papal cartoons, so we will kill them." It brings you back to the Salman Rushdie book "Satanic Verses", once again not my choice reading but he was then made to live in hiding and fear for years under several death threats.
In Isis, Al Qaeda / extreme Islamists controlled areas of the world and many others there is no freedom of speech and people are lashed, tortured, buried alive and stoned all for speaking out on trivial issues. Or indeed for being Christians or a different branch of Islam. We must stand up for democracy which means we can speak our mind, and thank God I live in a democracy. I am not asking you to agree with me but I am asking for the right to speak out my thoughts without being harmed. Comments to taglines82@gmail.com
