Ironic Surrealism II

“The censor’s sword pierces deeply into the heart of free expression.” -Earl Warren

Yes a strong image. Although the meat of this article is self -censorship, the root cause is Islam’s intolerance towards the West’s freedoms. Excepting of course when they use our freedoms for their own devices.

“Statement of Principle” taken from what appears to be a now defunct blog “March for Free Expression” None the less I stand right behind them on principle.

The strength and survival of free society and the advance of human knowledge depend on the free exchange of ideas. All ideas are capable of giving offense, and some of the most powerful ideas in human history, such as those of Galileo and Darwin, have given profound religious offense in their time. The free exchange of ideas depends on freedom of expression and this includes the right to criticize and mock. We assert and uphold the right of freedom of expression and call on our elected representatives to do the same. We abhor the fact that people throughout the world live under mortal threat simply for expressing ideas and we call on our elected representatives to protect them from attack and not to give comfort to the forces of intolerance that besiege them.

With that thought in mind. There are some in the British art community who are self-censoring themselves, for fear of possible repercussions. They have sunk to a new level of submission, if they gag themselves beforehand in order to not offend the sensibilities of Muslims. Preemptive dhimmitude if you will. Free men they are not. They may as well go through a full conversion and get it over with. What are they waiting for, I ask?

Pandering and pacifying the world of Islam will soon not be enough. Islam is hungry for more. Bowing down to Islam only whets the Muslim appetite. You know it, and I know it. We all know it. It is unfortunate there are some, who wish to sweep it under the rug, as if it is not a reality that we all face.

Peter whittle delves into this issue in his well written piece ISLAM : THE SILENCE OF THE ARTS. I’ll post some quoted excerpts. Please do visit the page and read the entire article. H/T Free Thoughts

The arts are increasingly censoring themselves when it comes to Islam, writes Peter Whittle
The arts establishment in Britain makes much of its role as a keeper of the flame of free speech and creative expression. So at a time when, in the country as a whole, it seems that the penny might finally be dropping as to the extent of the threat we face from Islamist radicalism, what have the arts got to say about what is, without question, the most important issue facing us?

The days when the Lord Chamberlaine’s office could censor you now seem rather quaint, he says; what we face today is both self-censorship and the threat of violence. Also there is, according to Bean, a natural selection process which goes on in the theatre, with the old guard of the Left refusing to see this as an issue at all. For them, Muslims are an oppressed people.

‘There’s only one enemy in the world for them,’ he says,’ and that is powerful white people, i.e., America and Britain, and everything that’s wrong with the world is the fault of imperialism. And you see this in their plays.’

Whether it is misplaced cultural sensitivity, political agendas or a simple fear of reprisal which is leading to artistic self-censorship, it can said with some certainty that a critique of Islam is unlikely to be coming to a theater, cinema or gallery near you any time soon. And we can also be sure that, so far as Islamists are concerned, there will never not be a ’sensitive time.’

In the wake of the Danish toon (@ Your Image Here. Who has posted all Danish mohammad/islam cartoons in full.) controversy there were anti-semitic cartoons published in the Arab world. Rastaman of IslamaNazi has published them here, The Arab Media’s Portrayal of Jews Publishing anti-semitic cartoons in response to the Danish is a direct attack towards the Jewish faith. As far as I know the Danish cartoonists are not Jewish. Not that it should matter on their end.

Even though, Islam bypasses Denmark, and gets right to the heart of their rage, the Jewish faith.
But not before ‘the religion of peace‘ or ‘the religion of perpetual outrage‘ as better fits,
had this to say.

I found this to be interesting.
Islamic Depictions of Mohammed in Full @ Zombietime

Medieval Muslim artists often created paintings and illuminated manuscripts depicting Mohammed in full. Several examples are presented here. Other artists of the era drew Mohammed, but left his face blank so as to technically comply with a sporadically enforced Islamic ban on depicting the Prophet; these faceless images are shown in the second section of the Archive.

Hmm… Is the outrage associated with the depiction of mohammad, merely a phenomenon of todays Islam alone?? Is it their way of spreading Islam, meanwhile trampling on our freedoms? The answer is to be found all around us. One must only open one’s eyes. For it is staring us quite literally in the face.
The Jihad Against Free Speech
by Edward Hudgins

The West once again has been forced to confront the clash of cultures. Muslims worldwide rage and riot over Danish newspaper cartoons that, in their eyes, commit the double sin of depicting Mohammad and satirizing him disrespectfully. Many Muslims consider any illustration of their prophet to be an insult to their religion. Of course, other religions often find their ideas and icons satirized or criticized. Yet rarely do they respond with death threats, riots, arson, and murder.

As we learned recently, even those who choose to stand up against the spread of islam, can sometimes be shut down!
A sickening portrayal of the islamisation of Europe, that is well underway. America do not become to comfortable, we are next in line. The writing is already on the wall.
Also see:
The original speech for the Brussels demo

I Infidel

There I have once again said my piece. And I will continue to do so until the majority listens! Or I am blue in the face, which ever comes first.

Bottom line. All have a right to question my opinions, but they do not have the right to question my right to voice them.

Prayer OpenTrackback Weekend @ Woman Honor Thyself
Lindsay Lohan: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! @ Dumb Ox Daily News
Open Trackback Weekend @ 123beta

Related:
Heading Towards Submission
Mo Cat Got Your Tongue
Lars Vilks Art Project - Join Now!
Mo’s Dog Days of Summer [updated bumped]
Whole Lot Of Backbone [No Dhimmi Streak Here]
I Am Infidel Hear Me Roar
It is not fear that grips me… only a heightened sense of things.