JP's Cartoon and Freedom of Speech!
We Need Tolerance, Credibility and Transparency!
Comment on the Cartoons of Prophet Muhammad published by the
Danish newspaper "Jyllands Posten" and caused a lot of political
and economical problems. Some people are speaking here and there
about the freedom of speech.
No, I don't think that there's a relation between the cartoon
and the freedom of speech.
Why?
Because any cartoon has an only one phase to criticize things.
It holds a point of view that's not discussable. Its technique
has only one message to impose that point of view.
The end point for the recipient is to accept it or refuse it.
In our case, the cartoon here is against religious beliefs and
that's the crisis on it.
As a journalist with more than 30 years in press and in
defending the freedom of speech I am obliged to say all
religious beliefs should be respected. That doesn't necessarily
mean untouchable.
If we're discussing those beliefs on articles, reportages or
interviews that's something else. This is simply because anyone
with a reversal opinion to that kind of topic can write about
it. We'll be dealing by words here. But have you ever heard
about replying to an antagonized cartoon by another cartoon?
The press should lead and sophisticate the people. This is its
utmost morality. Now in the same area as a response to those
cartoons, a newspaper published some cartoons about the Queen of
Denmark. I think there's no logic on them too.
I think that "journalism" as a noble profession should not open
the door to humiliation and hatred.
If any journalist has an open vision to the International
Culture and that's to say, those cultural backgrounds on the
Globe from the Middle East to the Eskimo and from the Eskimo to
Siberia, he'll never make a cartoon of a prophet with a bomb.
Not Muhammad, not Jesus, not Moses.
Why?
That's simply because those prophets although they were human
beings, but they were and still respected and followed worldwide.
I wonder; if we do honour some people in high ranks or
hierarchical systems why not honour a prophet?
I don't think that the cartoon has a logical point of view. In
stead it has damaged human, political and economical results.
The question now is that has that journalist seen the impact of
his work before hand or not?!
Journalism has a predictable message too! Well, I should say any
journalist should have this 6th sense to this profession.
Unfortunately some media sources in our World today employ even
university graduated journalists without vision.
That's hurtful!
In regards to the Danish PM's refusal to meet the Arab
Ambassadors, I think that's what has fuelled the crisis of the
cartoon. At that stage the PM had an open chance to cool down
the problem. But he came lately to say on the BBC and CNN the
"debates are better to solve the problem" though he shared the
responsibility of creating it.
I wonder about the credibility and transparency of both the
journalist who represented the cartoon and the "Prime
Ministering" ones.