Freedom of Speech and the Danish Cartoons Controversy
Cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten by Flemming Rose. He didn't mean to offend Muslims' religious sensibilities. The intention behind sharing these images was to combat the self-imposed restriction that frequently results from intimidation and fear while discussing matters pertaining to Islam. His stance is that it is wrong for many people to reject employment offers and demand anonymity while criticizing the Muslim faith out of concern that they may upset Muslims. According to Rose, people's freedom of speech is violated by self-censorship brought on by a fear of confronting Islam-related concerns. His position is that the Muslims in Denmark are equal to other religions and therefore there is nothing strange with the cartoons as they are meant to integrate Islams to satire culture of Denmark. According to him, everyone must be willing to put up with sarcasm, ridicule and even mockery. The artistic representation of Prophet Muhammad is an expression of Danish democratic values.
Protection of Free Speech
According to Justice John Paul Stevens, free speech deserves the highest protection. Although speech may sometimes arouse feelings of anger and resentment in others, censorship of expression should only be limited to symbols or displays that insult or provoke violence by religion. Other forms of symbols are permissible even though they may ridicule others. John’s view must have inspired Rose who commissioned the cartoons. The cartoons were not meant to demonize Muslims rather they were in response to growing self-censorship in Europe when dealing with Muslims. Self-censorship should not arise due to fear of retaliation, threats or bodily harm of individuals.
Censorship in Art and Music
In his works, Richard Taruskin is against prejudice since he calls for censorship in classical music for having anti-Semitic phrases. Richard rejects racial discrimination within classical music. However, he does not advocate for changing any line of text in music so as to appear politically correct and avoid offending certain individuals. According to him, composers are only human and therefore are capable of prejudice. Exaggerated respect for particular groups is not a justifiable reason for tampering with musical masterpieces. Despite charges of double standards being leveled against Jyllands-Posten, Rose is unwilling to alter the cartoons even though they portray the prophet in a disrespectful manner.
Supporting Freedom of Expression
I do not agree with censorship of any kind towards works of art. I believe that freedom of speech and expression is essential for the development of the artistic industry. Also, I think that a free and open media is paramount to democracy. A nation that does not practice this cannot claim to be democratic. Intolerance and threats to newspaper editors discourage openness. Media professionals should have the freedom to create contents that they deem fit as long as it is within the law and does not promote violence and prejudice to particular groups. I believe that freedom of expression entails the right to share and re-use information without restrictions and fear of intimidation. It is through such freedoms that many nations can liberate themselves from colonialism and dictatorial governance and start practicing democracy. No religion or regime should be sensitive to criticism. It is only under totalitarian regimes where self-important individuals cannot be criticized. Censorship is never the answer.
