Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Profiles in cowardice ...

... the Rushdie Affair and its legacy.

During the time when Rushdie was still very much threatened I found myself sitting about 10 feet from him while he gave a talk. I remember making sure I could make a phone call to the paper in case anything happened. (That's a journalist for you.)

It has now become widely accepted that we live in a multicultural world, and that in such a world it is important not to cause offence to other peoples and cultures. As the sociologist Tariq Modood has put it: ‘If people are to occupy the same political space without conflict, they mutually have to limit the extent to which they subject each others’ fundamental beliefs to criticism.’
This, of course, is bullshit. If there was no danger involved, people would offend Muslims with the same gusto they bring to offending Christians, toward whom no such sensitivity is expected or demanded. So-called transgressive artists pick their objects of contempt with great care. You won't be seeing any "Piss Muhammad" photos anytime soon.


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