Common Folk Using Common Sense

Trackbacked at Michelle Malkin, Stuck On Stupid, Diane’s Stuff:

On September 30, 2005, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 12 cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The controversy that followed has enraptured the attention of the world, with issues such as free speech taking center stage.

The University of Saskatchewan publication The Sheaf chose not to publish the famous Mohammed cartoons “out of respect for Islam.” From the Muslim Student Association, Thursday, 23 February 2006

We have to take a step back and look at this issue as a whole. In a time of increased tensions between Islam and the West, was publishing cartoons equating Islam with terrorism beneficial or detrimental? In the end, Muslims simply wish to be treated with respect – the same respect Jyllands-Posten showed Christianity in 2003 when it refused to publish a caricature of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, with the reason that it would lead to a public outcry.

OK, so the student newspaper of the University of Saskatchewan didn’t print the 12 Danish cartoons because they respect Islam and didn’t want to stir any public outcry.

So why, on March 2, 2006, did the Sheaf, this same newspaper, (in print and online) print a grossly inflammatory cartoon of Jesus? The picture is here if you care to see it. It is a cartoon of Jesus having oral sex with a “Capitalist Piglet“. In the second frame of the same cartoon, the piglet tells Jesus that the act is Kosher if he doesn’t swallow his mouthful of ejaculate - which is seen dripping from Jesus’ mouth.

Needless to say: No reports of Christians rioting, burning down buildings, or issuing death threats over the vulgar cartoon.

The cartoon ran a week - one little week - after the student-funded newspaper ran a four-page spread discussing the controversial Danish cartoons picturing the Prophet Muhammad, which have incited rioting and violence by Muslim extremists around the globe. Then-editor-in-chief Will Robbins wrote an editorial telling readers the Sheaf would not publish the cartoons, which have offended so many.

Robbins tendered his resignation to the paper’s board Sunday:

In order for us to rectify this foul-up, accidental though it may be, especially given the egregious nature of the offence given to a large section of our campus community . . . someone needed to fall on their sword.

Fall on their sword? Huh? That’s what someone does when they want to sacrifice themselves for a cause - that’s not what someone does when they wish to offer a sincere apology. No, buddy, no apology accepted, you pig.

There is no way to coherently oppose the printing of the Danish cartoons and print this. This is complete hypocrisy. The Mohammed cartoons asked some serious questions about the acceptance of certain values in Islam that need debate - for example the fact a suicide bomber would earn 72 virgins. This cartoon has no value whatsoever, asks no deep meaningful questions, and is an insult to the intelligence of everyone who reads it.

I would also hope that Muslims would be offended by this as well, given that they “honor” Jesus as a prophet. But, of course, the chances of any Muslim organizations (or any institution of significance) making an issue of this are slim to none. After all, they “like” Jesus as a prophet but they detest Christians as infidels.

The irony of it all is that if those of us who are of the Christian or Jewish faith were to protest or question this cartoon, we would be insulted and derided for questioning their rights to free speech.

The Saskatoon Christian Centre issued a news release Monday asking MacKinnon to close the Sheaf and withdraw all public funding until the current editorial staff are dismissed. Rev. Renita Falkenstern, a university chaplain with the Lutheran Campus Ministry, said the publication of the cartoon demonstrates a “colossal lack of judgment” by Sheaf editors. Tim Austin, student president of Campus Crusade for Christ, said he found the cartoon disgusting and felt the paper published it for shock value rather than to express a point of view.

On Monday, March 6, the Sheaf staff wrote:

The publishing of the cartoon “Capitalist Piglet” was a mistake. The Sheaf takes full responsibility for its publication and we apologize deeply and sincerely for the offensive nature of it. We are currently formulating a more formal apology in our forthcoming edition (March 9, 2006) of the Sheaf.

We are deeply sorry and apologize to all our readers and volunteers.

On Tuesday, March 7, the Sheaf board of directors wrote:

We, the Sheaf Publishing Society Board of Directors, have voted to accept Will Robbins’ letter of resignation. While the Board is of the view that the “Capitalist Piglet” comic is not consistent with the Sheaf’s objectives (as outlined in its constitution) nor its previous editorial policy, we wish to make clear that our acceptance of his resignation was based primarily on his failure to carry out his duties diligently.

Now the University’s President has said his words:

I feel I must publicly communicate with our campus community on what I have just seen in the student newspaper.

In the February 23 edition of the Sheaf, the editors explained that they would not publish the controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. It is surprising that they did not exercise similar restraint in their decision to publish ‘Capitalist Piglet’ in the March 2 issue of the paper. This is a cartoon that is certain to cause distress to members of our community. It has divisive shock value only and does nothing to advance the understanding or debate for which universities should be distinguished.

The Sheaf should apologize to us all.

Supposedly “The comic was actually laid out and went to print as a result of an editorial oversight and a mistake,” said production manager Liam Richards. But I find it difficult to believe that it took four days to discover a simple editorial oversight on either its print or online versions. Didn’t anyone proofread either of them either before publication or after publication?

No, this was meant to be published and it was only after the local radio and TV stations started reporting the story - as well as a portion of the blogosphere - that both the Sheaf and the University started their spin control. The Sheaf was out for four days before the explanation and apology were offered. A true error would have been proactively addressed and an apology/retraction issued immediately. It would have also been yanked from the website. No, it was not until the cartoon was featured in the blogosphere, and the media began to pick up on the story, did anyone see fit to respond.

“Why did we have the article saying they wouldn’t insult Muhammad, yet in the same (paper) they felt quite confident to go after somebody else’s religion? Is it because they think Christ’s way of looking at things is to turn the other cheek, or do they think Christians won’t get angry and riot and threaten and try to intimidate others,” said Maureen Desjardins, an administrative assistant at the University.

The cartoonist and the University editors know that they do not have to worry about violence from Christians. Jesus is much bigger than this cartoon, and Christians do not have a worldwide culture of violence associated with the practice of their religion.

Derek Turner, a Sheaf board member, said he was aware of the cartoon before it was published and understood the cartoonists, identified in the newspaper as MARQ and Y:PH, intended to make a point about the paper’s decision not to publish the controversial Muhammad cartoons. “I was quite surprised to see it in the Sheaf, and quite disappointed in the editorial decision to publish such a cartoon, particularly at such a tenuous politically and religiously charged time.”

This is a wonderful example of the convoluted reasoning of the Left who “think” they are for free speech. They are so drunk on the freedom of our society that they’ve lost all perspective. They are the spoiled brats of virtually unlimited freedoms, who see Christians as more dangerous than Muslim Fanatics and Free Enterprise as more dangerous than Coersive Socialism. This cartoon is a picture into the minds of these Socialist Utopians: they are completely intolerant while preaching tolerance, hateful while preaching acceptance, coersive while preaching peace, and despotic in their approach to freedom. This is partially the University’s fault in that the University teaches them what to think, not how to think.

The Left is a dangerous force. Leftists are not only incredibly self-destructive in their attempt to escape the emptiness and despair stemming from a life without values, without goals, without tradition, without intelligence. They align with the most evil forces on earth and against all that is good and which stands against evil.

And to the Sheaf editors, here’s what Shamalama says: either publish the Mohammed cartoons or admit that the refusal to publish the cartoons is based upon fear of Muslim violence rather than “respect” for any religion. Or, simply admit that the University of Saskatchewan respects Islam but not Christianity.

Saskatchewan, Mohammed, Muslim, Christian, Christ, Sheaf, Capitalist Piglet

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