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The Cartoons - a Dutch Perspective

by Hennie de Pous-de Jonge

10 February 2006

If we as Western Europeans are prepared to understand, we can also ask for understanding. That understanding is about the meaning of freedom.

The striking feature of the present Danish cartoon affair is the enormous lack of understanding between the opposing sides. The reactions seem to come from two completely different worlds. Can the gap between those worlds be bridged?

Secular Western Europe looks with growing indignation at what they see as the totally disproportionate reaction in the Moslem world and especially in the Arab countries. There is amazement that the cartoons have sparked far more outrage than terrorist acts committed in the name of Islam in Madrid and London. Don’t these atrocities discredit Islam and its Prophet much more than the cartoons?

On the other side even the most moderate western Moslems cannot tolerate the disrespect for their religion portrayed by these drawings. Disrespect for the religious feelings of people seems to be a propensity of continental Western Europe. Americans are astonished at Western Europe’s lack of respect for religious sensitivities, and in Britain editors themselves decided not to publish cartoons that would hurt the million British Moslems.

No matter how difficult, both sides have to try to live into each other’s world. I was helped to do this by an e-mail from a friend of mine, an Indonesian journalist. Initially he had not paid much attention to this issue until he saw the twelve cartoons with his own eyes. They shocked him deeply. ‘It feels like somebody hit my deepest belief and shows that some people do not respect my religion,’ he writes. ‘Suddenly I got really angry…’

He made it easier for me to live into his world because he rejected both the cartoons and violent reaction in some Moslem countries. He apologises to his Danish, Norwegian and other European friends for the violence, but ends his email, ‘Please, consider our feelings, hope you understand’.

Understanding for the feelings of our fellow world citizens, the Moslems – is that too much to ask? Tariq Ramadan, a well-known European Moslem, pleads for this on his website. He explains that it is against Islamic principles to represent in imagery not only Muhammad, but all prophets of Islam. And he writes: ‘In the Moslem world we are not used to laughing at religion, our own or anybody else’s.’ On the other hand, says Ramadan, ‘Muslims should understand that laughing at religion is a part of the broader culture in which they live in Europe… Cynicism, irony and indeed blasphemy are part of the culture.’

That is why he urges Moslems who live in such a culture not to over-react. Ramadan adds: ‘For Muslim majority countries to react to these cartoons with boycotts is to nurture the extremists on the other side… One side says: See, we told you, the West is against Islam. The other says: See, Muslims can’t be integrated into Europe, and they are destroying our values by not accepting what we stand for.’

But the issue is not just about cartoons. It is about more than freedom of speech versus respect for religion. The anger in the Muslim countries is the anger of the underdog. Anger about the balance of power in the world and their own impotence. That we must also consider.

If we as Western Europeans are prepared to understand, we can also ask for understanding. That understanding is about the meaning of freedom. The freedom that Muslims who live in Europe often do not find in their own countries. If a society encourages freedom of thought, it thereby allows its citizens to criticise what others hold precious and holy. You cannot have one without the other.

It is right that there is a discussion on the boundaries of freedom of speech. It is right that journalists think about the social effects of their writings. But this freedom is a fundamental protector of democracy. We cannot allow that freedom to be taken hostage by people who cannot cope with criticism and react with violence.

So we are asked to hold these considerations in balance. To demand my rights means little if the outcome is a world on fire. To find the right balance we need each other. We need honest conversation and an open attitude. As the events of past days and weeks have shown, we have a long way to go.

We must not abandon freedom of speech, but nor must we let it become a dogma. It is an essential right. Precisely to preserve that right, we must handle it with care. Not out of fear, but out of love, respect, appreciation and a sense of responsibility.

COMMENTS

Thank you very much Hennie de Pous-de Jonge for such helpful comments.

I believe that freedom of speech is essential for the health of the world but the cartoons were very wrong; they were completely insensitive to the feelings of others and in appallingly bad taste. Freedom of speech does not relieve us of courtesy and consideration for others.

I am so sorry that they were printed. As a non Muslim I most deeply and sincerely apologize to those of Muslim faith that non Muslims printed such blasphemy.

Donald Morton, 12 February 2006

(Melbourne, Australia).

This is an excellent article, thanks.

I find that in the Anglo/European culture, the separation of Religion and State that has been in place for centuries, gives religious people in the West the ability to be detached from insults thrown at them by the secular side of society. Even in Western Art, there have been some deploring depictions of Christ, in the name of "art.".The general public largely ignored it and moved on.

In other cultures, (like Sri Lanka where I was born) Religion and State are intertwined. Thus government, media, religion and the people are interconnected, calling for a greater balance of how each deals with the other. In one way this is good. In another way, people can use the interconnectedness to whip up religious emotions more easily.
Thanks again.

Mohan Bhagwandas, 15 February 2006

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