We as Wesleyan students should support the principle of freedom of speech above all others. I believe freedom of speech is more important than tolerance, understanding, or religious sensitivity. We need to always support a person’s right to speak, even if we find their words extremely offensive or ignorant. Further, I believe that we should fully support the right of Danish newspapers, or any other publications to print material that others may find abhorrent. No one should need to apologize for what they say, nor fear being physically harmed for doing so. I also believe it wrong to try forcing governments to censor their citizens, a notion tragically reinforced by the horror of totalitarianism.
Demanding an apology for the cartoons or calling for the Danish or the European governments to silence their newspapers is therefore starting down a most slippery slope. As a Christian, I can fully understand why one would be outraged to see something considered extremely blasphemous. Just as depicting the prophet Mohammad is considered sacrilegious in Islam, the Koran could be construed as a blasphemy to my religion. The Koran is the words/life of Mohammad and to many devout Christians, Mohammad is guilty of the two greatest sins: he promoted himself as a false prophet (denying Christ’s divinity) and led billions away from God’s gift of eternal life.
Should the government then act to stop the Koran for reasons of religious sensitivity? Should I peacefully protest anyone that publishes part or all of the Koran, and demand an apology for their actions? Certainly not. Dispute the fact that what the Koran says may offend me to the core of my religious belief; I will still support their right to say it. Indeed, if you believe it is wrong to publish something that people would think hate speech, be prepared to burn all of the world’s religious texts entirely.
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