On Thursday 15 January the Associated Press quoted Pope Francis as saying that there are limits to freedom of expression especially when it insults or ridicules someone’s faith.
Francis spoke about the Paris terror attacks while en route to the Philippines defending free speech as not only a fundamental human right but a duty to speak one’s mind for the sake of the common good.
However the Pope said there were limits to freedom of speech.
By way of example he referred to Alberto Gasparri who organizes papal trips and was standing by his side aboard the papal plane. “If my good friend Dr. Gasparri says a curse word against my mother he can expect a punch” Francis said throwing a pretend punch his way. “It’s normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others.”
The Pope’s words show that Muslims are not being unreasonable when they demand respect for their religious symbols especially the Prophet of Islam Muhammed (May peace and blessing be upon him).
As an American-educated journalist who is thoroughly versed in western liberal heritage from Milton’s Areopagitica to the American First Amendment I really fail to understand why some circles in the West are hell-bent on embracing the misleading notion that insulting Islam (but not Talmudic Judaism for example) is an indispensable aspect of freedom of speech. (I mentioned Talmudic or Orthodox Judaism because it doesn’t even ascribe mere humanity to non-Jews).
In Matthew 5:29 it is related that “if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee.” I know there is a strong metaphorical dimension in this verse. However we all know that allegories do communicate certain messages that we are called upon to implement or live by in our life.
It is therefore hard to buy the concept that provoking people by offending their religious sensibilities is the right way to achieve peace and human fraternity.
On the contrary provocation breeds alienation and alienation produces conflict…and conflicts do kill.
Western intellectuals especially those exercising some rectitude don’t lack the brain power to understand these timeless truths.
But unfortunately many in the West are guided not by moral honesty or even reason in their approach to Islam and Muslims. Their guiding motive is rather malice and ill-will. I also suspect that the freedom-of-speech they invoke is only a mendacious mantra used to mask their real morbid intentions.
No one is demanding to limit freedom of expression anywhere. In fact no people under the sun are suffering the disastrous effects of the absence of human rights and civil liberties more than Muslims. In some parts of the Muslim world such as Egypt and Syria practicing one’s right to freedom of expression could end up with receiving the death penalty by a judge that is always at the tyrant’s beck and call.
Unfortunately this happens to a large extent thanks to a malicious western interference in the Muslim world.
Muslims are not going to apologize for defending their faith and Prophet. Yes it is wrong to have protests marred with violence and bloodshed. But we will continue to insist on mutual respect. Mutual respect is the simple yet magical tool to achieve peace amongst individuals nations and cultures.
Finally I don’t really believe that freedom of speech is the real issue at hand. Indeed if it were magazines like Charlie Hebdo wouldn’t have fired cartoonists depicting the holocaust and other “taboos” pertaining to Jews.
In short We Muslims cannot and don’t understand why questioning the holocaust or castigating Israeli crimes is anti-Semitism whereas mocking the Prophet of Islam is freedom of speech.
We also don’t understand why writers and journalists critical of Israel’s genocidal criminality are hounded and promptly fired from their jobs whereas notorious haters of Islam such as Steve Emerson can make disparaging lies about Muslims without being even rebuked.
This is a plain abuse of the very concept of freedom of speech which should be rectified.
I do believe that offending religious symbols should be regarded as acts of terror. Yes people don’t get killed in the act itself. However offending the religious sensibilities of 1.6 billion people can and often does lead to people getting killed.
To conclude I urge western intellectuals including media circles to strike a balance between freedom of speech and expression on the one hand and sensitivity to offending people’s faiths and religious symbols.
This is not asking for the impossible. All you have to do is to exercise a modicum of respect for others. In the final analysis just as you do have the right to freedom of speech and expression others do have an equal right not to be offended.
Khalid Amayreh is a veteran Palestinian journalist and political commentator living in Occupied Palestine
