The Cartoons That Corrupted Hadleyburg

Since everyone else is commenting about (and protesting and defending) these offensive cartoons, I thought I'd put in my two pence: This event (with its regretful aftermath of the loss of several people's lives) illustrates that the flip side of the freedomsTO DO something is the freedom NOT TO DO IT. The presence of the first freedom gives meaning to the second as a conscious, deliberate act.

In Mark Twain's short story "The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg" - the kind of goodness that exists in vacuum and is untested, is only a veneer of goodness, suitable only for bean-counters. When wrong is actually done in such a vacuum, there is no route to sorrow and forgiveness - it is a hell of sorts.

It can now be recognized that restraint in political cartooning is a conscious demonstration of respect, and has not (and was not) avoided in the past because it was verboten. It is perhaps more clear that people can be defined by what they do not do, as well as by their actions. British Muslims held a peaceful protest march - we should commend that for the thoughtful act that it was.

"Patience protects agains Error, as Clothes Protect against the Cold" - Da Vinci

My 6 year-old daughter's interpretation of the Da Vinci quotation: "If you think about it first, you might not get it wrong."