The publication of 12 cartoons in Jyllands-Posten, a Danish right-wing newspaper, that caricatured the prophet Muhammad was clearly a provocation – and it has had its intended effect. The editor responsible claims the genesis of the cartoons was the alleged reluctance of artists to illustrate an upcoming children's biography of Muhammad: they are supposedly too afraid to step forward, fearing violent retaliation. All this before anyone had so much as raised their voices over the matter: now, of course, the subject dominates headlines throughout much of Europe and the Middle East.
.. and Justin's concluding paragraph is worth careful reading -- given that we are all grown-ups here and we know this shit has been going on since at least 1898.
The publication of the 12 cartoons, and the reaction on both sides, is a classic case of how propaganda of the crudest sort is utilized to mold mass attitudes and whip up entire populations into a state of hysteria. Hate and fear are created out of thin air by the most skillful means, and stereotypes take the place of reality as the world prepares for war. That's what this is all about: the hate propaganda emanating from certain quarters in Europe and the U.S. amounts to preparations for war just as much as the manufacture of arms and the mobilization of armies at the border. We are being psychologically prepared for another world war, and the first shots are being fired from the pages of Jyllands-Posten. I have the sinking feeling that they won't be the last…
Addendum: One of my fav commenters over at Moon of alabama blog -amid the most intriguing discussions found anywhere in the blogsphere- brings up the following:
While we are discussing tasteless cartoons and doggedly going in circles about abstractions such as "freedom vs license" (and the Freepers and fundies are going on about how this justifies their prejudices against Muslims), we are no longer discussing the escalating situation with Iran, the FISA hearings, or a million other pending bits of nastiness. Think of this as a highbrow version of the O.J. Simpson trials; it keeps us, but not our leadership, occupied.
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