Daniel J. Pipes

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Freedom to burn

Reader comment on item: Something Rotten in Denmark?
in response to reader comment: FREEDOMS

Submitted by D. Benjamin (United States), Feb 7, 2006 at 19:26

The difference between freedom of speech and "freedom to burn" is that burning is a violent and destructive physical act, but speech, or, in this case, a cartoon, is putting forth an intellectual idea. In the west, we belive in civilized debate, not in burning things. It's pathetic that you need to have this explained to you.

As for cartoons of the Holocaust, the Arab press prints such things regularly, as a matter of course. See http://www.tomgrossmedia.com/ArabCartoons.htm

Maybe if civilized debate became a value in Muslim countries, there would be change in the governments there and people would be less inclined to burn things like savages.

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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