Thoughtless Scribbles, Senseless Death: The Mohammed Caricature Controversy

Can a cartoon hold so much significance that death and destruction become legitimate in response to its simple lines and curves?

It seems that, for many radical Muslims, the answer to this question is yes. The infamous caricatures of the prophet Mohammed have paved the way for the burning of embassies, the needless loss of life, and the irrational, barbaric threats to “massacre” or “behead” the drawings’ creators—all in the name of defending Islam (CNN).

In moderate Muslims, the reaction is much less extreme but still profound. Many individuals denounce the violence, but it still seems as if little has actually been done to halt its virulent proliferation. Others seem to pay only token attention to the deadly protests. For example, I read one blog in which a Muslim man focused on the deep sadness he experienced after having seen the cartoons:

“I felt so sad after thinking about those cartoons like I never felt before in my whole life. I think west want to snatch everything from us. They attached [sic] Afghanistan, Iraq, now thinking about Iran and what next. I think that may be [sic] like communism they want to end our ideology Islam (a complete way of life). They want to impose their values on us. You will not be successful in doing so because Islam lives deep in our heart. It is part of our souls.” (Anderson Cooper 360 Blog)

This comment mystified me. Why wasn’t this faithful follower of Islam expressing the same deeply saddened emotions after having seen his religion sullied by becoming the cause of—rather, the excuse for—death, destruction, and lawlessness?

Admittedly, my question is biased by my own religious apathy, which makes it difficult for me to relate to the man’s intensity of emotion. Nevertheless, I see the cartoons as the tasteless statement made by a small group of insensitive artists, perpetuated by newspaper publishers who lack understanding of the Muslim world. Personally, I feel that restraint in publication would have been the moral course of action, especially in light of the explosive reaction from the Muslim community. But the caricatures have already been published, and restraint is no longer an option (unless, of course, we are talking about Iran’s attempts to publish an offensive Holocaust spoof—CNN). It is time to decide how to proceed with this issue—before more blood is shed.

I find that the current problem is a matter of perspective. Apparently, this man has placed so much significance on the cartoons that he has completely overlooked the terrible events that have followed in their wake. I emphasize “placed” because the cartoons cannot hold an intrinsic significance if both he and I appraise them with different values. I do not want to assert that it is wrong to infuse religious meaning into these cartoons—only that this man is inserting too much meaning. For they are merely lines on a page, containing no life of their own. Their creators exist outside of the realm of Islam. But the protestors—the violent protestors—are creators of senseless death and destruction and exist within the Muslim world. Shouldn’t an internal devotion by Muslims to the peaceful ideals of Islam be more important than extracting bloody revenge for the careless caricatures of individuals who do not understand the faith?

It is time for all parties involved to take the cartoons for what they truly are: cartoons. However, insulting they may be, they are still only scribbles at their core. And a few thoughtless scribbles are certainly not a good justification for senseless death.