Freedom from (not of) Expression

Ed Brayton notes that the UN Human Rights Council has endorsed an anti-religious speech code proposed by the Organization of the Islamic Conference. I could write about this with the anger and disgust I feel, but Ed already said it so well:

Now I am one of those people who is careful to distinguish between Islamic radicals and Islamic moderates. I strongly believe that most Muslims around the world, probably a significant majority, just want to live their lives as people of any large group do. Bin Laden certainly does not speak for them, nor should we lump all Muslims together under him. But there is at least a sizable minority of Muslims around the world who really do embrace what I regard as the most reactionary and barbaric ideology in the world today.

While you’re expressing your deep concern about those who identify Islam with terrorism and human rights violations, how about at least expressing equal concern about those many millions of Islamic reactionaries who themselves openly identify Islam with terrorism, violence and who routinely violate the human rights of those around them? While you’re complaining about Muslims being stereotyped, how about at least pretending that you care as much about school textbooks in madrassahs in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and elsewhere that call Jews pigs and devils? At least keep up some pretense of being objective about this.

Precisely!

Ed also notes the irony of having Saudi Arabia of all places trying to lecture the west on freedom of expression. Quoth Daffy, “it is to laugh,” except that these folks aren’t funny; they’re dangerous.