Those pesky cartoons...

[logansrogue]

I'd been thinking about those Danish Cartoons this morning. I'm very divided about it, it's very strange. I wanted to comment on it cause it was causing such a fuss and, as an artist and a peace-loving person, I didn't want to ignore it.

The artist in me, the idealistic 'creator type' that studied the nitty gritty of fine art and explored the big questions in art school (What IS art? What ISN'T?!) thinks that this Danish cartoonist should be allowed to draw what he bloody well likes. I didn't get most of the cartoons, and there was only one that actually got a chortle out of me (the no more virgins one, I couldn't help it). I didn't think it was very accurate or clever to make cartoons like that about an entire people, but hey - his paper, his pen, his money. His conscience.

The stronger part of me, the rest of me, is truly sad that some people have been hurt by this. When reading the words of someone who deeply loves their prophet, someone who is reasonable and peaceful, it's clear that they're deeply hurt by the cartoons. And anyone that knows me knows I hate deeply offending or hurting anyone.

The answer to all this is beyond me. The artist apologised. Many people are angry and hurt. Some are even using the backlash as an excuse to throw even more shit on Muslims, to which I wonder - when will people stop throwing their fellow human beings in carefully labelled boxes? Yeesh.

Well, at least this proves one thing: Art CAN be powerful.

Comments

[shadzane.livejournal.com]

Thanks. That's a good overview.

[jakie-em.livejournal.com]

occassionally news.com.au is good or something