'Everybody Draw Mohammad' and the free speech smokescreen

The following is an email sent to Dennis Prager concerning his recent column (Why Pamela Geller Is Hated).

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Dear Mr. Prager,

It’s hard to know where to start regarding your May 19 column concerning Pamela Geller, vis-à-vis the Mohammed cartoon contest, as you cover a lot ground. Therefore, I’ll focus on the main sticking point for me, which is the issue of "freedom of speech" as a smokescreen for half-heartedly concealing this event's true purpose, which is simply to offend Muslims, and therefore make them feel less welcome in our society. This event/movement constitutes an act of cultural warfare against that segment of the population.

Given the sheer amount self-censoring the media has done over the years since 9/11, I find it galling that the free speech banner is hoisted and heralded only when the freedom in question involves the right to caricature the central figure of a religion that has also happened to have been in conservative crosshairs for quite some time. Where were the chants of 'Je suis Charlie!' during the lead-up to the war in Iraq?

If you (and your ilk) are so concerned with freedom of speech, then just on a matter of principle would you defend a Burn the Flag Day, a Defile Jesus Day, or perhaps a Holocaust Joke Book? I doubt it, as patriots, Christians and Jews aren’t your preferred targets.

Events such as Everybody Draw Mohammed Day provide the perfect cover for those who wish to express their hatred openly from within the avatar of “freedom of speech”. It would be a show of integrity on your part if you just came right out and admitted in no uncertain terms that you are an anti-Muslim/anti-arab bigot.

As for contributing to the cause of genuine free speech, your column is little more than literary twerking for whatever band of misanthropic grumps comprise your following.

Sincerely,

James Deagle

Ottawa, Canada