It is forbidden that you find me...wisible.

“One cannot consider the ridicule of the sacred as a right of freedom,” the archbishop said.

Oh, ffs. I live on a planet full of old women. Thuggish, bullying old women. 'Twas probably ever thus, but I just grew up in an anomalous time (all too brief?) and place wherein it was taken for granted that finding someone or his beliefs ridiculous and mock-worthy was not considered an actionable offense.

Now, I realize that Mr. Archbishop does not share my politico-cultural heritage, so I do not necessarily expect that he hold freedom of speech in the same regard that I do. Perhaps he thinks that freedom of opinion and freedom of speech are not good ideas at all. But could the control-freaks of the world at least have the courtesy to spare us the irritation of "Oh of course we believe in freedom of speech and opinion - as long as people operate within the severe restrictions we want to place upon them use them, er, responsibly.

Does this report indicate that Catholics want to join in those little Muslim grievance-group reindeer games of "I am a touchy little piss-ant kiss my ass" and the phantasmagorical logic of "if I don't have affirmation of my world view at every turn my right to freely practice my religion is being violated"? (Somehow I doubt t that people like, hmm, Kathy Shaidle would be on board with this sort of thing. (Or any other Catholic blogger I'm familiar with, for that matter. But they're a snarly, anglophone lot.)

Hey, I'm all in favor of screaming, yelling, satirizing, lambasting, counter-attack-cartooning, or op-edding out the wazoo by believers in response to perceived unfairness, ignorance, bigotry, or misrepresentation. But is there anything more pathetic, or more indicative of consciousness of contempt, than demanding - or worse yet, attempting to coerce respect? Have some self-respect, people.

(Via.)

Posted by Moira Breen at 24 March 2007 12:59 PM