A Moral Atomic Bomb

Bernard-Henri Levy (writing in the OpinionJournal Extra column) believes that European governmental apologies over cartoons not published by their governments are counterproductive. He couldn’t be more right. What does being inconsistent about free speech as a value in a pluralistic society have? It has that “go ask your mother” quality which goes beyond an outsider playing left against right. It undermines our basic social principles which are (or should be) universal in a republic.

«The heart of this second triangle? First, the affirmation of principles. The affirmation of the press's right to the expression of idiocies of its choosing--rather than the acts of repentance that too many leaders have resorted to, and which merely encourages in the Arab street the false and counterproductive illusion that a democratic state may exert power over its press.»

Apologies create a kind of social precedent which undermines the sophistication of the democratic model by making all hurt feelings equally regrettable, no matter what scale the issue. Intended for domestic consumption, they are more of a crud populum that the “Arab street” will not understand, not take seriously, and shortly forget since the same act will be played again.

- Shukran, S²