Wednesday, September 27, 2006
LIST UPDATED
Andrew Bolt keeps score:
Let’s now sum up our list of artistic must-nots, based on recent history. We must not:
* draw or publish pictures of Mohammed, however respectful, for fear of causing deadly riots
* make films criticising Islam for fear of having our head nearly sawn off by a furious Islamist a la Theo van Gogh
* tell a joke against a Muslim for fear of having our act banned by the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s director
* preach to our Pentacostal congregation about the danger of Islam’s jihadist preaching for fear of being found guilty of vilifying Muslims and sentenced to run full-page advertisements to tell the world of our guilt
* quote the verdict on Islam of some 14th century Byzantine emperor for fear that a Catholic nun might be murdered, churches in Palestine torched and demands be issued for an apology or violent else
* perform Mozart’s Idomeneo (or, for that matter, his Aduction from the Seraglio, which is set in a harem and features a dumb Muslim guard) for fear that our theatre might be blown up
Hit Andrew’s site for links within the above. Curious thing is, creative types don’t seem in the least bit upset about their new restrictions. They’re a docile species.
UPDATE. The mood seems to have shifted since everyone was frightened by that Motoon nonsense:
German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Wednesday against bowing to fears of Islamic violence after a Berlin opera house canceled performances of a Mozart work because of concerns some scenes could enrage Muslims.
"We must take care that we do not retreat out of a fear of potentially violent radicals,” Merkel was quoted as saying in Hanover’s Neue Presse newspaper. “Self-censorship out of fear is not tolerable."