Desensitizing Muslims re criticism of Islam

Submitted by Prashant (India), Feb 5, 2023 at 04:07

Dear Dr Pipes,

Extending DNM's argument in the above message, I will like to present a quote of Salman Rushdie. Rushdie explained to us all that there can be no freedom of speech without the freedom to offend.

I would like the Muslims of the world to understand that intellectual discourses are necessary for human advancement and during those discourses we may say things that will inevitably offend them. For example, in a history class, we might draw a picture on a whiteboard to represent Napoleon Bonaparte. Then, we might draw another figure to represent Muhammad. No big deal. Get used to it.

Likewise, in another history class we might criticize the Hindu caste system and, then, go on to criticize all the massacres that happened in name of Islam.

So, dear Muslims, get used to it. You shall be offended. We all are offended every now and then but we do not kill grandmothers on city streets in response.

Finally, when Muslims stop being offended at every little thing and stop killing in retaliation, they would become a part of human mainstream and there will be brotherly love. Jordan and Israel will co-develop technology for the benefit of fidels and infidels.

A lot of water will have to flow through rivers Tigris and Nile to get to that goal. But, we will achieve it one fundamentalist at a time.

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