Quote:

---

aren't people so sensitive these days?

---

Jill. I hope you won't mind if I reply in general terms.

For a very long time I have been convinced that any civilized society depends on a high level of self-control on the part of its members in the face of provocation and minor injustices. There are some things that one just has to put up with. It's unacceptable (and also impractical) to have people throwing temper tantrums or turning violent whenever they are confronted with provocation.

Yes, it seems everybody from politicians and overweight people to inflamed religious sects and people who favour catsup over tartar sauce feel the need to be 'sensitive' and abused these days. Does this seem to promote the theory that man in general is degenerating in self control and inner strength rather than becoming more tolerant and less whiney? On the other hand, there are those who feel being more sensitive and pandering to everybody's feelings across the board indicates a rise in the collective consiousness, regardless of what absurd forms this new 'sensitivity ' might take.

[ Please understand this doesn't mean I endorse anything ridiculous like beating animals, general racial hatred or any of the other 'old world' behaviour we are well rid of as a planet.]

Now an Iranian newspaper will hold a contest that will feature cartoons about the Holocaust. That is going way too far in my eyes.

As a persecuted Christian in the USA. I can understand all this animosity.

*Shakes head sadly*

...because two perceived wrongs can only make things right.

nevermind!

What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind.

As for Iran, one must I suppose be glad that it makes almost attempt to hide its policies. On the contrary ...

It has gleefully broken seals on its nuclear plants, its president has said that more than once in public that he wants Israel wiped off the face of the map. Now, in this country where the media are subject to strict government control, the press wants to solicit and publish cartoons mocking the Holocaust.

One thing that's not been so well publicized is this:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/008028.php

I must agree with one of the comments read on Bloom's link [ see above] paraphrased -The Iranian government are a people who will haul a woman off the street and instantly sentence her to be flogged for not wearing a scarf or too much makeup. What Iran really needs? Nuclear capability!

Hark, is that a birthday cake I see by your name ktstew?
Many happy returns!

Thank you kindly, Skunkee.

My faux daughter-in-law (she and my son are not married) is from Copenhagen and is there right now with her ten month old daughter while my son finishes school here. I asked her a few days ago what she thought of the situation. She said that the Danish government was right not to apologize since the papers are not government-run. She has friends who are Muslim and they are not incensed, and, in fact, have told her that they are upset over the reaction of the more militant faction. I dunno. I see cartoons poking fun at Christians, Buddhists, and other religions all the time, and while they may not always be in good taste, very few of the "slighted" get violent over it. I gew up with racial slurs leveled at me, and I didn't take up arms, either. I feel the way I do when representatives of any so-maligned group reacts violently. "Get over it." Cartoonists have been making fun of political situations forever, and the world as a whole does not owe the targeted person or group an apology. Get over it and do something positive for yourselves. And leave my precious little Liva out of it.

Off topic but why are they being called cartoons? Cartoons move - comics don't. (Other people would call it a comic right?)

Cartoons are normally just drawings that are humorous in nature. A cartoon that moves would be better called an animated cartoon.

oh okay - perhaps it's a regional thing. So you would call something like 'Peanuts' a cartoon?

Yes, as well as "Cathy" and "B.C." and "Dilbert," et al. All cartoons to the American mind. Then there are "comic books" which contain the "comics" which are also what we call cartoons when they're in the newspaper. I.E. "Hey, let me see the 'comic section.' " Wow. Now I'm getting confused. So, what do the Danish call those little drawings with humorous or political text inside bubbles coming out of the characters' mouths? I know that my daughter-in-law, Nadja refers to them as "cartoons" when she is speaking English.

It's just a matter of perspective. I would probably call comic strips "comics", but anything of a political nature would be a political cartoon. I haven't seen the images, but I am guessing they are political cartoons, therefore they call them cartoons.

We also call animated cartoons just simply "cartoons".

When I was about 13 we went to London with the school to see 'The Sound of Music', before it started we were taken to the National Gallery to see the Leanardo DaVinci Cartoon - oh boy was I disappointed, I expected to see something humorous!

Not so sure, Jill. I've read that the versions circulated in the Middle East and other Islamic countries weren't honest copies of the originals but had been deliberately distorted to make them much more provocative ...

On reflection, I'm not surprised.

Not specifically relating to the cartoon, but relevant.

This is what I call commonsense.

We had a politician, Peter Costello, make a very similar speech last week to which most people agreeed - although there was the predictable cry that it was racist.

the Australian