Most death threats this Ferrerman has received have been of the "please kill yourself variety" from imaginary people with weak, unimaginative minds. Though not a big-time satirist, I do my part and people do get offended here and elsewhere. It's unavoidable, seemingly more so in these easily offended days in which we exist.
Probably as you, I had never seen nor heard of the French Satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, until yesterday. Think, The Onion, I guess. Three Muslim terrorists burst into the offices of the magazine and murdered 12 people. They also killed a French policeman before speeding away. The reason to kill was because the magazine had published a caricature of the prophet Mohammed. It turns out that, according to Islam, absolutely no one is allowed to post a picture of any sort of the prophet, under penalty of death. Who knew?
This applies to anyone, anywhere, in the entire world. While the man at your local 7-11 might not kill you himself for this offense, he most likely would view your death with approval because that's what his good book says. To millions of Muslims- perhaps even the good ones- it is that simple. Draw the prophet- or speak against him- you die.
As teapublicans often suggest, all you have to do to not be murdered is to not blaspheme the prophet in any way. Is that too much to ask?
Yes. Yes it is. How close are our Christians coming to being so bloodily strict? Though the Bible doesn't prohibit the portrayal of Jesus, it sure could if someone wanted to interpret it that way. Bit of a stretch maybe but, lots of Christians do stretch the Bible to fit their own beliefs. Same with our Constitution, which calls for "a separation of church and state". Even some politicians in the legislatures interpret that to mean, "...keep government out of religion..." Some believe it also allows for government by the church "because, of course, we ARE a Christian nation... " Hey-it is on our money and in our pledge of allegiance, so they're just saying...
Of course, most thinking folks know that the founders meant that there be no state religion in America and that all Americans were to be free to practice any religion- or no religion- as they saw fit. They were pretty clear about that, but, some people, ya know?
Could the Charlie Hebdo massacre happen here? Of course. It already has, just not necessarily by the usual suspects. How about the Oklahoma City bombing? How about various abortion clinic bombings and shootings. The Atlanta Olympic bombing? Just the other day there was a failed bombing of an NAACP office. Muslims did not perpetrate these acts of terror. It was white Christians. Fanatics, of course, but Christian to a degree, assholes definitely, and all acting in the name of an imaginary God. Can you condemn all Muslims for the perverse actions of a few? People do. It should follow then, that we should condemn all Christians for the actions of a few. However, most of us don't because that would just be wrong and so unfair.
I think religion is for the weak. If God did not exist, it would indeed be necessary to invent him. And profitable too. It is the opiate of the masses and many do overdose. It has no place in government anywhere in the world but that that is the business of those peoples, in those countries. At it's best religion teaches people to love one and other. At it's worst though, it enslaves and murders people, sometimes for "offenses" as trivial as having a sense of humor and/or not quite believing as one is told to believe, despite what the original draft might say.
With few exceptions, no matter what country we hail from, we must joke. No one has to laugh along with us but they cannot kill us for our humor. No real God would allow that so stop imagining that one would. And yes, that means you! That especially means you. It is written....
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