Salman Rushdie on freedom of ideas

‘We have to get thicker-skinned. If we end up going on being this thin-skinned, we’re going to kill each other. So we need to have the ability to hear unpalatable stuff. What would a “respectful” cartoon look like? The form itself requires disrespect — so you either have the form, or you don’t… I think we’re being extremely wimpish at the level of ideas. People must be protected from prejudice against their person. But people cannot be protected from prejudice against their ideas — because otherwise we’re all done.’ salman rushdie, the spectator

Written by jay on April 14th, 2008 with 4 comments.
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4 comments

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Get your own gravatar by visiting gravatar.com Rod Blaine
#1. April 14th, 2008, at 12:29 PM.

Racist! Islamaphobe! Hater!

Get your own gravatar by visiting gravatar.com WL Mackenzie Redux
#2. April 14th, 2008, at 6:19 PM.

No one I know has earned the right to freely speak his own opinion more than Rushdie.

Spending over a decade with a bounty on your life for offending the esoteric sensibilities of a foamy mouthed theocrat seems like dues paid.

It is disheartening to see the sacrifices made by martyrs to human rights like Rushdie ignored by the human rights cult. From the recent incoherent mumblings of the dictators of progressivist fascism, Human rights are not absolute and do not protect Rushdie’s freedom of expression. They do however, protect his tormenter’s right to be offended.

Get your own gravatar by visiting gravatar.com Kevin
#3. April 15th, 2008, at 12:02 AM.

“Human rights are not absolute and do not protect Rushdie’s freedom of expression.”

Really?

Get your own gravatar by visiting gravatar.com DCardno
#4. April 15th, 2008, at 4:21 AM.

Kevin, did you miss the lead in to that statement, “From… [the statements by progressives], Human Rughts are not absolute and do not protect…?”

Do you disagree with the assertion that this is the position held by those who resort to HRCs? If so, could you expand?

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