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I agree with the PM’s sentiment if not his unclear wording. Free expression is rightly constrained by social norms and, in more extreme cases, legal sanctions. At the same time, violence is not an appropriate response to free speech.
1/ https://twitter.com/emmmacfarlane/status/1322373699564175364
1/ https://twitter.com/emmmacfarlane/status/1322373699564175364
Printing caricatures of Prophet Mohammed, especially offensive ones, is grossly disrespectful, at best, towards Muslims. It can, IMO, potentially cross the line into being hate speech since the publishers must know that any depiction of the Prophet is considered wrong.
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This neither excuses nor condones the violent, horrific responses made to these depictions. Those crimes are inexcusable.
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But at the same time, it is entirely reasonable and proper for the PM and other leaders to kindly request that people stop being shitheads by deliberately offending others, especially when it is motivated by antipathy if not hate to those others.
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At the very least, we should normalize that this kind of expression is disrespectful, impolite and worthy of social shunning. We do this already for some expressions, such as improper use of the “n word” and to a lesser extent other racist, sexist and homophobic terms.
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I have no issue with our government leaders exhorting us to be better and to ensure we exercise freedom of expression in a more respectful manner. And I have no issue with government reminding us that hate speech laws exist.
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