THE CARTOON is a modern derivative of caricature originating from the mid-18th century as an art form using satire to target social, political or even religious figures and institutions. Cartoonists and the publications featuring them have gained worldwide fame and sometimes notoriety - from the English Punch to America's New Yorker magazine - as notable examples and integral aspects of press freedom.
With freedom, however, comes responsibility. Rights are produced by societies whose citizens agree to the freedoms they value and create the legal machinery to defend them. Freedoms are thus only as strong as the society's will and capacity to defend them.
As a result, the citizen's expression of his freedom can never be permitted to destroy the very society which upholds that freedom. Freedom is the product of a social compact, and so must be tempered by the need to preserve that compact.
In principle, in a democratic society, there should be no limitations on speech. In practice, there must be. Libel and slander laws protect a competing set of rights, and every society evolves norms as to what constitutes expressions so offensive as to be inadmissible. But in addition, all individuals regularly practise self-censorhip, not because they live in fear, but because they wish to preserve the social harmony that makes their society so liveable.
Yes, any newspaper has the right to print cartoons that are offensive to religion. But that right should be set against a consideration of the impact the actions will have on the feelings of an aggrieved group. If the social cost of such an action is high, so too must be its social benefit.
Arguably, the publication of cartoons of Mohammed by a Danish newspaper late last year failed to pass this test. While we stand in solidarity with our Danish brethren in defending their right to publish what they wish, we disagree with their editorial judgement. We all deserved better than this.
Here at home cartoons have been part of the press freedom we enjoy. Our own legendary Leandro blazed the trail even before Independence. The likes of Clovis and our Las May in these pages have carried on, occasionally provoking political wrath in the best traditions of the art form.
The global rage of Muslims, sparked by the Danish episode, has caused deaths in some places, a measure of the extremes that cultural differences can provoke. It is heartening, nonetheless, that media in America, having largely exercised original restraint, have now resorted to cartoon commentary on the very rage that persists worldwide.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
