Freedom of Machetes and Freedom of Speech

The problem with honor, however much we may lament its absence in some quarters, is that it often compels to irrational extremes in its defense. On some level, honor may be the irrational extreme of the universal human demand for respect. As I wrote yesterday, militant Islamists who kill to defend the "honor" of their religion or its prophet stand at the far extreme of the politics of honor and respect. Another proof of that made the news today: Islamists in Bangladesh murdered a reputed "secularist" blogger in the latest such attack in that country. Taking credit for the murder, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent hurls defiance at defenders of freedom of speech and civil liberty. As quoted in a Bangladeshi news site, the Islamists say: "O Enemies of Allah...If your 'Freedom of Speech' knows no limits, then widen your chests for 'Freedom of our Machetes.'"

This is a primitive assertion of accountability for offensive speech, beyond any right of informal reprisal we might envision for slanderous or bigoted speech. Just as we shouldn't want to bring back duelling -- at least in lethal form -- we shouldn't accept this as merely the predictable consequence of provoking savages. It's also a case of an unreasonable demand for respect. Islamists can't forbid the world from questioning Muhammad and his legacy, except in their dream world where they're the rightful rulers over everyone. While liberals may be criticized for wanting too many guarantees of their safety or rights at the expense of effective government, we should all agree that your life should never be forfeit for words you've uttered. At the same time, it remains arguable that a polity in which we can say anything we please about people, without any consequences, formal or informal, has weaknesses of its own that seem increasingly apparent in the U.S. today, where too many people make their indifference to others' opinions or feelings a point of pride. There's a particularly bourgeois (rather than aristocratic) attitude at work here that refuses automatic respect to anyone, richer or poorer, much less to whole groups of people. Of course we can't hope to change people's hearts, but it may be necessary to compel some sort of superficial respect, at the least, if the civil society so lauded as the foundation of liberal democracy is actually to remain civil. But we can't embark on such a project without begging the question: what exactly about us is entitled to automatic respect? If we refuse to grant automatic respect to Islam -- meaning that we won't refrain from insulting Muslims' delicate sensibilities with atheism and blasphemy -- where else can we rightly draw a line and say this is not entitled to respect? The key is the definition of respect. A truly civil society will respect Islam, but not on the terms demanded by Islamists. In the end, society must be able to tell disgruntled people that, as far as we are concerned, you are not so disrespected that you have any right to demand redress or silence opinion -- but the process by which we arrive at that point had better be as inclusive as possible. That's when we all demand satisfaction, but when it's over we all have to be satisfied. Something like this is arguably happening informally already amid all the controversies over political correctness and hate speech, but it's too haphazard for anyone's comfort and the old admonitions to "grow up" or "get over it" aren't working like they used to. Whether some sort of spontaneous order will develop out of this mess remains to be seen, but it's not looking good right now.

must be as inclusive as possible. In a truly democratic society, neither the individual nor any constituent group is the first nor the final judge of what he or they are due from the rest of us.

“O! Enemies of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (pbuh), Wait for us! For we are coming towards you. If your 'Freedom of Speech' maintains no limits, then widen your chests for 'Freedom of our Machetes.' - See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/crime/2015/aug/07/aqis-says-its-members-killed-niloy-neel#sthash.YiF9jiTd.dpuf

“O! Enemies of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (pbuh), Wait for us! For we are coming towards you. If your 'Freedom of Speech' maintains no limits, then widen your chests for 'Freedom of our Machetes.' - See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/crime/2015/aug/07/aqis-says-its-members-killed-niloy-neel#sthash.YiF9jiTd.dpuf

“O! Enemies of Allah (swt) and His Messenger (pbuh), Wait for us! For we are coming towards you. If your 'Freedom of Speech' maintains no limits, then widen your chests for 'Freedom of our Machetes.' - See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/crime/2015/aug/07/aqis-says-its-members-killed-niloy-neel#sthash.YiF9jiTd.dpuf