The mosque controversy in Lower Manhattan has died down, and a fringe preacher is no longer threatening to burn the Koran; in this calm atmosphere, it’s worthwhile remembering that in a liberal democracy there is no right not to be offended. We can be miffed by all sorts of behavior, but in free societies our annoyance is never a reason to restrict someone else’s freedom—even to do something as stupid as burning religious books.
Of course, if an individual’s actions could cause bodily harm or impose significant hardships on others, then the State has a right to restrict that behavior. But offensive art, book burning, flag burning, and all sorts of offensive media materials are almost always Constitutionally protected. Why? Because no matter how disagreeable, they can be ignored.
When the radical pastor in Florida planned to burn the Koran there was a huge outcry because of the impact this might have on Muslim perceptions of America, which could lead to increased violence against U.S. troops and citizens. Everyone from the President to General Petraeus spoke out against it. I understood their argument, but thought it was a poor one.
A free society permits a person to do stupid and offensive things; if a pastor wants to waste his money burning books, that’s his business. And the argument should’ve continued: for Muslims around the world, this insulting act should be met with peaceful protest as evidence that the Muslim faith is consistent with liberty.
But of course this didn’t happen. The simple threat of Koran-burning led to violent and fatal protests in Afghanistan and other Muslim countries. Killing people because someone insulted you is a wildly disproportionate response; you prove your maturity, and show confidence in your beliefs, by taking a higher road.
Instead, in many European countries and even in the United Nations, attempts are underway to make it illegal to insult religions. This is insane. If anything, we should be challenging the special treatment of religions in society, not sacrificing core liberal values.
I vehemently believe the world will be a much better place when religious influence decreases; at the same time, I vehemently respect the right of every person to believe whatever they want. Just as I would fight to my last breath to prevent religions from imposing their values on the rest of society, I will always fight for the freedom of religion—because that compact is part of the basis of American society.
I think most religious people have thick enough skins and a strong enough commitment to liberty to accept that insults to their faith are part of the bargain. Those who don’t should not be appeased.
It’s a very slippery slope once exceptions are made to honor the delicate sensibilities of religious extremists.
Jason Scorse