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Originally Posted by kevmartin  Well I wouldn't call access to such a forum a right either. I'm just considering that it might be a progressive thing, in the same way that public TV is. Inviting and even encouraging public participation in society in more ways than just offering them to the right to vote or annoy people on the street seems like a good thing to me. In fact I am not so sure about the right to annoy people on the street either, as it is basically a confrontational medium by nature. Confrontation + emotion = conflict and violence (and/or to unexpressed hatred in the short term which can later get expressed as violence etc anyway). |
All I meant was they already have the freedom to express themselves. I'd be happy if they didn't push their religion on me either, but I support their right to free speech.
Anyway, I think there are a number of ways already in place where they can express themselves, and there isn't really anything "progressive" that needs to happen. The problem is, and here I'll generalize a bit, is that Muslims don't seem to like using the system in place. I don't just mean the suicide bombers either, I mean Muslims in general.
Most of their bitching and moaning is either from the pulpit, or by way of angry demonstrations. The way to effect change in a free society is by getting involved. They should run candidates for city council or whatever, where they could have some say in zoning issues, laws about what kinds of billboards can go where, etc. Instead, they seem to prefer just being angry and expecting to be accomodated.
This may come as a shock, but I respect Muslims and many of their beliefs about things like modesty even tho I certainly don't agree with them. When I'm in Muslim countries I carefully follow all their customs and rules about wearing appropriate clothing, observing religious holidays (ie not chewing gum or eating in public during Ramadan) and the like. So, I wouldn't get in the way of them using the system peacefully and responsibly for asserting their agenda within the existing laws that protect everyone's rights and liberties. But vandalism is not the way to go about it, and pissing and moaning into a microphone isn't very effective.
People in my country managed to get an amendment to the Constitutino passed that prohibited alcohol. Fortunately, others were able to get it repealed.