tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219912962011-04-22T12:12:14.162+10:00CUActionnoreply@blogger.comBlogger31100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21991296.post-1161147799673343602006-10-18T15:02:00.002+10:002008-05-04T17:59:20.330+10:00Check out the revamped website for Civil Union Action!<br /><a href="http://cuaction.blogspot.com/"><br /></a><a href="http://www.cuaction.org/">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><br /><a href="http://www.cuaction.org">http://www.cuaction.org</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21991296-116114779967334360?l=kloppy.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>CUActionnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21991296.post-1139239938871071572006-02-07T01:58:00.000+11:002006-02-07T02:34:12.360+11:00----------------------------------<br />Where is the middle ground?<br />----------------------------------<br /><br />I am shocked at the <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/making-a-caricature-of-freedom/2006/02/06/1139074163868.html">recent</a> <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/media-takes-cautious-line-over-cartoons/2006/02/06/1139074171391.html">debate</a> about the publishing of "offensive" cartoons in Denmark and Sweden, apparently depicting the prophet Muhammad as a terrorist.<br /><br />Many of the responses I heard on ABC Melbourne radio tonight were frustrating to listen to. No one seemed to be taking a moderate position, considering both sides of the issue.<br /><br />The conclusion I have come to is:<br /><ul> <li>Violence is never acceptable. No one can blame the cartoons for "inciting" violence. People should always accept personal responsibility. Violence is never the answer.<br /></li> <li>Free speech is one of the strongest foundations of any modern society. It should be staunchly defended.<br /></li> <li>No one should go out of their way to offend followers of a particular religion. If the intention is to offend, it is wrong.<br /></li> <li>No one should be forced to stay silent when they are offering a valid critique of a certain religion. (whether that be serious prose, or witty cartoons, etc.)</li> <li>Stereotyping "all followers" of a particular religion is not a valid critique. Rather, an honest discussion about the ideas behind a certain faith is the way to go.</li> <li>Portraying Muhammad as a terrorist is not a serious critique of Islam. Rather, it seems like an extremely unfair attempt to suggest all Muslims are terrorists.<br /></li> <li>The right to free speech entails a responsibility: to be sensitive to the effect of your words on other people.</li> </ul> I hope this situation will calm down over the next few days. Religious wars just seem so silly and unnecessary to agnostics like me.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21991296-113923993887107157?l=kloppy.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>CUActionnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21991296.post-1139149692294252372006-02-06T00:56:00.000+11:002006-02-06T02:03:32.093+11:00This is my first post to this new site.<br /><br />I had a blog last year but I stopped that to do other stuff.<br /><br />I'm not sure how regular my posts will be.<br /><br />(If you want to be updated, use <a href="http://changedetection.com/monitor.html">this</a>.)<br /><br />In the meantime you can read my first piece in the Melbourne Star <a href="http://www.bnews.net.au/content3/mstar/113/00_113.html">here</a> (page 09).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21991296-113914969229425237?l=kloppy.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>CUActionnoreply@blogger.com3