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The Dartmouth
July 10, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

Defusing the Culture Bomb

While the first three and last two paragraphs of Paul Heintz's op-ed ("Mohammed & Fellow," Jan. 6) exhibited some careful thought and historical rumination, much of his 1,200-word essay was little more than a self-aggrandizing diatribe -- what Heintz would label a "self-call." Given the opportunity to publish such a voluminous riposte to the recent political and social uprisings across the Middle East, Heintz failed to address the most essential issues at stake. "A free, vibrant and uncensored press" is undeniably "one of the most important components of a democratic society." But in the 21st century, citizens no longer participate in just one nation, but rather in a global community. It is in every democratically-minded and socially-conscious person's best interest not to add fuel to the flames of cultural sensitivity when the opportunity can be avoided. Such an approach, without a doubt, should also be the responsibility of the press.

From Tom Friedman to Osama Bin Laden and beyond, it has been duly noted that we are living amidst a clash of civilizations. Heintz himself goes so far as to posit that this perennial issue of our lifetimes is "American-sponsored." The most recent furor over the publication of inflammatory Danish cartoons is, simply put, the latest volley in the geopolitical culture conflict, and in many ways the embodiment of the Muslim world's wider anger towards American and "Western" foreign policy in general. Heintz makes a valid point when he says that "these are issues that ought to be debated, not suppressed." However, while the republication of the rather tame cartoons has already stimulated a cross-cultural discourse, the most productive discussions will take place in the confines of media and diplomatic offices, rather than on their buildings' burning steps.

In a global climate where tensions run high and international peace is often maintained through only a veneer of diplomatic gloss, the Fourth Estate's role as both mediator and town crier should not be underestimated -- especially in the Middle East. Heintz is correct in asserting, off the record, that the derogatory representation of the Prophet Mohammed is a relatively new heresy within Islam; it is only the extreme Islamic branch of Sunni Wahhabism that most vehemently opposes such depictions.

However, the media have been used throughout history to both bridge cultural gaps and incite revolt. Stereotypes in cartoons have a notorious history in Europe, where anti-Semitic caricatures fed the Holocaust, just as they feed anti-Israeli propaganda in the Middle East today. It was irresponsible of publications such as France Soir to republish the cartoons in a deliberate attempt to get a rise out of exercising press freedom and their cultural biases. As Norwegian foreign minister Jonas Gahr Store said, "These issues are dangerous because they give the extremes fertile ground."

"You have to ask what was the intent of these cartoons, bearing in mind the recent history of tension in Denmark with the Muslim community," said David Welch, head of the Center for the Study of Propaganda and War at the University of Kent in Britain. As noted by Fleming Rose, the culture editor for the Danish newspaper that originally published the cartoons, there is a difference between respecting another culture's faith and kowtowing to their religious taboos. However, Mr. Rose's effort to heighten an awareness of submission to taboo has done little but provoke the most extreme contingents in the debate.

Whether we like it or not, we are living in an age where sensitivity and political correctness are by-products of responsible citizenry. If we truly hope to create a world in which individual freedoms are secure, peace is common, and personal beliefs garner mutual respect, then we need heightened cultural awareness and sensitivity on all sides. After all, part of becoming an educated and functional member of democratic society is learning how to cope with disparate ideas and people. That is the moral that both firebrand editors and Islamic fundamentalists really need to understand.

I do not advocate censorship. But I do believe that a bit of moral logic should be employed when playing with a culture bomb. While the burning of offending embassies throughout the Middle East was a juvenile response, yelling "Fire!" in the first place was equally ignorant. Within any truly democratic society, demagoguery should be recognized as just that, and relegated to the comic section.