I’ve been observing comments and reactions from both sides on the danish cartoons conflict on my blog and others, without getting too involved with them, trying to see where they go, and I’m very sorry to say that they’ve been moving without direction further up a blocked alley.
The whole conversation keeps turning into a big Islam vs. West, clash of civilizations style discussion, in which the westerners bash Islam and Muslim countries, and Muslims bash the West.
All of a sudden the talk is about the state of women rights in Saudi Arabia, Israel and its existence, laicity in French schools, …etc.
This obviously shows that there are many lingering issues on both sides that are just waiting to burst open and be debated, and that this caricature subject simply brought a chance for each side to let go.
But the way it’s being done now, it’ll only deepen the row between us all, increase the misunderstanding and grow whatever hatred some hold.
It’s clear this is not the way we should approach it. What we should do is drop our preconceptions of each other, come in with a clean slate, with a spirit of open-mindedness and understanding, and then talk unbiasedly and respectfully about all these issues, trying to come to a better understanding of each other.
Everything has been distorted in this world; from laws, to religion, to concepts, to philosophies; and the only way for us is to go back to the basics, and build upon them.