LETTITOR

   
    
 
  
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

“Racism is man’s gravest threat to man—the maximum of
hatred for a minimum of reason.
—Abraham Joshua Heschel

“The function of theology? The recitation of the incom-
prehensible by the unspeakable to pick the pockets of the
unthinking.”

—Robert Anton Wilson, Natures God

By now, we’ve all heard several opinions and angles on
the “racist comics” first printed by the Danish paper,
Jyllands-Posten, and subsequently reprinted throughout both
Europe and North America. The comics depicted the
prophet Muhammad with a bomb worked into his head
apparel.

I personally neither condemn nor support the comic in
question. Some opinion, eh? Well, hold on there just a
minute pardner. I think that the comic in question is racist.
T also think that burning down the foreign embassies of
people that happen to be from the country of origin of
something you find offensive is totally heinous. And yet I
find myself drawn to point out the obvious link between
both the comic in question and the acts of destruction and
violence perpetrated by certain factions of the Muslim reli-
gion: Racists and the fervently religious have more in com-
mon than they'd maybe like to admit. They each have a
worldview that somehow segments one portion of human-
ity as “chosen,” or “better,” or even more so, “right.”

Racism is founded on the’ idea that one culture or race
is somehow superior to others. The radical factions of
most major world religions seem to share the same belief,
namely, that their particular religion is somehow serving a

“God that is the one true God.”

Any person that actually believes that the race they
happened to be born into is superior to any other race is a
freaking idiot. Likewise, any religion that actually believes
that their doctrines (including their name for “God’’) are
somehow superior to other peoples’ beliefs is bloody
ridiculous.

In both cases—racism and radical religious practices—
it quickly becomes clear that this idea of “superiority”
drives actions that are designed to degrade or harm others.
Basically, both sects of society want to bang their ideas
against other peoples’ ears until they hear them come out
their mouths. Should their efforts to convince fall short,
both sects too often react through violence, which, as Isaac
Asimov said, “is the last resort of the incompetent.”

But that’s simply my opinion. I really don’t expect
many to necessarily agree with my opinion, and you know
what? I also don’t care if you do or not. ’'m not a religious
zealot. I’m also not a racist. These are the decisions I’ve
made in my life, for me and me alone. If you are a racist
or religious nut, please, when you see me coming, save
your crap for someone who gives a shit about it. Just
remember, anybody that thinks they’ve got the market cor-
nered on “the way things rea//y are” is likely a freaking ass.
And as for trying to talk any sense into people of these
ilk? It’s about as procreative as trying to talk a horse into
not farting.

Now that we’re done with all that gibberish, enjoy
March’s first Other Press. As always, it’s mmm mmm good.

—Colin Miley, Managing Editor

 

  

ports 17