I’m stealing material from a fellow blogger again….twice in two weeks. But again, it’s too good to pass up without comment. I follow the excellent cartoonist Daryl Cagle, but found this particular cartoon first on the always interesting Mi Blog Es Tu Blog. There is a storm brewing over his latest cartoon that depicts the eagle being shot out of the Mexican flag.
Mexicans are very, very protective of their flag. Within the country there are laws protecting it, preventing this sort of desecration. And this is legislation that goes too far in my opinion. A flag is just a piece of cloth with some colours and perhaps symbols on it. It means many different things to many people. It can be respected, mocked, loved and hated all at the same time, and no law will change that. A flag should never be taken too seriously.
But it’s a complicated issue, and I have mixed feelings. I can easily contradict my own beliefs when it comes to concepts of freedom. The freedom to say what you want and express yourself without interference are important values in any society, but different societies undeniably place different values on those concepts.
In the United States in particular they are often championed, usually by those with something hateful or prejudiced to say, as absolute values. Which is nonsense. Unless you live on an island with a population of one, isolated from all other civilisations, there are no absolute values, full stop. There are only compromises. It is okay to offend someone to make a point. But it’s not necessarily ok to offend someone for the sake of being offensive.
It is my belief that the law regards free speech and expression are too lax in the US. And, if I may be forgiven for being a little controversial, this is because I believe most people a stupid. Each and every one of us alive on planet Earth can be stupid sometimes. But there’s just far too many people who are stupid in the general sense of the word.
By providing a lawful platform for hate mongers, racists, homophobes, sectarianism, xenophobia and bigotry in general, US legislation contributes to the continuation of ‘stupid’ and impedes on the freedoms of other people each and every day. We all all influenced by influencers and when those influencers preach a poisoned message there are consequences. Because, as I mentioned, there are no absolute freedoms. There are many different types of freedom, and they are all competing concepts.
On the other hand. If I might be forgiven for contradicting myself. I like and respect the American approach to freedom. Put it out there. Say what you want. People will learn not to be so easily offended. With all the information, people can make up their own minds. It avoids the impossible task of trying to determine where lines must be drawn, and protects society from those lines being moved by those in power for their own ends.
It’s tough. I personally have settled on championing Responsible Speech. I do believe in holding people accountable for what they say, and restricting the abilities of those who want to say extreme and dangerous things that are likely to cause incitement.
But back to the flag. In England we seem to be a nation that is afraid of showing the English flag. It’s a controversial issue. Or so it seems, if you read the Daily Mail and other pathetic rags that pass themselves off as newspapers. Every time a World Cup comes round, the Daily Mail and others will splash stories across their front pages about how the English flag is being repressed around the country by zealous councils, companies and bosses who are scared of being seen as racist, or of offending ethnic minorities in the workplace.
And the Daily Mail, being an influencer, has lead the people, being ‘stupid’ to believe this. When actually there were just a couple of cases in a country with a population topping 60 million. And so the resentment builds. The conflict starts. Xenophobia and racism are encouraged. This is not Responsible Speech. It is a strong piece of evidence, in my opinion, that most people are stupid though.
Mexicans should be proud of their flag. It’s one of the best flags in the world in my opinion. But in that blurry world of deciding what is and what isn’t acceptable, cartoons like this shouldn’t be up for discussion. This is such a non issue. It’s a cartoon, nothing more. It’s a flag, nothing more.
Daryl Cagle is an excellent cartoonist who produces witty and intelligent artwork that inspires and instigates intelligent debate and discussion. I support his right to create such a cartoon, and have posted it below for you to enjoy. If you are Mexican, I cannot stop you from being offended, if you so wish. Because it is a choice you make, to be offended or not. And I won’t not post this cartoon to avoid offence.
But it isn’t my intention to deliberately offend you. It is simply my intention to state where I stand on the issue, and maybe, hopefully, to start a conversation about it. The cartoon is powerful symbol of what is happening in parts of Mexico. And that, not the rights or wrongs of drawing a shot eagle, is what should be up for discussion.
