Regarding the Feb. 2 article by George P. Fletcher, "Declining tolerance of dangerous words": I began the article with an open mind, but it is still unclear from what angle Fletcher was writing his piece, although this may in itself have been its angle. What I take issue with are his comments about a clash between the "Muslim world" and the "West" (Does this include Baghdad?).
Immediately after mentioning the conflict between Turkey and Armenia, Fletcher writes: "So words are now clearly a battlefield in the cultural conflict between Islam and the West." The Turkish-Armenian conflict has nothing to do with Islam as such. Turkey is in fact a fiercely secular country, and it is the secular government that enforces the silence around Armenia.
For me, this piece was just one of far too many that exemplify lazy journalism in the wish to portray a clash of civilizations between Islam and the West.
Bombs and death do not belong in any civilization. It is time the battle line was redrawn as one between wisdom and foolishness, which are found in equal measure on both sides of the divide.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.