Geller merits support
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Re: "Islamic terrorists are stirring the pot of hatred, not Pamela Geller", Letters, June 10.
Ben Levin is absolutely correct to upbraid Nation cartoonist Stephff. The set of six cartoons referred to, depicting activists, are poking fun at the most important principle of democracy, the right to freedom of expression. The depiction of Pamela Geller, drawn as a mentally disturbed woman, was particularly out of order. She has the courage to stand up for the rights of all people in the democratic world, courage that all democratic governments lack. They shrink to appeasement even when everything they stand for is under threat.
Islamists continue in their bid to introduce a law banning criticism of religion. What they mean is a law to criminalise the criticism of Islam. In other words, they want to continue to terrorise the world legally and with impunity. Currently, a person has a right to follow his chosen religion, free from persecution, as long as it is a real religion. Therein lies the crunch. Islam masquerades as a religion, but is in fact a totalitarian political ideology opposed to democracy and all that it stands for. True religions such as Judaism and Christianity thrive within democratic societies. They do not oppose freedom of expression and even laugh at themselves. It is much safer to lampoon Geller, a stalwart of the victims, than the aggressors. Geller challenged that fear as a champion of democracy. She deserves support.
JC Wilcox
