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Chris Cuomo to Pam Geller: We don’t show Mohammed cartoons for same reason we don’t use the N-word
Hotair ^ | 05/28/2015 | AllahPundit

Posted on 05/28/2015 6:30:41 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Via the Blaze, the key bit starts at 3:50. This is transparently false, of course, but it’s telling that he’d reach for this analogy for the cartoons instead of another obvious example of blasphemy like “Piss Christ.” The word “nigger” became taboo because Americans became more conscious of the injustices of racism. It’s been expunged from polite society due to a cultural consensus that blacks were treated shamefully and that equality requires eschewing words that had been used as tools of intimidation. The power dynamics behind the Mohammed cartoons are the opposite of that.

The fear isn’t so much that the minority will feel intimidated by the majority if the taboo is dropped, the fear is that members of the majority will end up being machine-gunned by fringe members of the minority. That’s why the media never thought twice about showing “Piss Christ” or giving rave reviews to “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway.

Christians and Mormons might have been offended but they weren’t intimidated by the insult, and there was next to zero risk that any of them were going to go blow up theaters and art galleries in protest. That’s why Cuomo couldn’t use that analogy: If he did, he’d have been forced to argue either that a crucifix submerged in piss isn’t, or shouldn’t be, as offensive to Christians as a garden-variety drawing of Mohammed is to Muslims or he’d have to acknowledge that the risk of offending Christians is, shall we say, different from the risk of offending Muslims. Frankly, I’m surprised he didn’t fall back on an “intimidation” theory just to avoid that trap. Presumably that’s the next phase in trying to pooh-pooh Geller’s Mohammed cartoon exhibitions — they shouldn’t be held because they’re intimidating, not merely offensive, to the Muslim minority. We need to make America a “safe space” for them by observing, as a nation, their religious taboos. Trigger warning, literally.

You can see, though, why the Mohammed/N-word analogy would appeal to a guy who thinks the “fighting words” doctrine might be used to carve an exception for hate speech out of the First Amendment. If there’s any word in the language that’s now broadly regarded as so toxically insulting as to be worth fighting over, it’s calling a black man a “nigger” to demean him. Language like that really might be bannable under the “fighting words” doctrine, even though that doctrine’s been narrowed by courts over time. Once you make that move, where the N-word is banned because it’s a de facto invitation to fight, then maybe you can expand the doctrine to include language or images that aren’t quite as broadly regarded as so hatefully incendiary that punches are in order. I wonder how far Cuomo would go.

CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO



TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: chriscuomo; islam; mohammad; pamelageller
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To: Verginius Rufus

The mormons are not Christians, no matter what they consider themselves.


21 posted on 05/28/2015 6:50:51 PM PDT by BatGuano (You don't think I'd go into combat with loose change in my pocket, do ya?)
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To: SeekAndFind

Chris Cuomo really isn’t very smart, is he/she?


22 posted on 05/28/2015 6:51:24 PM PDT by xzins (Donate to the Freep-a-Thon or lose your ONLY voice. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: boycott

Can somebody PLEASE tell me exactly what IS the so-called N-word? Everyone talks about it, but no one ever PUBLISHES it! What IS the top-secret, MYSTICAL word? Please tell me.


23 posted on 05/28/2015 6:57:08 PM PDT by 2harddrive
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To: SeekAndFind

And we show Piss Christ for....?

And we dont let kids wear 2a shirt or prolife shirts to school or theyre sent home because.....?


24 posted on 05/28/2015 6:59:22 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: faithhopecharity

I wish i never heard anyone utter the word mohammed evr fricking again.


25 posted on 05/28/2015 7:00:07 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: 2harddrive

It’s in quotes in the article. Try reading.


26 posted on 05/28/2015 7:00:39 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: exPBRrat

It’s sand people. PEOPLE.

Or Jawas. If you are rushed to keep it short. ;)


27 posted on 05/28/2015 7:01:24 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: 2harddrive
What IS the top-secret, MYSTICAL word?

We can't tell you out loud. You don't understand, the very utterance threatens the foundations of the universe. It's like summoning Beelzebub or saying "Beetlejuice" three times (don't ever do that) - it simply cannot come out of the mouths of human beings without dire consequence.

Somewhere deep in a cavern temple an old man dons a cassock and prepares his magick, a potion here, a wand made of twisted, fire-blackened wood in his wizened hand, and after the preliminary spells are cast, he utters the N-word. Women faint. Strong men cringe. Children flee as if smitten.

Well, the liberal ones do, anyway.

28 posted on 05/28/2015 7:02:14 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: SeekAndFind

Actually blacks are tossing the term “nigger” and its many slang derivatives around like it can be used to describe just about anything. and they arent offended. They laugh, and laugh, and smile,and laugh.


29 posted on 05/28/2015 7:03:23 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: SeekAndFind

The author misses the actual rationale for this equation.

White Christian straight males enslaved and oppressed blacks.

White Christian straight males are oppressing Muslims. Also some of them are somewhat dark-skinned.

Black people are offended by use of the magic word. Muslims are offended by portraits of Mo.

Therefore X = Y.


30 posted on 05/28/2015 7:04:20 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: SeekAndFind
Christians know their God is powerful enough to take the mockery of men. Muzzie wuzzies have such a weak "god" they have to fight his fights for him.
31 posted on 05/28/2015 7:08:10 PM PDT by MuttTheHoople (Ob)
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To: SeekAndFind
To not utter the so-called "n-word" is being niggardly with the full use of the language. It's just a word.


32 posted on 05/28/2015 7:11:45 PM PDT by C210N (When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)
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To: SeekAndFind

Meanwhile Cuomo is ok with offending Christians by supporting the obscene homosexual “marriage”.


33 posted on 05/28/2015 7:18:15 PM PDT by RginTN
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To: kiryandil

Al-Kris Bin Mario Al-newyorki.

CC


34 posted on 05/28/2015 7:27:52 PM PDT by Celtic Conservative (Sufficient unto the day are the troubles therof)
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To: SeekAndFind

She did not allow one of his phony premises. Why should a non-believer worship under Sharia or give Moham idol status?

Pray America is waking


35 posted on 05/28/2015 7:31:22 PM PDT by bray (Cruz to the WH)
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To: SeekAndFind

But we do use the N word.
Listen to rappers, read Mark Twain, watch Blazing Saddles!


36 posted on 05/28/2015 7:32:32 PM PDT by Mr. Peabody
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To: SeekAndFind

For the same reason we do not nap during meetings attended by Dear Leader.


37 posted on 05/28/2015 7:37:03 PM PDT by CrazyIvan (I lost my phased plasma rifle in a tragic hovercraft accident.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Islamaphobia. Homophobia.
Unless you consider these two things to be sacrosanct/taboo, you hate black people too.


38 posted on 05/28/2015 7:46:30 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: C210N

Its a word based on the base word Niger which means black. First used to describe those of mixed heritage meaning none pure black
Since the children who were fathered by the master of the plantation were often given jobs in the main house the term “house-nigger” became a derogatory term used by those who worked the fields and lived a less privileged life. It all has to do with sibling jealousy!


39 posted on 05/28/2015 7:48:18 PM PDT by hoosiermama (Obama: "Born in Kenya" Lying now or then or now?)
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To: SeekAndFind
Chris Cuomo:


40 posted on 05/28/2015 8:49:04 PM PDT by EinNYC
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