Recently I wrote about former New York City mayor Ed Koch who said that it would be disrespectful to build a mosque near the site of the late World Trade Center towers.
I’ve already discussed the fact that Koch was erroneously blaming all Muslims for acts committed by a few Muslim individuals. If that blame is okay, then all Christians should also be persecuted, because heinous atrocities have been committed in the name of that religion, too.
However, Koch also seemed to see this supposed “disrespect” as reason to stop developers and Muslims from building this mosque. But disrespect is hardly ground for limiting one’s freedom.
‘Disrespect’ is a subjective notion. Many people confuse it with ‘dissent’ or ‘disagreement.’ Although we don’t fuss about freedom as much as Americans generally do, we Canadians still value freedom. And, even though some people may be reluctant to admit it, disrespect, dissent, and disagreement are the essence of freedom.
When we are not allowed to disagree with the government, the military, or each other, then we are not free. Prohibition from questioning authority is the essence of dictatorship. (Ironically, many religious people also try to prohibit everyone else from questioning their beliefs. But that’s another topic.)
Thus, disrespect is not acceptable grounds for disallowing the construction of a place of worship in a certain location. Conservatives say disrespectful things all the time. When their opponents suggest that Canadians should help each other out of bad times, care for each other, and share resources, conservatives sneeringly pronounce derisive epithets such as ‘bleeding heart,’ ‘hippie,’ ‘tree hugger’ and ‘communist.’ And, if challenged, they fall back on ‘freedom’ for support.
But if I suggest that I’d rather have the military — that I help pay for — helping Canadians resist and recover from disaster than fighting desert thugs overseas … well, if I exercise my freedom to say such a thing, then I’m a bad person.
‘Freedom’ is not just the right to do what we want. It’s the right for others to do what they want as well. If we prevent fellow citizens from being free, then we have no right to freedom ourselves. That’s why, despite asking Florida Pastor Terry Jones to refrain from burning the Qur’an, American authorities could not legally deny him his First Amendment right to do so.
I have a friend who is a criminal defence lawyer. People often ask him how he can spend his days helping criminals go free. What if he helped a murderer avoid prison, and that murderer killed someone he loved?
My counter-question is, “What if there were no defence lawyers, and the police accused you of murder?” You’d not see any of your loved ones ever again. Legal defence is essential to freedom. Without defence lawyers, we’d be back at dictatorship again. The government could just decide that they don’t like the things you say and lock you up for life.
My point is this: the price of freedom is high. On the invoice for the rights that freedom delivers, you’ll find the obligation to pay that freedom back with tolerance for despicable acts, distasteful occupations, harsh insults and unpatriotic attitudes. (Indeed, beware hypocrites who dress-up their attempts at oppression in the guise of ‘patriotism.’)
The next time you complain about someone’s purple mohawk, their defence of a rapist, crude behaviour or general unpleasantness, be thankful that you don’t have to wear the garb of a religion that isn’t your own.
Dave Lloyd is a musician who grew up in St. Albert.
