Dangerous word games

Flemming Rose is the Danish editor who commissioned the Muhammad cartoons that caused an international crisis in 2006

Flemming Rose has problems with certain words. Recently it was Islamophobia. In the past it was multiculturalism and cultural-relativity. He questions the validity of these terms and the concepts that underpin them.

He also has a penchant for certain words. He uses words like politically-correct and victimology with all the legitimacy he can muster.

The above terms that he decries are those used by his ideological opponents. The terms he uses, describe them. So far, he has left tolerance and diversity alone. And although he has avoided a term for his own position, I can think of a few.

What is interesting is that he and people who sympathize with his viewpoint have begun to use words like multiculturalism and cultural-relativity pejoratively. This, to me anyway, is mind-boggling. Where I am from, to openly criticize and oppose diversity falls into the realm of racism and is not tolerated by wider society. (An example is a recent article entitled, "Multiculturalism Kills; Cartoons Don't."*)

But I am not from Denmark. The average Dane seems to me to be something of a victim. Many seem baffled that their quiet benevolent country could be demonized and subject to boycotts, threats, and riots. They have been put on the defensive.

Unfortunately, it seems that many have positioned themselves in opposition to "Islam." Here, the quotes are intended to denote that, as an object of fear, Islam has become an abstract concept that often encompasses Muslims. Anyway, it is much more than "a set of ideas" as Mr. Rose claims. Of course, this fear and prejudice is widespread throughout the West.

Check my comment about Islamophobia on Flemming Rose's blog.