Banjo Paterson - Thanks for the extra info, I did see an article headline regarding Hollande not wanting Netenyahu there but could not access it.

Dear Foxy,

Thanks for the quote. I think it was already G. W. Bush who declared “war on terror”, now Valls wants, in addition to this, wage war also against radical Islamism (I thought all Islamism was radical by definition). I somehow prefer the message of the Sunday rally with its overall emphasis on solidarity of all Europeans against all violent fanatics and crackpots of whatever religious or areligious background.

Dear Poirot,

There is no doubt that Muslims feel about - and some react violently to - caricatures of Muhammad and Koran the same way medieval Christians would react to caricatures of Jesus and the Bible. Of course, today’s post-Enlightenment Christians, however they might feel, will not react violently.

We should remember that Enlightenment was not imported to the Christian West from the outside (say from China) but it grew on its own soil. Therefore I think non-Muslims should encourage a similar development WITHIN Islam (there is even talk about Euroislam); ridiculing or abusing Koran and Muhammad just in order to make use of somebody’s freedom of speech, is counterproductive. I think also the French will eventually learn this. After all Tariq Ramadans, one of the leading advocates of blending Islam into Western culture, as controversial as his views might be, was born in French-speaking Geneva.

Dear SteelRedux,

Thanks for the quote. I know the American perspective on this is somewhat different from the French/European. It is also true that the Ameican problem with "unintegrable" Muslims is much much smaller than the European.

I am also closer to the view that freedom of speech does not have to imply the right to offend.

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Dear Yuyutsu,

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Every country is unique. Each has its own particular culture, traditions and history. Even Australia and New Zealand which were one country for over half a century from 1788 to 1841 (at that time it was called the colony of New South Wales), have slightly different traditions and history even though our culture is almost identical. The same goes for Trinidad and Tobago. These two British island colonies were amalgamated in 1898, at about the same time New Zealand was taking the decision not to join the Australian federation. The country became a republic in 1976 and is a member of the British Commonwealth.

I am a third generation Australian, having lived the first 20 years of my life in the bush in Queensland followed by 2 years in Brisbane, 3 years in Sydney and the rest as a globe trotter based in Paris. In my experience, we Australians have much in common with the French, in some ways, more than with our British ancestors. I attribute this to the fact that the British (including some of my ancestors) live on relatively small islands compared with continental Australia and France on the European continent. Also, France is Europe’s leading agricultural country, comparable to Australia which is also a major agricultural country.

These two factors: continental mentality and agricultural livelihood forge a common approach to life with a similar vision and shared values. Nevertheless, the traditions and history of Australia and France are quite different, often complimentary.

There is no equivalent in Australia of the French Revolution. We have not yet severed our umbilical ties with the British Crown. Compared to the French we tend to be conservative, complacent and easy going, usually uninclined to disturb anything or anybody.

Certainly, we can be impolite, pigheaded and obnoxious at times (cf., this forum), but it is difficult to imagine an Australian “Charlie Hebdo”, a satirical magazine that almost nobody buys or reads but which the French hold up as a sacred icon of freedom to be defended at all times, in all circumstances and at all costs.

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Dear Banjo,

A Japanese friend visited me in Australia. He thought Australia had much in common with Japan. Japanese have a surface politeness, and Australians offer an easy-going exterior, but there is a great undercurrent of violence in both cultures. The high rate of domestic abuse, the bullying in both cultures, the violence by both police forces and other indications of violence pervade both cultures. Although Australia occupies a vast continent the bulk of the population is concentrated in the southeast coastal strip so both countries are essentially urban cultures. Although Japan has dominated China militarily there is a cultural cringe in the awareness of China as the older civilisation similar to the cultural cringe that Australia has to England. The dishes used in Japan are similar to those the Chinese used about a thousand years ago.

My analogies are between the US and Australia. I thought in coming to Australia from the US I might get away from rock and roll and country music but no such luck.

Dear Banjo,

I am yet to see Australians charging the Bastille - that's unless they had a few drinks first thus miss their target. Had they managed to reach the Bastille, they would stop because they see a yellow sign by the janitor: "Danger, Do not enter - wet floor" - would it not make a funny caricature? I beg forgiveness from all those who might feel offended, it is not my intention to hurt, only to draw attention to some Australian shortcomings, I have my own.

Drawing caricatures of Louis XVI would be ineffective as the squeaking of a small dog and only cause him to laugh: "Ain't I'm beautiful - send a bag of gold to this artist and invite him to the court to draw us like this on a regular basis" - the same way as the demand "we have no bread" was met by "then eat cakes". When action is called for, words and drawings are useless.

Perhaps offending the worlds entire Muslim population by purposely humiliating their prophet is not a great idea.
The world laughed while the Jews were humiliated all across Europe leading up to WW2 and now we seem to be doing the same to Muslims.

We need to stick together to fight extremism...