Posted: Jan 20, 2012 12:28 pm
Not to be a black cloud, but a concern hits me. I am reminded of the first intention behind "Draw Mohammed Day", which was to instigate a great number of people to draw respectful, neutral, or unspecific images of the prophet to make the point only about the refusal to bow down to censorship. What actually occurred, once the event had become well known through Facebook, YouTube et al, was that a large proportion of people published deliberately offensive and crass pictures - Mohammed molesting children, Mohammed as a pig etc. I don't have a particular problem with this but can't help think that the original message, and an opportunity to engage with the Muslim community, was lost or at least reduced in favour of a venting of spleen followed by a predictable response of outrage.
The idea seems excellent on a rational board like this, frequented mainly by considerate adults, but once it hits the wider intertubez, I would be concerned that it might attract people who, by intent or misunderstanding, mistake the idea for a more aggressive or confrontational type of engagement. I may be being a little over cautious but, if it were me, I would give this some consideration and, at the very least, be very clear in any open invitation to emphasis the purpose and tone expected.
The idea seems excellent on a rational board like this, frequented mainly by considerate adults, but once it hits the wider intertubez, I would be concerned that it might attract people who, by intent or misunderstanding, mistake the idea for a more aggressive or confrontational type of engagement. I may be being a little over cautious but, if it were me, I would give this some consideration and, at the very least, be very clear in any open invitation to emphasis the purpose and tone expected.