Here’s a contrary post because contrary seems to be my
middle name. And I’m not even old yet.
Every major news item inevitably carries along in its wake
the knee jerk reactions of those who will never follow up on their espoused
convictions. Sure, they may go to a candlelight vigil or more likely share
something on Facebook, but whatever event triggers their reaction will be
quickly forgotten when the next trigger-inducing event occurs.
I’m of course referring to the tragedy of the shooting in
Paris yesterday. And I’m of course writing without fully understanding the
situation since, while not yet old, I’m beginning to feel that if I wait to
know everything I’ll never write anything at all.
But I know people died because of a cartoon that insulted
Mohamed. I’ve seen it, it was horrible. Of course, in the grand scheme of
things, nowhere near as horrible as killing people because of a cartoon.
It’s not really the events in Paris I wish to talk
about, but the reactions that people have had to it. The general consensus is
to rally around the artists who are brave enough to go out on a limb and say
things at a risk to themselves. I guess that’s a good thing, I guess as an
artist I’d like to know I can speak my mind without worrying if I’m putting my
life on the line (I have three novels published, so I’m going to go and call
myself an artist).
In the end, though, I believe that what an artist wants much
more than support is understanding. When I make a statement, when I reach down
into the deepest parts of me, I want to believe that what I have to say is
universal. Not because I think so much of my abilities or myself, I just want
to know that my perception of the world, stripped of as many biases as I can
rid myself of, is a fairly accurate one. I want to believe that if I squint
really hard I can get a pretty good sense of what it is I’m seeing. And if I
can use art to convey accurately what it is I see, and if people respond by
saying “yes, I see it too”, then I have performed a useful service.
But the last thing in the world I want is anyone’s support
that wasn’t duly earned. I don’t want you to stick up for what I have to say
because I am an “artist”. I don’t believe I have some God-given right to say or
do whatever the hell I want, rather I have an obligation to say what I believe
is true regardless of the price I will pay.
When I saw a Facebook friend share a cartoon of the artist
in question, a very horrible picture of the prophet Mohamed, I initially had
the urge to share it as a sign that my voice, that the voices of others, would
not be silenced by the violent acts of extremists. But then I thought of the
many millions of people I would insult, peaceful human beings who have nothing
to do with ISIS or acts of terrorism. I can scarcely imagine what many of my
Christian friends would say if such a picture of Jesus were shown to them. I
can’t say I would ever create something like that, but if I thought it was my
best way of expressing truth, I guess I would feel obligated.
So my point is perhaps this: if you wish to support the
artists who have died for the expression of their art, then get to know and
understand the art they have created. Artists are really no different from
soldiers, in that they are willing to spill their blood for their cause. But
the ultimate merit of the artist, like the soldier, is what they sacrifice for.
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