A Petition

I believe that through mutual consideration and the revival of civility as a shared medium of dialogue we are better equipped to reconstructing a more enlightened society.

I believe that murdering people for expressing an opinion you dislike, or for drawing a fucking cartoon for god’s sake, is the height of incivility. If civility is to be enforced by gun-wielding thugs and beheadings and crucifixions I believe I’ll pass, thank you very much.

I endorse emphatically the Declaration of Global Civility

I don’t. It is an empty document of meaningless phrases that nowhere spells out why some people should have the right to, however politely, tell me to shut the fuck up about things that matter to me. “We recognise that individual or collective human dignity is a fundamental right and that the desecration of such through insult, denigration or humiliation is morally and ethically wrong.” And how does my pointing out that an allegedly historical figure may not match the depiction preferred by some group of Islamic pundits masquerading as “scholars” (but holding actual scholarship in contempt) turn into “insult”, “denigration”, or “humiliation”? “Passionate emotions must be harnessed and channelled through good manners and etiquettes [sic] to civilise any debate in our diverse society.” How does the murder of cartoonists and filmmakers square with “good manners” and “etiquettes”? If murder and civility walk together hand in bloody hand then I want nothing to do with either of them.

I call upon the British Parliament to table a debate in both Houses of Parliament to discuss the endorsement of the Declaration of Global Civility.

Not being British I don’t call on the British Parliament to do a goddamn thing, but I do hope it will treat this call with the silent contempt it deserves.

I call upon all civilised people and institutions globally to disassociate themselves from any actions that are an affront to global civility.

I absolutely disassociate myself from this petition and the murderous thugs (or “scholars” as they like to call themselves) promoting it. I absolutely disassociate myself from any organizations supporting its criminal objectives. Talking about “civility” with people who think it is compatible with shooting and beheading people is not only futile—it is tacitly supporting them in their criminal delusions.

I denounce the actions of all those people who are connected with the production of the film ‘Innocence of Muslims’ and the publishers of the cartoons of the Holy Prophet Muhammad peace be upon Him and believe that these actions are an affront to the norms of civilised society.

I actually do denounce the actions of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula—not for putting together a film depicting the imaginary prophet Muhammed as a real buffoon, but for tricking actors into taking part in something they were opposed to, and for claiming that unnamed Jewish backers were behind the thing. That was both unethical and despicable. Not absolutely vile like shooting a cartoonist or murdering a filmmaker—but definitely despicable. But that has nothing to do with this apology for thuggery and murder, and I absolutely denounce the people who are connected with the “Declaration of Global Civility” and this dumbass petition. And while I have respect for the accomplishments of the historical figure (whoever he was) responsible for the cultural constellation that is Islam, I have nothing but contempt for the imaginary prophet Muhammed (fuck him and the horse he rode off on) of these "scholars" and their idiot followers. To them I say Mend your ways.