Don't get me started. Twice.

For those of you with a bit of time to spare, two important and thought-provoking contributions to current debates on freedom of speech (the first one via Chicken Yoghurt, the second one via All Things Beautiful)

In the first one, What's wrong with blasphemy? Stewart Lee discusses blasphemy and its place in comedy with various political and religious commentators, in the wake of the outrage sparked by the BBC's decision to broadcast Jerry Springer, the Opera.



Parts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 here.


The second one was aired two nights ago on Channel 5. In No Excuses For Terror David Aaronovitch, veteran journalist and commentator, asks himself: "Who is really responsible for the suicide bombers that target us? Is it the fault of George Bush or Tony Blair? Are we all somehow to blame?" Aaronovitch explains where he believes the left has gone wrong on Israel, Palestine, the War in Iraq and the War on Terror. In fact, while I think the documentary has somewhat reduced the debate to an us vs them contention, its value lies in its capacity to bring to the surface several arguments that - in the current mode of self-censorship that many media embrace on anything to do with Islam and its violent offshoots - are often unheard.



Parts 2, 3 and 4 here.