Power Play (#75; Topic F)

In the last few days, I have read perhaps 50 pieces on the Muhammad carton incident (#68, #73), but none of these authors has seen fit to mention, in my view, the key underlying reason: a power play. One writer asks: What would happen if this took place 30 years ago? Were the time horizon pushed back by another 30 years, I have an answer. Sixty years ago, most of these Muslim countries were under colonial powers' control; whatever these colonial masters said or did, ruled. Members of the Islamic faith, being both subdued and powerless, had simply to stomach, in silence, whatever these colonial masters wished to dish out -- cartoons, by comparison, would be too easy. But, this is the 21st century. The former colonial powers, however, continue to act as if they are still colonial powers. Oh, as an acknowledgment that this is the 21st century, when persecuting these objectors is no longer an automatic option, these former colonial masters elect to ignore them. But, with independence, there is a shift of power as well. You ignore our protest, fine; we return the favor by ignoring the products you offer for sale. If there is one thing colonial powers salute, it is the almighty krone -- or, in the 21st century, the almighty euro. Boycott reduces sales, which forces layoffs, which in turn forces the prime minister, who earlier vowed not to apologize, to apologize. By that time, it was too little and too late. We are now witnessing a power play in progress.
Posted at 7:49 pm, Wednesday, February 8, 2006