One of the traits that sets True Believers off from the rest of humanity is that True Believers find it impossible to laugh at themselves. Perhaps they are too insecure in what they believe, perhaps humorless people just naturally gravitate toward an ideology or a faith that takes itself so seriously that self-deprecation is considered a major fault. Whatever the reason, TBers are often a humorless lot.
Think of the political left which, with a few exceptions, is a mirthless wasteland, especially compared to the conservative right. Read the hard-left blogs and newspaper columns and you find that whatever wit they put on display is generally employed in the service of the political cheapshot. The only thing they find at all amusing are the misfortunes of their political enemies (and anyone who does not agree with them is indeed an enemy, not merely an opponent.
The Islamic world is another example of people completely bereft of the ability to laugh unless it is the humorless laughter of derision directed at those they hope to soon kill. They are especially incapable of laughing at themselves, which is too bad because they're missing out on some real fun.
Anyway, by stark contrast consider this irreverent Israeli who is conducting a contest to see who can pen the funniest anti-semitic cartoons:
Amitai Sandy (29), graphic artist and publisher of Dimona Comix Publishing, from Tel-Aviv, Israel, has followed the unfolding of the "Muhammad cartoon-gate" events in amazement, until finally he came up with the right answer to all this insanity - and so he announced today the launch of a new anti-Semitic cartoons contest - this time drawn by Jews themselves! "We'll show the world we can do the best, sharpest, most offensive Jew hating cartoons ever published!" said Sandy "No Iranian will beat us on our home turf!"
The contest has been announced today on the www.boomka.org website, and the initiator accept submissions of cartoons, caricatures and short comic strips from people all over the world. The deadline is Sunday March 5, and the best works will be displayed in an Exhibition in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
Sandy is now in the process of arranging sponsorships of large organizations, and promises lucrative prizes for the winners, including of course the famous Matzo-bread baked with the blood of Christian children.
Probably most of what will be produced in a contest like this will be pretty tasteless and a lot of it won't reach the level of the genuinely funny. Nevertheless, maybe I just don't know enough Muslims, but I'm having difficulty trying to picture anyone of that faith even contemplating doing something like this.
They're much too preoccupied with raising money to fund the bounties they're putting on the heads of Danish cartoonists.