who cares?

via Arash, I see that Johnny Hart (cartoonist of the B.C. comic strip) has drawn some criticism for a cartoon that could be interpreted as anti-Islam. It's not the first time he's been the subject of such religious controversies:

In the past, Hart has gotten into trouble for religious-themed strips -- most notably on one recent Easter Sunday when his strip showed the seven candles of a Jewish menorah being extinguished, one by one, with each image accompanied by one of Jesus Christ's last utterances. As the last flame disappeared, and the words "It is finished" appeared, the menorah became a cross.

Many Jewish readers were outraged, claiming Hart was making the argument that Christianity had extinguished Judaism as a "better" religion. Hart denied it, protesting that the cartoon was intended to honor both religions. To many, his explanation seemed hollow.

Asked about the outhouse strip this week, Hart denied that it was about Islam at all. He said that interpretation stunned him.

Somehow, I think Islam will survive. Judaism seems to have prospered despite an equally ambiguos and easily rationalized attack by Hart, after all.

UPDATE: Here are the two offending strips. Judge for yourself: Easter 2001, Ramadan 2003

Maybe CAIR and the ADL could join forces and become one super-organization, the Council of Americans Against Defamation of Islam and Judaism by Anyone who is Not Muslim or Jewish but who Dares to Express an Opinion About the Actions of a Nation whose Citizens are Adherents of Islam or Judaism. The CAADIJANMJDEOAANCAIJ could be quite effective in bringing peace to the Middle East, I'm sure.