Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day submission

by Matt



Well, the day has finally come, and it's time to let your craft flow.

Now, if I could draw worth two shits, then I'd definitely be involved in animation. Instead I paint with light: the world is my canvas and the silver screen my gallery. Nevertheless, I'd like to make clear that my EDMD submission should in no way reflect my aptitude for graphic design. I may be unskilled, but I'm not fucking unskilled.

Let me explain my intent. I'm not at all shy about criticizing people's religious convictions, however, this is not a action I take as likely as some. Religious faith is an important character trait of those who experience it. To assault it is to play the schoolyard bully. You can't attack a person's beliefs without attacking the person, and I have no desire to alienate some of my best friends nor go out of my way to offend people who would be my allies.

Therefore, I think Everybody Draw Mohammed Day should not be about insulting anyone or alienating them. If you want to depict a religious leader in a piss-filled jar and call it art, then I want nothing to do with you. There's a difference between being critical and being a troll.

What I sought to do was show this controversy for how harmless it truly is. So I put myself in the place of my prepubescent self, discovering the worlds opening up before me by the latest technology, Microsoft Paint. I wanted to draw something innocent yet still badass. If I am murdered by an extremist over this picture, it will totally be worth it.



So there it is. Simple, sloppy, and tasteful. Fun for the whole family. If you have a submission, feel free to post it in the comments, but I request you remain civil about it.

We will not cower in fear, but we refuse to lower ourselves to the level of our aggressors.




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