Muslim cartoon row (Mohammed cartoon)
Controversy arose when a Denmark newspaper featured a cartoon of the prophet Mohammed with a turban shaped like a bomb on his head. This has been in the headlines for several weeks but news keep coming in about it. 
Muslims are obviously furious about this, for illustrating Mohammed as a terrorist and also we should note that he is not supposed to be depicted to prevent idolatry, making things even worse.
“Jyllands-Posten” is the newspaper that published the cartoons and, although they ran an apology signed by the editor in chief, they received a bomb threat a few days ago (the day after the apology was published actually). Their apology said:
“In our opinion, the 12 drawings were sober. They were not intended to be offensive, nor were they at variance with Danish law, but they have indisputably offended many Muslims for which we apologize….
Maybe because of culturally based misunderstandings, the initiative to publish the 12 drawings has been interpreted as a campaign against Muslims in Denmark and the rest of the world.
I must categorically dismiss such an interpretation. Because of the very fact that we are strong proponents of the freedom of religion and because we respect the right of any human being to practise his or her religion, offending anybody on the grounds of their religious beliefs is unthinkable to us.”
The apology should have been harder on themselves? That’s what Ahmed Akkari, a spokesman for the groups, thinks: “We lack a clear statement where the newspaper apologizes for the offense and stand[s] by it,”.
The cartoons were published last September but they have been reprinted by some newspapers, such as in a conservative Norwegian magazine and in a French newspaper, causing more repercussions. Even
a small newspaper has been shut down for reprinting the cartoons.
The main argument from the “pro-cartoons” is the free speech. But some question this, wondering what would happen if the cartoons mocked a different religion’s icon.
The latest news about the issue is very tragic. A boy was killed in Somalia during a protest.
There’s a lot to think about, but the main concern is when will it end and how…
Roderick P MacGregor said,
February 7, 2006 @ 8:04 pm
People who live in glass-houses shouldn’t throw stones!
Toleration is required by all of us for each other.
Tim Talbot said,
February 10, 2006 @ 7:40 pm
I came across this on the Creation Tips website (www.creationtips.ws) news page a moment ago. Hmmm. Makes you wonder what’s behind all the violence!
“Muslim newspaper ran Mohammed cartoons 4 months ago with no outcry
(February 10, 2006)
Muslims across the world have rioted in the past week against countries whose newspapers have published cartoons of the prophet Mohammed. Yet there was no uproar when an Islamic newspaper prominently displayed the same cartoons four months ago.”
Tim T.
daniel said,
February 14, 2006 @ 5:52 am
The two magazines in western Canada who published all or some of the controversial Danish cartoons are heroes of free speech. Although I agree the cartoons in themselves are in poor taste and likely to be offensive to some, I do not think that showing fear (or applying self censorship) to exercise the right to freedom of the press is a good method to preserve it (f.o.t.p.).
I welcome any Muslim or non-Muslim papers to print “offensive” material toward Christianity or Judaism as I fail to see how they can outdo early evening television, Hollywood or the music industry. The fact is we live in a world of shock value rebellion against social norms and customs.
However, it must be noted that free speech IS the main religion of the west. Collectively we bow at the alter of free expression more often then we bow at any god (and this often goes for Muslims , Jews and Christians who live here), and millions of our men, women and children have died and spilt their blood in order to preserve that sacred religious right. So if some small groups of Muslims (or otherwise) wish to make this a point of religion, let them be aware that FREE SPEECH IS OUR RELIGION.
This is a clash of ideals that can not be resolved except that if Muslims (or otherwise) living abroad recognize that we do thing’s differently within our borders. I doubt the Dane’s send thousands of leaflets of the publication and airdropped them into Muslim nations. The reality is that some particular so-called Muslims (likely Al Qaeda sympathizers) have instigated this violence for recruitment and other political purposes.
I must at this point commend the great restraint and respect for western values by the Canadian Muslim authorities who instead of street protests of violence, submit to a legal action, which is of course a more appropriate form of reprisal.
D. Young
Ontario, Canada
Julian said,
February 14, 2006 @ 6:02 am
Here’s where I don’t agree Daniel:
“I welcome any Muslim or non-Muslim papers to print “offensive” material toward Christianity or Judaism”
I really don’t “welcome” them to print offensive (I won’t use quotations on offensive) material towards Christians, Jews or Muslims… I understand your point, and free speech is truly important, I simply don’t like to see it as an excuse for offending.
PD: Thanks for expressing your ideas so clearly
Occams Razor said,
February 17, 2006 @ 7:15 pm
Cartoons don’t kill people, angry Muslims kill people!
I am sure that, like all other beliefs, there are good Muslims and bad Muslims.
What I do not understand is why, if Islam is a a truly peaceful religion expressing a devotion to Allah through his Prophet (Peace be upon him), the Grand Imam in Mecca and all other “true” believers have not condemned the violence and the hatred expressed by their brethren?
Res ipsa loquitur