Muhammad Cartoons reprinted in Denmark newspapers
Radio Netherlands: Danish five major newspapers have reprinted the controversial cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb in his turban.
The newspapers are publishing the cartoon in response to the arrest on Tuesday of three people who allegedly were planning to kill the artist who drew the cartoon, Kurt Westergaard. The suspects are a Dane of Moroccan origin and two Tunisians.
The publication of the 12 Muhammad cartoons in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten two years ago led to angry demonstrations in many Islamic countries; some 150 people were killed.
- Radio Netherlands Worldwide: Danish Newspaper Republish Muhammed Cartoons
- Wikipedia: Muhammad Cartoons
- All Muhammad Cartoons (image .png)
18 comments:
Thank you for your thoughts.
no one should be alloud to go to that extend which hearts the core of ones religion.shame on all of them who print this type of things in the name of FREE press.SHAME.........SHAME..........
"Regardless of whether Jyllands-Posten at the time used freedom of speech unwisely and with damaging consequences, the paper deserves unconditional solidarity when it is threatened with terror," it (the editorial for Politiken) said.
Having considered this fact in light of this information, I now believe that all major newspapers in Canada should do publish these cartoons. This is in defence of free expression. We must not allow the examples of Theo Van Gogh, Salman Rushdie, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali be prevalent in a freedom loving democratic societies such as the ones we enjoy in Western Europe and North America.
Great idea, mushroom, but we both know that's not going to happen anytime soon.
The more interesting question is: why not?
I don`t really have all the answers, but wikipedia can give some insight about what makes Canada so “unique” compared to most of Western Europe.
The answer lies in the demographics of religion. Canada, when compared to most of Western Europe, is still a highly religious country, where the MAJORITY (more than 70%) considers themselves a Christian.
Compare this with European countries, and we get some major differences: The majority of people of the Northern European countries (Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France to name a few) do NOT believe there's a God (don't forget to compare the images that show the percentages on both continents).
One could perhaps argue that since the cartoons are depictions of Muhammad (and not of for example Jesus), Canadians should still see no problem with having the cartoons in Canadian papers; it's about another religion, so why bother protecting the other? In this case the issue is somewhat more subtle. Canadians are well aware of the fact that the law is not supposed to discriminate, and therefore, in order to protect their own religion, reject all blasphemy: Religion has still a special place in the hearts of Canadians.
Not so in Old Europe, where secularization has progressed far faster than anywhere else on the globe (much as most other progressive values). You know as well as I that while European broadcasters have continuously show n some of the Danish cartoons in their news programs (when relevant), the CBC (Christian Broadcasting Corporation) has NEVER produced any of the cartoons in their programming. So why should commercial newspapers burn themselves on this hot topic?
The answer to this question is of course that the press should have a fundamental believe in free speech. Unfortunately papers in North America do not have this fundamental believe, but one of another kind: the bottom line. As long as a majority of the subscribers might be offended by some satiric cartoons, not a single paper will publish them.
It's a sad state of affairs, but an educational one, at least for me it was.
Having lived in Europe for eight years, I regret not experiencing the so-called "radical secularist" or "liberal fundamentalist" forms of expression here in Canada.
These two terms I express are the left-right political consensus in European states. No one would be calling Harper a liberal fundamentalist nor Layton a radical secularist. One can notice Harper's Presbyterianism and Layton's Unitarian ideals through their political actions and discourse. There is a strong Catholic streak among the Liberals, based on its popularity among southern Europeans and the French Canadians. Once they come to Canada, these ties have been maintained while it has been forcefully ruptured over in Europe.
Moreover, radical secularism and liberal fundamentalism are prevalent in Denmark and the Netherlands as the values of a new Europe. A Europe that seeks to end the past wars in which religion played a crucial role. Thus denying the expressions of Salman Rushdie and Ayaan Hirsi Ali are the equivalent of condoning the past silence of Nazi occupation. Never again, the Danes and the Dutch have responded. There must be unconditional solidarity.
Perhaps Quebec will be the spokesperson for radical secularization in Canada. That is why I am a follower of the Taylor-Bouchard Commission on reasonable accomodation. Even though I am of Asian origin, I have become skeptical of the so-called multiculturalism that Canadians like to espouse. Not because it supports "ghettoization". It creates fractured communities which inhibits the growth of a more social democratic society of which European nations have evolved into.
Hi Erik. You are correct about your assessment of Canada and Europe in terms of their attitudes about religion and their thoughts about press freedom.
My own quote about the media goes like this:
"In the media, the advertisers are the consumers; the people are the products." For example, newspapers sell readers to the advertisers. Our freedom of the press is limited if advertisers can't get good value from the products (people) they purchase. If the products deteriorate or become scarce because the products get offended by the publishing of Danish cartoons, then the advertisers will not consume the newspapers. There is freedom of the press for advertisers; products don't have press freedoms. Products don't produce newspapers or make television programs.
Thank you mushroom, a lot of it was highly appreciated and helpful. But some criticism will follow below.
the wrong labels
I don't understand your “radical secularist” and “liberal fundamentalist” labels. The issue is mainly free speech, and in this light the reactions of the European news agencies are not radical or fundamentalist; they merely practise free speech, which is restricted by hate-speech laws in all European countries.
It would be just as strange for me to argue that Canada expresses “radical religious” and “Christian fundamentalist” forms of expression. Silly, really. I would define Europe as “a further progressed secular society” compared to that of North America (and Canada further progressed than the US) and leave the extreme labels in the mouth of those who are trying to further their own agendas.
Offending some Muslims is worse than...
The cartoon controversy is ultimately about “the right to not be offended”. Why should Muslims be granted this right? Clearly the European media has agreed that nobody should be granted this right, simply, because granting this right to Muslims would have lead to granting the same right to other religions. And why stop with religions? In short, granting this right to an ever expanding number of ethnic groups (Muslims, Christians, Gays, Germans, musicians, curlers, babies) would lead to the end of the media as we know it.
The CBC offended me too
Fair is fair, The CBC offended me too; their unwillingness to show at least some of the cartoons while it was in the midst of news offended my atheist and humanist believes at the deepest levels. How could the CBC bring the story of the Muhammad cartoon controversy while omitting the satirical depictions of the founder of the superstitious believe system? For secular atheist and humanists the CBC's version of the news was offencive and unacceptable. But does the CBC care about atheist and humanists? Obviously not.
The right to not be offended
NOBODY should have the right to not be offended. These cartoons were essential to understand the issue and by not including them, it was hard to understand what the hype and anger was all about. While newspapers didn't want to loose subscriptions (bottom line fundamentalism :), the CBC chose not to publish them due to outside religious pressures and insider religious bias.
Secular values and the supernatural
As long as supernatural (religious) pressures and bias continue to trump basic secular values (such as free speech and equal human rights), Canada will get further behind the already far more progressive and secular Europe.
Thanks Skinny Dipper. Indeed, for the media it is a lot about what advertisers want. And that's main rationale that counts for most big businesses over here.
Controversy works regularly well for selling more papers, but offending people does not.
Cheers.
A current example of big media apologizing for offending their audience:
NBC Apologizes For Jane Fonda Saying "Cunt" On "Today"
Don't forget to watch the video clips.
i hope there will be some peoples, who knows the name of their fathers they will surely feel shame on this and will never permission the "Haramis" to tease the muslim in denmark and all over the world.
shame for denmark all for those trying to teas muslim
shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame shame
i can not say except
shame for denmark
shame for those who are act it or involve it
shame
where are who talk all the time about peace of the world.
Are they ignorant about this or blind?
if this is freedom of speech then the publiher and all their companions should speech about their childrens who donot know their exact father. they should speech about the way of peace in denmarks and all over the world because such provocating publishing is not freedom it is war which will leave nothing free and the publisher and all his favourers will be its responsible.
there is noise about terrorism.
everyone who has read or listen about this sad publishing is still of the above view. Is denmark is not promoting terrorism and is not terrifying the muslims and the denmark is not destroying the atmosphere of peace ?
they should think about it if they have the ability to think?
well actually some1's freedom of speech stops when it causes someone else hurt or disrespect , but since all of u agree that freedom of speech is essensial and a must, i would like 2 express my freedom :) i think jesus is a faggot, he used 2 take it up the ass, christianity preaches child molestation and pedophilisim :) case and point.... your preists in the news
thank you for lettin me express my freedon of speech and i will soon have my drawings of jesus takin a massive dick in the ass, and christian priests rapin little kids ... look for it very soon online :)
I like ALL the freedom of speech that's taking place on my site, but I would like to encourage everyone to abstain from profanity and making threats.
This is MY site, and I'll just warn especially anonymous commenters that I will be deleting those messages that include threats or non-functional profanity (profanity that does not contribute to a healthy debate on this site)
Nobody will hold anyone back to start their own blogspot.com website.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Our Muhammad Prophit is good gifted person his very beautyfull honest religous and famous person all of world.
All Pakistani people shame on all Danmark people and heat of denmark SHAME.......SHAME..........DANMARK
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