Danish Newspaper Publishes Cartoons of Mohammad

Aside from "everybody" expecting suicide murderers,plane hijackers etc. to be named Mohammad-or something related-and nobody from any other religion would pull this crap,Islamic hitmen should take center stage this week.Obviously,there was the Islamic plane hijacker,who almost blew his dick off over Detroit...then,the Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard,at home with his five year old granddaughter,while an Islamic hitman with an axe...

I believe this was an act of disrespect to an entire religion whose reverence for their prophet and religious devotion runs extremely deep. I doubt that whoever made the cartoons just wanted to indulge their artistic impulse. I see it as an act of provocation, a bitter attempt at self-satisfaction and amusement but this was definately no laughing matter. Sure you can say well many members of the Muslim world over-reacted but that seems to be a manifestation of their religious passion. I am not saying that it's right nor am I saying that it is wrong. But it is a big deal, and this was an offense to society, history and religion. I just hope that nothing like this happens again, or we will only be regressing from the path to a more peaceable and civilized world.

While the Danish cartoons should ultimately be a 5 star event for 2006, the final verdict on the European reaction remains an open question. First, (as other comments have noted) these cartoons along with the recent bombings in London and Madrid, the French riots, and the murder of the Dutch film director should evidence the intolerance of a significant Muslim minority in secular Europe. While there may be some assimilation over time, the prognosis is simply not hopeful presently. Second, these events are occurring in varied political countries (e.g. Denmark is much more conservative than the Netherlands, yet both have been hit). Some often rightfully or wrongfully claim that the majority of Muslims reject these type of behavior, yet these are most likely those who deny the similar "silent majority" in their own country. In the end, it is the loudest dog that gets scolded. Third, as parts (if not the majority) of the Muslim world continue to merge state and religion, the latter becomes... Read more

There were 3 cartoons added to the original 12 cartoons by the Danish Imams that were much more inflammatory. The 3 were fabricated by the Imams to stoke the controversy. The goal was for the West to accept the restrictions on freedom of speech within Islamic Law for non-Muslims. This forbids anyone to speak out against Islam or insult Mohammad. This would give the fundamentalists a free pass, especially within the U.S. mosques.Syria is involved and Iran is involved, this is not a Danish issue, it is the International issue that the Islamic world has been waiting for. This is a coordinated effort to make the Muslims around the world believe that the West is out to destroy Islam and for them to rise up and fight it. The fact is that the Jihad terrorists are not a small community, contrary to popular opinion, that are hijacking a religion of so called peace. They are working within the broad mainstream of Islamic teaching and they are following the Qur'an and the Hadith and the Sira. The... Read more

Significant for Europeans, Americans should regard it as a dopey non-story and an example of media (US and Euro) fanning the flames of hatred. I feel for the Euros, I really do. But until the idiots rioting in the street are treated like the moronic criminals that they are, you'll see more examples of this. And why would it be that American Muslims are not similarly outraged? Are they not believers in the same dogma? And, just where was the outrage when the "cartoons" were first published? Is this the worst example of media degrading religious icons? Grow up and move on. Jay Leno had a great one: this isn't the week to walk into a muslim bakery and ask for a danish . . .

This, the French riots, and the Dutch assassination should start to wake the Europeans to the Mohammedan threat in their midst. US citizens should view this as preview of what we will be seeing about ten years down the road!

People are being killed in demonstrations, there is a reward out for the cartoonist's death--plus a car--, things are getting so heated, you are afraid to think where all this may lead to.

Djahuti I guess I will be on your ASS; First off who is the destruction lovin jerks that brought down the WTC or blew a hole in YOUR United States Naval Destroyer, or bombed Embassies in Africa killing Innocent people? You would'nt happen to be Osama Bin Laden would you? and if the true Islamic people do not want to be lumped in with the radical rabid Islamics then these people need to stand up and refute and rebuke Hamas,Al Qaida, beheadings, suicide bombings and on and on and on.... If you consider cartoons bating then you are lost soul! Did you not read and click on aDios link in the comments prior to your drivel? These Cartoons were published six months ago why now the firestorm? Either way I have no sympathy towards any Radical Islamic Terrorist nor the Islamic population that sits by and allows their religion to be hijacked with nary a word!

Stupidity all around.When mankind is going to War over cartoons,you have to realize that we're some death and destruction lovin jerks as a whole.Although I deplore violent Muslims (as do many true Islamic peoples),I have to wonder why they are being baited...

A set of satirical, racist cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed originally published by a Danish newspaper seeking a sensational story has led to an international firestorm. Offended Muslims from Morocco to Indonesia protested the article by rioting, and in more extreme cases, actually burning Danish embassies. Some of the European newspapers which ran the article insist that they were defending their freedom of speech to run the article. Now, most of us can agree that censorship laws that seek to limit the range of opinions which can be expressed in any given society are inherently bad, but as the old saying goes, free speech does not include the right to scream "fire" in a crowded building. And that's exactly what those European newspapers did. They were trying to boost circulation by pandering to anti-immigrant right-wingers by attacking Islam. This entire story is essentially about anti-Islamism, which is just a new version of 1930's style anti-Semitism. Here's what's troubling... Read more

The cartoon was published by a Danish newspaper and republished by other European newspapers. So, why are they protesting the US? Are these guys just too damn lazy to make news signs or think up new slogans?

Just one more example of theism's vampiric attributes (whereby hauling its suspect tenets into the light of day, it violently thrashes about, howls, and bursts into flames). Islamists SHOULD be exposed for the hypocrites they've always been (the hajj to Mecca is one of the most idolatrous events ever witnessed, with its jamrats and the prostration around the ka'ba, but images of Muhammad might lead to idolatry? Yeah, right!). The Danish government has so far resisted issuing an apology (twenty bucks says they cave), which would be a travesty for the cause of free expression. And look who's hot for the "sorries": Iran, whose neswpapers are now busy holding Holocaust doodling contests (meaningless, since they've been vilifying Jews for centuries). This could be the beginning of a bigger story, for if secular governments back down now, it'll only embolden another large-scale sectarian attack that much sooner. Censorship and intolerance, in the exact locations you'd expect to find them.

I don't feel like the cartoons from a Danish newspaper are that significant. What is significant is the Muslim leaders taking the cartoons on a tour of the middle east, which led to the riots and violent protesting.

This ought to serve notice on our European friends (as if they could somewhow not already have figured things out from the London and Madrid bombings) that the War on Terror is at least as much their concern as it is ours. After all, the bulk of have-nots coming into the U.S. are from Mexico, Central America and Asia. But the Europeans are witnessing emigration from the Middle East. And they have millions living among them who are somehow not oriented to, or willing to accept, the idea that free expression is part and parcel of their new home. This stupidity with the newspaper cartoon further exposes the culture/civilization clash that we will watch unfold for the next quarter century. This isn't going to end anytime soon. The have-nots will continue to relocate into areas where native populations are dwindling. And for Western Europe, this means hello Islamics!

At least the Danish aren't beheading hostages...

I agree that the reaction by a small portion of the Islamic population is pretty extreme over this matter. However, I seem to remember the Catholic church having a conniption over a little move called "The Last Temptation of Christ." Also, I think there would be a huge uproar from the Jewish community if political cartoons were published implying that the Holocaust never happened. Maybe mobs of Jewish people wouldn't burn down the "offending" nations embassy but my guess is commando lawyer squads would spring into action with cat-like quickness to snuff any such cartoon from proliferating. We are the product of a society that was torturing and killing people with the Inquistion in the name of "God" when the Muslims were leading the world in medicine, agriculture and commerce. Fear always stems from ignorance. Western fear of the Muslim world is no different.

I'd have to say that this is significant. It brings up the whole censorship/offending people controversy. In Islam, democracy and the 1st amendment are foreign concepts so naturally, they react in a rabid fervor against these European newspapers. And they tarnish the image of the majority of Muslims who prefer to live in peace. Being a Christian, I've been offended by tons of stuff out there but you know what? People of all religions, races, creeds, political persuasions have been and will continue to be offended by crap in the media. You never saw Christians threatening violence and murder after the film "The Last Temptation of Christ" came out. However, there's a double-standard. Muslims in Middle Eastern countries seem to want to have it both ways: they don't want their prophet portrayed at all while at the same time publishing cartoons in their newspapers that smacks of anti-Semitism toward Jews and Israel. If a cartoon portraying Jews in a negative light showed up, th... Read more

It's early in the ballgame, but this has to be a major event of this year. I have often claimed (and still do) that Westerners have little or no right to act 'shocked' by reactions in the Muslim world that are reactions to pro-Christian and pro-Judaic geopolitical moves. . .but the violent reaction of extremists and the quiet and silent agreement by centrist Muslims is a major event and a serious problem. . .I would defend most things but never, ever the end of freedom of expression of the press. The Muslim world cannot expect everyone to live by their rules. The extremists have been exposed as hypocrites- (picture of Mohammed with a bomb and they react by bombing?) This is a terrible story and a bad sign. . .

Just something else to scream "jihad". The West could put Mohammed on a postage stamp and the extremist would still go postal.

Much ado about less than nothing. Even the Muslim extremists will have forgotten about it in a few months.

This is an interesting story. A Danish newspaper commissions 12 cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad and publishes them. From what I can understand, there was no reason for doing this other than intellectual curiosity as to what would happen, and to make the point that censorship is evil. The Muslim community reacted predictably and with gusto - outrage, calls for censorship, threats, masked gunmen, and burning stuff. Europe's newspapers have been republishing the cartoons, and attracting more fundamentalist outrage. The Bush Administration has (!Link Url="http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx ?type=politicsNews&storyID;=2006-02-03T171307Z_01_N03197247_RTRUKOC_0_US-RELIGION-CARTOONS-USA.xml" Name="sided with the Muslims."!) In a lot of ways, the whole situation reminds me of the (!Link Url="http://www.rateitall.com/i-551978-book-of-daniel--nbc.aspx" Name="Book of Daniel Controversy"!), minus the masked gunmen and burning stuff - NBC meekly canceled the show after a few epi... Read more

Although the Danish newspaper labeled the cartoons as examples of racism, the grosser images should not have been selected for mainstream publishing. What is the real value of publishing an image of Muhammad as a pedophile demon? Or a dog raping a Muslim? Did they really expect some good to come out of that? Unfortunately, some of the more extreme examples of protesting make it harder to support certain groups that have been offended. Two other cartoons now have interesting irony: One has Prophet Muhammad with a bomb for a turban. Given the scattered death threats amidst the many protest groups, the point that religious icons shouldn't be associated with violence has been sadly lost. Another cartoon makes a point that the press is often censored due to fear of fundamentalist reaction. Point taken, but I believe with freedom of the press comes great responsibility. The Danish newspaper erred in their responsibility of not offending, and the extreme reactions gives some mixed l... Read more