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February 01, 2006
Europe Shows Solidarity with Denmark Regarding Muslim Cartoons
For once, I approve of some of the goings on in Europe.
Newspapers across Europe have reprinted caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to show support for a Danish paper whose cartoons have sparked Muslim outrage.
Seven publications in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain all carried some of the drawings.
Their publication in Denmark led Arab nations to protest. Islamic tradition bans depictions of the Prophet.
The owner of one of the papers to reprint - France Soir - has now sacked its managing editor over the matter.
The cartoons have sparked diplomatic sanctions and death threats in some Arab nations, while media watchdogs have defended publication of the images in the name of press freedom.
Reporters Without Borders said the reaction in the Arab world "betrays a lack of understanding" of press freedom as "an essential accomplishment of democracy."
And therein lies the problem. As religious practitioners who prefer theocracy, hardline Muslims don't understand the concept of democracy. They believe that any affront to their religion must be quashed and those who perpetrate the affront be punished severely.
In democratic societies, this kind of behavior doesn't cut it. After all, no one died as a result of the cartoons (unless it was because of Muslim rioting), and no one living was libeled. In other words, no law was broken.
This is part of the reason that supporting democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan is so important. While it is taking time for them to get up and running, and they may not do everything the way we might here at home, the longer these democracies are in place means the less chance there is for this kind of nonsense.
As for the idiot owner who fired the managing editor of France Soir for reprinting the cartoons (saying, "We express our regrets to the Muslim community and all people who were shocked by the publication,") I wonder if he would fire anyone over cartoons that upset Christians or Jews.
Just asking.
Posted by Pam at February 1, 2006 10:06 PM
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Comments
Mark Steyn was just on Laura Ingraham. He said that Muslims need to understand that that's what happens when you live in a free society, people are free to insult you.
Such hyper insensitivity!
Posted by: Aaron at February 2, 2006 10:13 AM
I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, I think it was a deliberate insult to Muslims and a provocation, and I think it's fine for folks to protest that. Death threats, riots, no. Boycotts? Sure, why not?
Posted by: Pat Curley at February 2, 2006 01:14 PM
That's malkin's take as well; she was getting mail saying it was hypocritical to complain about that comic with the soldier missing all his limbs and muslims complaining about the other comics.
Pam, what is your email address? I keep getting a message that neither your gmail nor your hotmail accounts are accepting messages!
Posted by: Aaron at February 2, 2006 01:17 PM