Tensions rise in Mideast over Cartoons

[Toro]

Danes face growing Muslim storm

Palestinians burned Danish flags on the streets of Gaza

Denmark has advised citizens against travel to Saudi Arabia, amid growing anger across the Muslim world at Danish depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.

A newspaper that published cartoons of the Prophet, one of which pictured a bomb hidden in his turban, apologised on Monday for offending Muslims.

Islam bans any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad or Allah.

The backlash has included a boycott of Danish goods, diplomatic sanctions, and Islamic militant threats.

The editor of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper told a Jordanian news agency: "These cartoons were not in violation of Danish law but have irrefutably offended many Muslims, and for that we apologise."

'High watchfulness'

The Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, responded: "It delights me enormously that Jyllands-Posten took this evening a very essential step."

But he again refused to apologise himself, and defended the freedom of the press.

"The Danish government cannot apologise on behalf of a Danish newspaper. It does not work like that... and we have explained that to the Arab countries. Independent media are not edited by the government," he said.

The Danish foreign ministry advised against non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia and urged Danes to be cautious in other Muslim countries.

"Danes who choose to stay in Saudi Arabia should show extraordinarily high watchfulness," it said on its website.

Saudi Arabia has recalled its ambassador to Denmark, while Libya said it was closing its embassy in Copenhagen.

On Monday masked gunmen briefly stormed the local office of the EU in Gaza, demanding apologies from Denmark and Norway, where a paper reprinted the cartoons.

The Danish Red Cross said it had pulled two employees out of Gaza, following a threat from the militant al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Reuters reported.

A statement on the internet purporting to be from an Iraqi militant group called on fighters to "hit whatever targets possible belonging to these two countries and others that follow their steps".

Meanwhile pan-Arab organisations have begun efforts to reach a UN resolution, backed by possible sanctions, to protect religions from insults.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4664408.stm

 

[FiveParadox]

:!: (Removed) Removed the post.

Sorry, misunderstood the article above; ah, the joy of skimming.

 

[sanch]

Re: RE: Tensions rise in Mideast over Cartoons

I would agree in the decision of His Excellency the Honourable Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Prime Minister of Denmark, in apologising to the people of Saudi Arabia, and to the international Islamic population. The article was, in all fairness, published in poor taste; I don't think there's anyone refuting that.

:!: (Revision) Corrected a typo.

Where is the apology? The article posted above said he didn't aplogize.

 

[Toro]

As he shouldn't.

That's up to the newspaper.

These people should get a grip.

I was deeply offended when Robert Maplethorpe did his "Piss Christ". But I didn't think he should not be able to publish it, nor did I demand an apology from gay associations because he defiled Christianity.

 

[Virtual Burlesque]

Any person who, at the barest minimum, gets down on his shinbones five times each day to pray, is bound to be a bit more sensitive about how his religion is portrayed than a person who becomes incensed that the service lasted so long he almost missed the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl.

The one thing you can say about everybody involved in the publication of those cartoons, is, that they certainly demonstrated their lack of empathy.


Further:

Followers of Islam work under a severe handicap when attempting to satirizing other people’s religions. They believe in the God of Moses, the Christ of the Christians, and their own religion's founder, Mohammed.

Might that by why, when a few fanatical zealots find themselves filling a power vacuum, they come down so heavily on Buddhists?

 

[Freethinker]

France joins the danes.

France has joined the Fray, printing all the original images and a new one:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4669360.stm

Under the headline "Yes, we have the right to caricature God", the paper ran a front page cartoon of Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Christian gods floating on a cloud.

It shows the Christian deity saying: "Don't complain, Muhammad, we've all been caricatured here."

I think everyone should stand in solidarity with the French and the Danes. Using death threats to crush freedom of expression is not what our society is about. We should not be held ransom to fanatics who threaten, or even kill over cartoons, books or films.

There are limits to acceptable behavior. Stating your religion tells you otherwise does not abrogate those limits.

Religion is not a valid excuse for lunacy.

 

[thulin]

Re: RE: Tensions rise in Mide

"The Danish government cannot apologise on behalf of a Danish newspaper. It does not work like that... and we have explained that to the Arab countries. Independent media are not edited by the government"

In my perspective, the man has a point... :roll: But thats my perspective. My perspective is a hundread years of democracy and two hundread years of peace. Go figure.

 

[Jo Canadian]

Any person who, at the barest minimum, gets down on his shinbones five times each day to pray, is bound to be a bit more sensitive about how his religion is portrayed than a person who becomes incensed that the service lasted so long he almost missed the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl.

While I'm not too amused by the violence that has been created over the issue, that analogy hits the nail on the head on why many here cannot empathize with the insult. I think France throwning them into publication under the guise of Free speech, makes me wonder what other motives are intended by doing so. There's more to this than free speech.

 

[I think not]

While I'm not too amused by the violence that has been created over the issue, that analogy hits the nail on the head on why many here cannot empathize with the insult. I think France throwning them into publication under the guise of Free speech, makes me wonder what other motives are intended by doing so. There's more to this than free speech.

I agree with Jo here, I think at this point France is just flaming, to make what point, I don't know. However, I also find it strange that the governments of the muslim world censor alot of western content except when its suits their purpose?

 

[Jay]

Do ourselves a favour, go and buy some Danish products today.

 

[thulin]

Re: RE: Tensions rise in Mideast over Cartoons

Do ourselves a favour, go and buy some Danish products today.

May I recomend a exquisite stereo system from Bang & Olufsen? :wink:

 

[Jo Canadian]

I also find it strange that the governments of the muslim world censor alot of western content except when its suits their purpose?

I do too. Hypocritical if you ask me, but not trying to sound pessimistic I haven't found a governement yet that isn't to some degree.

 

[Durgan]

Some of the cartoons are pithy and too the point, if not, downright funny. The attachment says a lot. Several stirrith me not.

That said and done, if this upsets those downtrodden people so be it.

The French are finally showing some backbone by publishing the cartoons, and it appears Germany is standing up strong and tall.

Apologizing is never accepted by the offended Moslems. The leaders will keep the hatred alive. I see litttle difference from stories depicted by the mafia.

Durgan.

 

[Freethinker]

RE: Tensions rise in Mide

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4670370.stm

Newspapers across Europe have reprinted caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to show support for a Danish paper whose cartoons have sparked Muslim outrage.

France Soir, Germany's Die Welt, La Stampa in Italy and El Periodico in Spain all carried some of the drawings.

Their publication in Denmark has led to protests in Arab nations, diplomatic sanctions and death threats.

Islamic tradition bans depictions of the Prophet, but media watchdogs defend press freedom to publish the images.

Reporters Without Borders said the reaction in the Arab world "betrays a lack of understanding" of press freedom as "an essential accomplishment of democracy."

 

[I think not]

Uh oh.

 

[Jay]

Uh oh.

It's going to be a long war....

 

[#juan]

Re: RE: Tensions rise in Mide

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4670370.stm

Newspapers across Europe have reprinted caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad to show support for a Danish paper whose cartoons have sparked Muslim outrage.

France Soir, Germany's Die Welt, La Stampa in Italy and El Periodico in Spain all carried some of the drawings.

Their publication in Denmark has led to protests in Arab nations, diplomatic sanctions and death threats.

Islamic tradition bans depictions of the Prophet, but media watchdogs defend press freedom to publish the images.

Reporters Without Borders said the reaction in the Arab world "betrays a lack of understanding" of press freedom as "an essential accomplishment of democracy."

I think this is the only way to go. Denmark was seen as a country that could be bullied but if the entire EU jumps in, I think the Arab countries will back down. I think it might be a good idea if Canada and the U.S. supported the EU as well. We either have freedom of the press or we don't.

 

[I think not]

Re: RE: Tensions rise in Mide

I think this is the only way to go. Denmark was seen as a country that could be bullied but if the entire EU jumps in, I think the Arab countries will back down. I think it might be a good idea if Canada and the U.S. supported the EU as well. We either have freedom of the press or we don't.

They won't back down, they will escalate this issue, I smell another Fatwa in the near future and a statement from Al Qaeda.

 

[Jay]

If this was published by a Canadian I would expect to see hate literature laws applied.

 

[#juan]

If this was published by a Canadian I would expect to see hate literature laws applied.

I suppose it's possible that some politically correct nit would push for that but how many cartoonists have poked fun at our churches on various issues? What's good for the goose........