Muhammad Cartoons in Print Again
Two years have past since 12 Danish cartoons of the prophet Mohammad set the Middle East on fire.
In the fall of 2005, the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, asked some Danish cartoonists whether they would draw the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.
The reason behind the request was that a Danish writer had written a children's book about the Qur'an and Muhammad and wanted it illustrated with drawings related to Islam.
No-one would make the illustrations for the book and having their name under it. Drawing Muhammad is considered an outrage to Muslims, you see.
So, the Danish newspaper took the shot instead, and it received 12 caricatures of Muhammad and decided to print them.
A few months later, Hell broke lose. A diplomacy crisis between several Islamic countries and Denmark began. Muslims all over the world condemned Denmark, some with violence. Pictures of the primeminister and Danish flags were burned in the streets of the Middle East. Two Danish embassies were burned to the ground.
Two years have past, and now the crisis seem to burst into flames again.
Three assumed terrorists were arrested yesterday. They are suspected to plan a murder plot against one of the cartoonists.
Today, several Danish newspapers reprint the Muhammad cartoons, accordingly in sympathy with the life-threatened cartoonist.
This is an unnecessary provocative act now as it was back in 2005. The excuse for printing the cartoons are the same as back then: Freedom of speech.
Freedom of speech means the right to speak what's on your mind, whenever you like and wherever you want. But with rights comes duty. The duty to shut up.
It seems that the Danish newspapers reprint the cartoons just because they can.
When Jyllands-Posten in 2005 wanted to probe whether cartoonists would draw Muhammad and put their name under it, it received 12 caricatures. Point proven, just like that. The newspaper didn't have to print the cartoons subsequently.
Muslims all over the world were unnecessarily offended by the release of the cartoons.
Remember, with freedom of speech comes the duty to shut up. You don't yell asshole at your neighbor just because you can - unless you want to make enemy with him.
Printing the cartoons again - as several Danish newspapers do today - is plain stupidity. Three assumed terrorists got arrested, and in return, Danish newspapers yell asshole at the entire world community of 1.8 billion Muslims.
Does it help the cartoonist whose life is threatened? No. Does it bring us closer to our Islamic brothers and sisters? No.
Does it do any good at all? Yes, it sells newspapers!
Freedom of speech is the right to say what's on your mind, but there are times when it is more appropriate to shut up. This is one of those moments.
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2 comments:
The freedom to speak your opinion in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty far outweighs any considerations of polite conduct.
Lets not forget that the cartoons were a reaction to the murder of an artist in Holland. Does any one really believe that these images exist in a moral vacuum? ..that they exist only because Danes wish to provoke Muslims?
They do not.
I am glad they printed the pictures again because it is important for people in this country to understand what is at stake when artists are threatened with death and others are murdered because they have dared to speak their opinion in an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
We must understand that what muslims did in 2005 was a reaction so repringing the cartoons again is a spark...
I like the word you said" Danish newspapers reprinted the cartoons because they can" I think this is the correct reason for repringing the cartoons , not the freedom of speach.
In the same time, I think that muslims'reaction was purposeless, I am muslim and I definitely respect my prophet but I think the reaction could be more clever and stronger than what happened.
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