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Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy

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The controversial cartoons of Muhammad, as they were first published in Jyllands-Posten in September 2005. Larger versions of the cartoons (some translated into English) are available off-site.

The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after twelve editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 2005-09-30. The newspaper announced that this publication was an attempt to contribute to the debate regarding criticism of Islam and self-censorship.

Danish Muslim organizations, who objected to the depictions, responded by holding public protests attempting to raise awareness of Jyllands-Posten's publication. The controversy deepened when further examples of the cartoons were reprinted in newspapers in more than fifty other countries. This led to protests across the Muslim world, some of which escalated into violence, including setting fire to the Norwegian and Danish Embassies in Syria, and the storming of European buildings and desecration of the Danish and German flags in Gaza City. While a number of Muslim leaders called for protesters to remain peaceful, other radical Muslim leaders across the globe, including Mahmoud al-Zahar of Hamas, issued death threats. Various groups also responded with support of the Danish policies, including numerous "Buy Danish" campaigns and various displays of support for the "free speech" of Denmark.

Critics of the cartoons described them as Islamophobic or racist, and argue that they are blasphemous to people of the Muslim faith, intended to humiliate a Danish minority, or are a manifestation of ignorance about the history of western imperialism, from colonialism to the current conflicts in the Middle East.

Supporters of the cartoons said they've illustrated an important issue in a period of Islamist terrorism and that their publication is a legitimate exercise of the right of free speech. They also claim that similar cartoons about other religions are frequently printed, arguing that the followers of Islam were not targeted in a discriminatory way.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen described the controversy as Denmark's worst international crisis since World War II.



Comparable references

Main article: Freedom of speech versus blasphemy

Numerous comparisons have been offered in public discourse comparing earlier controversies over propriety of speech and art with the controversy that surrounded the Jyllands-Posten cartoons. Some examples include:

See also

References

  1. "Arson and Death Threats as Muhammad Caricature Controversy Escalates". Spiegel online. 2006-02-04. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
  2. "Embassies torched in cartoon fury". CNN.com. 2006-02-05. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
  3. Cartoons of Prophet Met With Outrage Washington Post. "Kuwait called the cartoons "despicable racism."
    ° Blasphemous Cartoons Trigger Muslim Fury Iran Daily. "Although Jyllands-Posten maintains that the drawings were an exercise in free speech, many consider them as provocative, racist and Islamophobic"
    ° Muslim cartoon row timeline BBC online "Egyptian newspaper al-Fagr reprints some of the cartoons, describing them as a "continuing insult" and a "racist bomb".
  4. "Islam and globanalisation". Al Ahram. 2006-03-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. "The limits to free speech - Cartoon wars". The Economist. 2006-02-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. "70,000 gather for violent Pakistan cartoons protest". Times Online. 2006-02-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Primary sources

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Non-Islamic views

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