There have been a number of posts at Little Green Footballs on the subject of European newspapers coming to the defense of the publishing of cartoons depicting Mohammed:
First: Spine Sighted in France
Considering the tremendous pressure Denmark has been under because of the cartoons, this is pretty impressive.France enters Muslim cartoon row.
A French newspaper has reproduced a set of Danish caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad that have caused outrage in the Muslim world.
France Soir said it had published the cartoons to show that “religious dogma” had no place in a secular society. Their publication in Denmark has led to protests in several Arab nations.
Responding to France Soir’s move, the French government said it supported press freedom - but added that beliefs and religions must be respected.
But wait, there's more: German Papers Print Mohammed Cartoons
Don’t look now, but backbones seem to be springing up all over Europe: Germans print Muhammad caricatures.The Times Online has an article on: Six newspapers reprint Muhammad cartoons, which includes this piece:
Italy and Spain too
In an accompanying commentary, the editor of France Soir, which is in financial difficulties and has a readership of around 60,000, said he would never apologise for the decision to publish. Serge Faubert wrote: "Enough lessons from these reactionary bigots!"There is nothing in these incriminated cartoons that intends to be racist or denigrate any community as such. Some are funny, others less so. That’s it. That is why we have decided to publish them," he added. "No, we will never apologise for being free to speak, to think and to believe."At first I saw this as a great thing, that it was the beginnings of a sign that Europe might be reaching a point where it would realize that democracy means the freedom of speech and not the freedom to prevent others from speaking about things you don't like.
By the same token though, here were these newspapers proudly showing what they were made of by publishing cartoons--but why did they not have the same 'courage' to address the terrorism of Hamas, the murder of innocent women and children?
But of course there is courage in publishing the cartoons, considering the outrage of Moslems, the threats of violence and boycotts. It really is no small thing.
So it was with no real surprise that considering what was at stake, the following post later appeared on LGF: French Editor Fired for Mohammed Cartoons.
According to the BBC:
But late on Wednesday its owner, Raymond Lakah, said he had removed managing editor Jacques Lefranc "as a powerful sign of respect for the intimate beliefs and convictions of every individual".So much for Mr. Faubert
Mr Lakah said: "We express our regrets to the Muslim community and all people who were shocked by the publication."
The president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), Dalil Boubakeur, had described France Soir's publication as an act of "real provocation towards the millions of Muslims living in France".
...and "lessons from reactionary bigots"
...and "being free to speak, to think and to believe"
But at least not all the newspapers are caving, according to the BBC article:
Other papers stood by their publication. In Berlin, Die Welt argued there was a right to blaspheme in the West, and asked whether Islam was capable of coping with satire."The protests from Muslims would be taken more seriously if they were less hypocritical," it wrote in an editorial.
La Stampa in Italy, El Periodico in Spain and Dutch paper Volkskrant also carried some of the drawings.
Europeans probably has to learn to stand up to the Moslem pressure in their own countries before there is any possibility of them being much real help to Israel. I hope it won't be a long wait.
If you haven't seen it yet, LGF also links to Tom Gross, who has "Cartoons from the Arab World" which illustrate the Moslem view of the proper balance between freedom of speech and "real provocation."
Other posts here on the topic of the Danish cartoons:
o The Danish Cartoons and the Hijacking of Islam 2/8/06
o The Timing of the Danish Cartoon Riots 2/8/06
o Comparing the Danish Cartoons to Der Sturmer? 2/7/06
o Translation of the Danish Moslem Delegation Letter 2/6/06
o The Anti-Denmark Riots: Has Pallywood Gone Global? 2/5/06
o Cartoon Irony 2/5/06
2 comments:
I think people are reading too much into this.
The media is willing to defend freedom of the press much more than anything else, because of self-interest.
It is not Europe getting a backbone; it is the press defending their own rights. Which explains why they care more about the right to publish cartoons than the truth about Arab terror.
I think that is an extremely cynical way of interpreting the situation.
It also probably has a good deal of truth to it.
But then what about the radio talk hosts in the US who, until recently have consistently apologized and backed down from comments about Islam.
Even Jack Bauer caved!
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