Download Cartoon reaction is not acceptable

Cartoon reaction is not acceptable
Editorial, The Canberra Times, 9 Feb 2006
THE deadly and frenzied reaction to the publication by a small number of
newspapers and other publications of a dozen illustrations depicting the
Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist has shocked a world-wide audience. The
protests, which have resulted in several people being killed, many more
injured, death threats being issued, extensive property destroyed and
damaged, are over the top. In anyone's language the strength of protests, the
hatred and the intolerance are to be condemned. They are disgraceful. The
actions of a fanatical minority who, in the name of Islam, threaten, and indeed
commit, acts of violence against those who seemingly question their faith
have served to harden the stereotype that Muslims too freely adopt violence
as a way of expressing themselves. Of course this is not true of the majority of
Muslims, who have acknowledged that the wave of violence that has followed
the cartoons' publications does not, in any way, represent their stand.
Jihad Momani, who was sacked as editor after republishing three of the
cartoons in his Jordanian newspaper Al Shihan, reflects on the actions of the
fanatics: ''Muslims of the world: be reasonable. What brings more prejudice
against Islam, these caricatures, or pictures of a hostage- taker slashing the
throat of his victim in front of the cameras?'' Indeed, the demonstrations
outside Danish embassies, where calls were made to massacre those who
insult Islam, could not have done more to add fuel to any phobia held against
Islam. Islamic tradition forbids any depiction of the religion's holiest figure. It
was therefore clear that the original publication, dating back to last
September, of the cartoons of Prophet Muhammad would have been viewed
by Muslims as blasphemy. They should not have been published. The
Canberra Times has decided not to republish the cartoons. It could be argued
that to do so would be to inform our readers of what was the catalyst of this
world- wide over-reaction. They may well hold curiosity value and beg the
question: What's all the fuss about? We will not publish as a demonstration of
freedom of speech. Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd is right.
Australia is a free country that should not be stood over by any group,
including militant Islamists. Our decision not to publish is not out of fear of a
reprisal, but rather out of a sense of responsibility that comes with free
speech. We do not exercise that freedom to be gratuitous, and by doing so
possibly place people's lives at risk. The offending cartoons were drawn at the
invitation of the Danish broadsheet Jyllands-Posten and were first published
on September 30. The newspaper has since apologised, its editor Carsten
Juste saying he would not have published the cartoons had he known that
boycotts would be placed against Denmark and that Danish lives would have
been placed at risk. The cartoons were a mistake not to be duplicated for
some ill-conceived belief that we'd be exercising our strongly held right of free
speech. However, the reaction to their publication exceeds any normal
boundaries of reason.