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| Down Under |
| New Zealand paper publishes Mohammad cartoons :) |
| 2006-02-03 |
| A NEW Zealand newspaper has published controversial cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammed. The Dominion Post, a Fairfax-owned Wellington newspaper, published the cartoons today, saying its decision was in the interests of press freedom. "It's important for our readers to see what the fuss is about and to make up their own minds. Ours is a secular society based on western ideals of tolerance and open debate, even if that may occasionally offend," said Tim Pankhurst, Dominion Post editor and Commonwealth Press Union chairman. "We do not wish to be deliberately provocative but neither should we allow ourselves to be intimidated. If we allow Christianity and more particularly the Catholic Church and the Pope to be satirised, and we do, should Islam be treated differently?" he asked. The cartoons depict Mohammed in various poses, including one in which he is wearing a bomb in his turban. New Zealand Federation of Islamic Associations president Javed Khan said the decision by The Dominion Post to publish the cartoons could have "serious repercussions" for New Zealand's economy. The federation holds the national contract to certify meat slaughtered to traditional Islamic requirements. "We won't call for a boycott, and we don't want to see one, but news gets around the world pretty quickly. Muslims will make their own decisions and as you know, they've taken drastic action against Denmark," he told the Dominion Post. What has been widely described as a new battle in the continuing culture wars between Islam and the secular west began in September when the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten commissioned cartoons of Mohammed in a deliberate affirmation of its right to free expression. The row smouldered for several months before being reignited by re-publication of the drawings in Norway and France, prompting outrage among Muslim faithful, a campaign of consumer boycotts and death threats from militants against nationals of the three countries. Violence is widely feared in parts of Europe and the Middle East after Muslims around the world expressed fury at the 12 drawings and some religious leaders called for a day of protests against the countries in which they appeared. View the pictures: |
| Posted by:Oztralian |
| #3 i hadn't thought of that. hoping you're right. The sudden upsweep in adoration factor had me in a tizzy. I hadn't thought about the failure factor and how "dishonouring" that can be. A temporary cry in the wilderness I would hope. |
| Posted by: Hupomoger Clans9827 2006-02-03 23:03 |
| #2 Hupomoger Clans9827, I suspect Al Qaeda is not geared up to respond with immediate atrocities aimed at the multiplicity of targets the protesters demand. And anything less than immediate feedback will not satisfy the mobs. Thus, Al Q. becomes visibly a failure, and bin Laden's star will once again fade. I don't see how they can win this one, unless the entire West bows in dhimmitude. Of course, I do tend to be overly optimistic... |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-02-03 22:29 |
| #1 Rage has stepped up a bit in the last 24 hours. The "injured feelings" rabble in now calling on Al Qaida to strike Denmark immediately and anyone else they feel up to. Al Qaida's popularity is back through the roof - just what they needed after the darn protests at suicide bombing muslims. Bin Laden - back on top in the charts. Who's his PR guy again? Well done. |
| Posted by: Hupomoger Clans9827 2006-02-03 20:55 |