A DANISH newspaper has apologised to Muslims for the offence caused by its decision to reprint Kurt Westergaard’s iconic bomb-in-a-turban cartoon
The Politiken daily said its apology was part of a settlement with a Saudi lawyer representing eight Muslim groups in the Middle East and Australia.
The drawing was one of 12 caricatures that sparked angry protests in Muslim countries in 2005 after they were published by another Danish newspaper.
Politiken and other Danish newspapers reprinted it in 2008 after police revealed a plot to kill Westergaard.
Editor in chief Toeger Seidenfaden said:
We have the right to print Kurt Westergaard’s drawings, we have the right to print the original 12 drawings, we have the right to print all the caricatures in the world.
Then he spoils it all be saying:
We apologise for the offense which the reprint has caused. That is what we apologise for.
This was just too much for the editor of Jyllands-Posten, Politiken’s sister paper which originally printed the cartoons. He called it a “sad day” for the Danish press.
Joern Mikkelsen said:
Politiken’s pathetic prostrating before a Saudi lawyer takes the first prize in stupidity.
Although the turbanbombtoon is now universally regarded as a depiction of the “prophet” Mohammed, Kurt Westergaard has always insisted that this is not the case, and that it was fanatical Muslim leaders who labelled it “Mohammed”.
This is NOT a depiction of the psychotic clown who hallucinated Islam into being, says Westergaard
It is not Mohammed. The drawing shows that there are terrorists who are inspired by parts of Islam as their spiritual ammunition. That is what the drawing shows, and that is what I have always said.
He blamed imams for portraying the drawing as the ultimate symbol of Islam-hatred in the West.
It has been opportune for imams and other Islamic authorities to say that it was Mohammed. Imams who operate with hatred as fuel to create a feeling of community need an easy symbol. So they have taken over this drawing, which has now become The Mohammed Cartoon in large parts of the world.
Speaking after Politiken’s apology, Westergaard said:
In Denmark we play by a set of rules, which we don’t deviate from, and that’s freedom of speech. Politiken is afraid of terror. That’s unfortunate and I fully understand that.
Pia Kjærsgaard, leader of the Danish People’s party, added:
It is deeply, deeply embarrassing that (Politiken’s editor) Tøger Seidenfaden has sold out of Denmark’s and the West’s freedom of speech. I cannot distance myself enough from this total sellout to this doctrine.
Eleven Danish newspapers were contacted by lawyer Faisal Yamani last year, who demanded that the cartoons were removed from their websites, that the newspapers print an apology and they agree not to use them again.
Mr Seidenfaden initially refused the request, saying it was the paper’s duty to print the cartoon in its coverage of the alleged murder plot to Mr Westergaard.
Mr Yamani said:
This is a good settlement. It would be wrong to speak of a victory. Both parties have reached the point where they understand the background to what has happened. Politiken is courageous in apologising, even though it was not their intention to offend anyone.
Recently Norway’s ambassador to Pakistan offered a grovelling apology to the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs after the Danish cartoons were reprinted by the Norwegian paper, Aftenposten.
Hat Tip: BarrieJohn
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
February 26th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
At least they’ve put an end to the publication of that disgraceful image on the net! Oops!!
February 26th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
I advocate a tirade of imitations, in time outrage might become acceptance of difference of opinion; however we’re not 4chan.
February 27th, 2010 at 6:29 am
I am supremely amused. Laughing my fucking ass off. I would love to draw a comic with the underwear bomber trying to convince a stewardess that a stick of dynamite was actually his penis. I sympathize with the conservative muslims, not wanting to be associated with the radical Islamists, but, if they want immunity in the press, I guess they need to go fuck themselves. Maybe they need to clean up their own house before they criticize the rest of the world.
If I say that Allah and Mohamed were spiritual butt buddies, ethereal fudge packers, religious rump rangers, or mutual dick smokers, that would be politically incorrect. So, I won’t say it.
NeoWolfe
February 27th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Neowolfe,
Perhaps you mightn’t say those things of Allah and Mohammed, not because of political correctness, but because accusations of homosexuality used because they are perceived to be some of the greatest slurs possible is just kind of dickish?
Just a thought.
February 27th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
Ick. So I won’t be linking to this thread then.
February 28th, 2010 at 4:28 am
Urmensch,
That was exactly the point. It’s only an insult if you have your head up your ass. Some of the best friends I’ve had in my life were gay, but to admit that to a devout muslim would be extremely offensive. And that is exactly what I intended to be.
NeoWolfe
February 28th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
NeoWolfe,
Really? The ‘I’m not homophobic because some of my best friends were gay’ defence?
That’s convincing.
February 28th, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Urmensch,
I’m not on trial, and you are not my jury. If idiots think that being gay is an afront to god, then I reserve the right to accuse their gods of being closet queens, and I would have no qualms about publishing a cartoon of Mohammed being butt reamed by his god. Like when christians talk about their loving god, I remind them of the flood, and the genocidal conquest of Caanon, i.e., your god is a MURDEROUS MONSTER!!!!!!!. I don’t pull punches. Sorry if I offended you, but, answer me this, PC, how do you know I’m not gay?
NeoWolfe
February 28th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
NeoWolfe,
As to your question about knowing if you are gay or not, as I am a gay man I can tell you that I have met many gay men who internalised society’s homophobia and expressed it towards others. And I do point it out in those cases also.
I haven’t reviled you in my comments or passed judgement on you as a person. Just civilly tried to have you reflect on the fact that in using this language you come across in a certain way. I do think in all likelihood you are doing it without the intention of insulting homosexuals.
At the same time in a world where gay men still get beaten to death for who they are, I don’t think it’s asking too much of someone to not use the same language that would be used by such homophobes. It might seem a small thing but I think that it is these small steps that can gradually change the world for the better.
In the same way that not laughing at racist or mysogynistic jokes might make the teller cotton on to the fact that it’s not cool or clever, even if the joke-teller isn’t the kind of person who burns crosses on people’s lawns or beats the crap out of their girlfriend.
February 28th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Urmensch,
I don’t think Neowolf was trying to be insulting to homosexuals but rather to muslims, something I’m totally in support of, but I didn’t see you jumping to the defence of xtians in the post about the depictions of jc drinking and smoking yet when Neowolf mentions gay sex in his post you start hounding him for being homophobic. Double standards?
What’s wrong with joking about homosexuality? Demanding death to homosexuals is one thing but surely having a joke is harmless?
February 28th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Godless,
I plainly said that I didn’t think NeoWolfe intended to insult homosexuals.
You make a false equivalence between Christians and homosexuals because, contrary to how Christians would like to portray themselves, they aren’t persecuted in the Western world as homosexuals are.
If they were a minority that suffered attacks I would be as quick to defend them.
I think it’s warranted to pull someone up on homophobic language, even if just to raise awareness of how such humour can be used by privileged groups to keep others in their place. Heterosexual men are a privileged group in Western society and the language and humour they use is one of the main ways they maintain the status quo.
I could even go further and get into how often such humour is the remnant of body-negative and sex-negative attitudes that are a holdover from the time that Christianity in particular and religion in general shaped the culture of the West.
From my perspective, to purge society of the negative influence of religion we also have to look to the subtler ways that religion has twisted our relationships to our bodies, our sexualities and our inter-personal relationships.
I’m not saying that sexuality can never be a source of humour and it can be used in a way that brings out into the open and confronts our human ambivalence to sex and the body. If I knew NeoWolfe personally he could joke with me without necessarily offending me, all depending on the spirit and intent.
But what is okay among friends might not be so appropriate in the comments section of a public forum.
To say I am hounding NeoWolfe is just hyperbole.
I am giving my take on things and it is for NeoWolfe to take it or leave it.
March 1st, 2010 at 4:57 am
Urmensch,
I get your point. For what it’s worth, I’m a freethinker, and I am pro-gayrights. And you might notice that in the thread regarding the depictions of Jesus that I use the word “cracker”. Well, it just so happens that I am a “cracker”, saltine to the core. So, I know how to laugh at myself,too. Hell, my son is half Mexican, and he calls me “cracker”. LOL. So, while I understand what you are saying, and don’t deny you the right to feel put on the spot, my advice would be to lighten up.
And twice in your last post you spoke of the plight of gay men in the Western culture. More or less, in any culture except a Western one, you get caught with the wrong kind on cigar in your mouth, they will execute your ass. Yay West!!!!!
NeoWolfe
March 1st, 2010 at 1:54 pm
NeoWolfe,
I don’t doubt that you are basically a person of goodwill, but there is still an issue of white heterosexual privilege, from which, even if you aren’t the author of it, you still benefit.
Even in the Western world that gave birth to the gay rights movement, where things have got better, it isn’t like the fight has been won.
Anti-gay violence has been on the rise.
Take Britain. In London, recorded homophobic attacks are up by 20 per cent. In Glasgow it’s 32 per cent; in Liverpool it’s 40 per cent; in Manchester it’s 63 per cent.
It’s a pattern that is repeated all over Europe.
So, it’s easy for you to tell me to lighten up. Perhaps you might have a little more empathy if you lived with a constant inhibition against any small display of affection towards the person you love without first scanning your surroundings on the lookout for danger.
So the state mightn’t execute us, but nearby a gay man recently got kicked to death by three teenagers while on his way home. Yay!!!
For me, a freethinker is someone who is always prepared to question even their own assumptions.
It hasn’t been my intention to guilt-trip and brow-beat you. If you think twice before using such language rather than writing me off as someone who is just over-sensitive then this exchange hasn’t been a waste of time.
March 2nd, 2010 at 12:18 am
I don’t care what religion you follow or how you practice it but when you demand I respect your ideology after muzzling the hard won right of press freedom in Europe then I call a halt to your & your prophet’s claptrap. It took me eight years to get over my Catholic upbringing & education & if some crackpot Saudi lawyer thinks I’m going to bend the knee again in religious obeisance then he can think again. Freedom, especially freedom of speech in Europe preceeded Islam’s narrow doctrine by at least 100 years & if this religion can’t take criticism, be it in the form of cartoons or serious philosophical censure then it should stay out of Europe. I would never go to an islamic country because I always drink wine with my meals & I love pork. Whatever the comment on Mohommadanism their follower’s sole response is always a call to jihad. Shame on you Tøger Seidenfaden; you shame Europe,your country & your people.
In Britain the cartoons were not shown in case it upset the muslim minority yes the MINORITY,so I bought a french newspaper instead. The British press, probably with government pressure, published the story but not the cartoons. How spineless is that ?
March 2nd, 2010 at 2:30 am
Urmensch,
Oh, I don’t think it’s been a waste of time at all. You said that if we were better friends that it would be easier to overlook what might appear to be hate language. Well, I think we came to understand each other better.
I was not exagerating when I said some of the best friends I’ve had in my life were gay. And I know that the reason they congregate in places like gay bars is because it’s a place they can feel like they are not being unfairly judged. I have been to gay poker parties, and they took ALL of my money, and I’ve sniffed poppers on the dance floor with my gay friends, I did LSD with them in a piano bar (we were invited to leave, LOL). A gay doctor from LA got me out of a sleezebag hotel and gave me free room and board while I got on my feet, no strings attached.
Dont get me wrong, I have also met gays who are total loser sociopaths, but, the same can be said for straights.
Maybe I’m a pill that’s hard to swallow, but, for future reference, when you hear me use a “hate” word, it’s because I’m making fun of the people who believe in hate. It’s kinda fun when you know inside yourself that you are not one of them. Does that make any sense?
NeoWolfe
March 2nd, 2010 at 2:58 pm
NeoWolfe,
I would just ask you to think about the possible unintended consequences of using homophobic language.
There was a Stonewall study that found that 41% of gay kids get beaten up in school, while 17% receive death threats.
The figures vary but gay teens can be 2 to 5 times more likely to attempt suicide.
In schools where homophobic language is punished, gay kids are 60% less likely to be attacked.
Language and humour isn’t neutral.
You feel it’s okay to use homophobic language because you aren’t anti-gay.
This is just special pleading. Would you make the same argument using racist language? Or sexist language?
Humour is most often used by groups and individuals at the top of social hierarchies against those of lower status.
It’s not enough that you, as part of the dominant group, say you don’t think it’s offensive. There’s no reason you would.
As a self-professed pro-gay person do you want to unwittingly give tacit approval to language that is used to express societies depreciating and negative attitudes towards a group by using it yourself?
By consciously choosing not to use homophobic language you are actually helping to change things.
One thing I am proud of with my brothers is that they don’t sit by when others engage in homophobic banter, they challenge it.
Humour is always a slippery thing and you need to gauge your audience well. Which is why I drew the distinction between friendly joking with people who know you well against a relatively anonymous public forum.
Something I think is useful is to think about whether the particular joke or jibe has something truthful to say. Does it expose hypocrisy or some other negative aspect of a group or of society? And can it still be defended because any supposed benefit outweighs the negative affect it can have on the innocent.
This is why on balance, I think the Jyllands-Posten cartoons were justified. You can’t go around calling your religion one of peace if it directly calls for violence in it’s own texts and that isn’t disowned by the people making the claim.
Don’t say it liberates women when you demand that they submit to the men by wearing clothing that obliterates them as a person. Or condemn them as adulteresses if they do anything that can be construed as attracting male attention.
If it spurs those muslims who would never themselves commit violence to speak out against their co-religionists who condone it, or makes them reappraise their treatment and expectations of their own wives and daughters then good will come of it.
I hope you got something worthwhile from my take on things.
March 21st, 2010 at 9:18 am
i just want to say that… do not hit the Muslim intigrity… non muslim dont have any idea… what can a muslim can do if someone tries to disgrasse their religion… Propht (S.A.W.W)… try to make the peace… DON NOT DO ANY THING OFFENSIVE….
Allah o Akbar
June 21st, 2010 at 6:15 pm
i agree wiv usman coz at da end of da day…
… hu do u fink u are ‘ NEO WOLF’ yeh nice name NOT! dont ever mess wiv the muslim religion coz life is unpredictable
June 21st, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Bukhari:8:547 “The Prophet said, ‘All of you will be questioned by Allah on the Day of Doom. There will be no interpreter between you and Allah. And the Hell Fire will confront you. So, whoever among you can, save yourself from the Fire.’”
yo blud! try n top dat oh yeah i 4got u can’t coz its a reference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!