DIANA WEST: CHALK ONE UP FOR THEIR SIDE AGAIN
http://www.dianawest.net/Home/tabid/36/EntryId/1296/Westergaard-I-Fear-This-Is-a-Setback-for-the-Freedom-of-Speech.aspx
Westergaard: “I Fear This Is a Setback for the Freedom of Speech”
Feb 26
Written by: Diana West
Chalk one up for their side. Again.
From the AP: “Danish daily issues apology over prophet drawing”
That would be this, in case you didn’t know:
A Danish newspaper on Friday apologized for offending Muslims by reprinting a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb-shaped turban, rekindling heated debate about the limits of freedom of speech.
Danish daily Politiken said its apology was part of a settlement with a Saudi lawyer representing eight Muslim groups in the Middle East and Australia.
The Breitbart story further points out that the eight groups come from Australia, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the Palestinian Authority “representing 94,923 descendants of the Muslim prophet” — a veritable class action suit. (Australia? Prospective member #58 of the OIC umma?) Back to the AP:
[The apology] drew strong criticism among Danish media, which previously had stood united in rejecting calls to apologize for 12 Muhammad cartoons that sparked fierce protests in the Muslim world four years ago.
Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen expressed surprise at Politiken’s move, saying he was worried that Danish media no longer were “standing shoulder to shoulder” on the issue….
And what did Politiken say? Here’s the newspaper’s English-language version of its lead editorial. It’s called “One small step to dhimmitude” — no, I’m just kidding. Although it is indeed a giant leap to dhimmitude.
Headline: “One small step in abating the Mohammed crisis”
Over a cartoon in Western eyes, over sharia in Muslim eyes. The net result, of course, is submission to the Muslim point of view.
Subhead: The settlement announced today is a small step in that direction. Hopefully others will follow
Meaning the remaining Danish papers that published the cartoon in solidarity with cartoonist Westergaard in 2008 when the first assassination plot against him was uncovered.
One of the most striking features of the Mohammed crisis that has plagued the Danish and international communities since 2005, is a lack of dialogue.
!!
The parties have repeatedly reacted – and over-reacted – without studying what others felt, or the background to their behavior.
Love that. One party prints a political cartoon, the other party murders, burns, pillages. Both parties “over-reacted.”
Our predominant view throughout the lengthy debate has been that much could have been avoided if the government of the time had chosen to handle the crisis differently and added an element of dialogue and diplomacy.
Wrong. PM Rasmussen was perfectly correct in telling all OIC nabobs that Denmark proudly had no state control of its media.
It is in this light, that today’s small contribution to dialogue in this unfortunate case should be seen.
We have not found it too difficult to accept that our re-print of Kurt Westergaard’s caricature of the Prophet Mohammed has seemed offensive to many Muslims.
That’s just not your problem, Politiken — unless, of course, you want to sponsor anger management course for those 94,923 prophet-descendant-defendants in this case.
It has never been our intention to offend anyone.
Another suggestion for Politiken: Have newsboys walk on eggs when distributing papers to Muslim customers.
The cartoon is legal under Danish law. And we have only printed the cartoon in connection with our news coverage.
But that does not change the fact that our re-print in February 2008 was perceived as part of a renewed affront and provocation that once again caused tempers to fly in large parts of the world.
Tired of the case
Aha. Islamo-fatigue. Winning tactic.
Thanks to this acknowledgement and regret, we have reached agreement with a large group of Muslims from eight different countries.
The accord is an agreement designed to look forward, focus on de-escalating tensions and with hopes for further reconciliation between Denmark and the Muslim world.
I think he meant further submission to the Muslim world.
At the same time it has naturally been vital that Politiken in no way, as a result of an accord, has placed any form of restriction on its editorial freedoms.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…
What we choose to publish, including which cartoons we choose to print, will continue to be our sovereign and free decision.
Is he kidding?
Most Danes are profoundly tired of the issue.
Of course they are. And that’s a winning jihadi tactic.
That became clear in a recent poll in which 84 percent of the population said they agreed with a decision by the media not to re-print Kurt Westergaard’s caricature in connection with the most recent terrorism cases.
Just make it go away.
But unfortunately, the case has a symbolic value that means that it will not die out on its own.
If all parties are to gradually begin to look ahead and leave the conflict to the fanatics who refuse to relinquish it, it is vital that Danes and Muslims begin to put a full stop to the issue. Together, and based on dialogue that respects those differences that exist.
Today’s accord is a small step in that direction. Hopefully, others will tread the same path.
Down, down, down …
Fortunately, this editorial today provoked a healthy outrage among the Danes, from the Prime Minister to the other papers, so no need not to keep our powder dry — and our larders full of Danish cheese and beer.
But don’t forget to buy Swiss.
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