There is a difference between cartoons that make fun of Muslims and Islam and cartoons that draw caricatures of Mohammed. In the name of free speech, I support all cartoons of both categories. But from the point of view of diplomacy, I do see a difference.
Personally, if I had talent as a cartoonist, I would eagerly draw cartoons showing how stupid and brainless the Islamic world is, without having to actually draw a picture of Mohammed. Why make fun of someone's belief system, when it's so much more to the point to satarize their bad behavior?
Because the "belief system" is a murdering death cult, and needs to be eradicated. Humiliate them and treat them like Nazis, who also sought to kill or enslave everyone else.
Because it is a legitimate position to argue that their belief system condones, encourages and incites their bad behavior, that's why.
And the fact that the bad actors will threaten violence against anyone who make this argument is reason enough to demonstrate the limits of their "right" to not be offended by publishing these cartoons.
Think of it as a clarifying line in the sand.
That's why.
"Why make fun of someone's belief system,"
Why not?
When Islam, of whom Mohammed is the greatest prophet, advocates taking over the world, suppressing freedoms, and killing all infidels all in the name of Islam, I think any caricature of Mohammed which includes a bomb in his turban is very relevant to illustrating the Islamic mentality.
How about asking that question to the "artist" that put a crucifix in a jar of urine, or the "artist" that did a portrait of the Virgin Mary with elephant dung?
I would have drawn a cartoon of a cartoonist drawing a cartoon of Mohmamed, with Muslims running towards him with sabres raised (dripping with blood), screaming "You asshole, Islam is a religion of peace"
With regard to satirical cartoons in a privately owned Danish or French newspaper, that has nothing to do with the foreign or domestic policies of the governments in question. Is America anti-Christian because of blasphemous art in the public arena? This is just an excuse for radical Muslims to agitate against the Western democracies. Shame on the State Department for caving in to terrorist supporters.
Ditto to that.
I don't think Theo Van Gogh used any likeness of Mohammed in his short film on Islam, but it still got him a knife straight through the heart. These people DO NOT BELONG IN THE 21ST CENTURY, and hence DO NOT BELONG ON PLANET EARTH AS IT NOW EXISTS. One never knows from one moment to the next what will arouse their murderous ire. The "image of Mohammed" thing is just a ruse===they would want to kill us even if we converted to Islam, because we weren't "their kind of Muslim".