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STILLWELL: Something Is Rotten Outside the State of Denmark
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 2/8/6 | Cinnamon Stillwell

Posted on 02/08/2006 7:58:36 AM PST by SmithL

A worldwide battle for free speech is taking place, with Denmark at the center of the storm.

It all began last September when a Danish author writing a book on Islam was unable to find artists willing to submit illustrations because of the Islamic stricture against visual representations of Muhammad. To try and call attention to the issue, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten put out a call for cartoonists to submit depictions of Muhammad. Twelve cartoons were submitted and eventually printed in the newspaper.

The cartoons themselves were a mixed bunch. Some merely depicted Muhammad as a man, which is by no means a historical first. Other, more provocative drawings alluded to the realities of terrorism and misogyny in the Muslim world. But in the risqué realm of political cartoons, they could hardly be construed as derogatory toward an entire religion. If compared to the body of criticism and satire connected to Western religion, the cartoons were downright tame. Government-subsidized art in the West using human urine and elephant dung to depict Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary come to mind.

But judging by the reaction from the Muslim world, one would think that a crime against humanity had been committed. The response so far has included demands for apologies and censorship, violent protests, Danish flag-burnings, attacks on Danish aid workers, employees, diplomats and embassies, as well as terrorist warnings and death threats. On several occasions, the staff at Jyllands-Posten was forced to evacuate the building after a bomb threat, and the cartoonists who drew the Muhammad series have now gone into hiding.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: denmark; stillwell; terrorists

1 posted on 02/08/2006 7:58:39 AM PST by SmithL
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To: Cool Guy; CounterCounterCulture; Arkat Kingtroll; bayareablues; pbear8; Jerez2; SunStar; ...
Seen the Light Ping


FReepMail me if you want on, or off this low-volume Ping list.

2 posted on 02/08/2006 8:00:40 AM PST by SmithL (Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.)
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To: SmithL
"The cartoons themselves were a mixed bunch"

Actually, I heard a WSJ reporter interviewed that said pamphlets with the "cartoons" being circulated by Imams/extremists included some really offensive drawings (Mohammed as a pig etc.) that were not published. Preying on the ignorance of the already gullible masses. Coupled with the fact that the actual cartoons ran 5 months ago, this outrage is orchestrated. Personally, I think it is a good thing for Europe (coupled with the Paris Auto BBQ of recent)....

3 posted on 02/08/2006 8:02:31 AM PST by eureka! (Hey Lefties and 'Rats: Over 3 more years of W. Hehehehe....)
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To: eureka!
You are correct, this entire event has been stage managed by the Imams to stir up as much trouble as possible.

As is typical, they have over-reached.

You can go here for the latest on the fake cartoons that I have been able to find and here if you have yet to see the origional cartoons that are at the root of this conflict.

Cheers,

knewshound
4 posted on 02/08/2006 8:11:38 AM PST by knews_hound (Now with two handed typing !)
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To: knews_hound

Thanks for the link to the fake. No wonder the ignorants are a bit inflamed--of course not to the point we are seeing. Oh well, the clash is on....


5 posted on 02/08/2006 8:26:44 AM PST by eureka! (Hey Lefties and 'Rats: Over 3 more years of W. Hehehehe....)
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To: SmithL
If Leftists are upset by the Muslims' reaction to freedom of speech, what will they do when the world-wide caliphate is established, with their co-operation of course, and they have to live under the shariah???

Sometime between now and then, maybe the Leftists will wake up and face reality...uh...

No. They're too entrenched in their dilusions. They'll be making up excuses as they grump around in their burqas and watch the walls fall down on themselves. They'll still be saying it's all Bush's fault and any criticism of Islam is hate speech and spewing forth the usual Leftist propaganda catch-phrases. They'll still have Kerry/Edwards stickers on their cars, though female Leftists, of course, won't be able to drive them.

If Leftists were capable of experiencing reality they wouldn't be Leftists in the first place.

6 posted on 02/08/2006 8:32:11 AM PST by Savage Beast ("Democrats are rumbling toward the November elections as the American Al Qaeda Party." ~jmaroneps37)
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To: eureka!
this outrage is orchestrated.

I saw somewhere (WSJ?) that there seems to be rather a larger number of Syrians involved in the protests than would be expected.

7 posted on 02/08/2006 8:32:13 AM PST by maryz
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To: maryz

That's what the reporter said. Syria is not hot on radical Islam. Nonetheless, they are part of the outrage. It is a scam, the object of which is unclear to me...


8 posted on 02/08/2006 8:34:30 AM PST by eureka! (Hey Lefties and 'Rats: Over 3 more years of W. Hehehehe....)
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To: eureka!

For a hint as to why now, and why Syria, consider the following.

The EU and US are in a coordinated effort to marginalize both Syria and Iran.

A Dane will soon assume the Chair at the UN Security Council.

The long simmering conflict over Iran and Nukes is coming to a head.

Iran and Syria have recently reached a mutual defense pact.

From what I can observe, Iran and Syria see the handwriting on the wall, the West is on to them and is about to put the screws to them. Since the EU has insisted on trying Diplomacy to modify the Imams behavior, the two of them have come up with a plan to strike first.  I believe this is an attempt to cow the Danes into not pressing the Nuke issue as hard as they might by fomenting civil unrest in the EU and beyond as a shot across the bow of the EU.

To their credit, the Danes aren’t going for it. To the Ismamists in the ME, we in the West are an alien culture.  They have underestimated us yet again and, as is typical, they have over-reached.

We should thank our lucky stars they are both clumsy and mis-informed as to attitudes and practices in the West.

Cheers,

knewshound

9 posted on 02/08/2006 8:46:11 AM PST by knews_hound (Now with two handed typing !)
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To: knews_hound

Nice. I think you may have something...


10 posted on 02/08/2006 8:47:57 AM PST by eureka! (Hey Lefties and 'Rats: Over 3 more years of W. Hehehehe....)
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To: SmithL
I don't see what difference it makes that it was "orchestrated". This line of thinking sounds like an excuse the optimists want to make for themselves by blaming a few imams. Otherwise, the thinking goes, Islam is a religion of peace. The point is that that even if it was orchestrated, it appears that it was easily orchestrated. It didn't take much to light the fuse.
11 posted on 02/08/2006 8:52:49 AM PST by Revolting cat! ("In the end, nothing explains anything.")
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel.

..................

12 posted on 02/08/2006 11:01:23 AM PST by SJackson ("Bin Laden our beloved, Denmark must be blown up," protesters in Ramallah)
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To: backhoe

One of the better summary articles I've seen on the cartoon story.

I am frankly amazed that A) the SF Chronicle/Comical published it and that B) someone named "Cinnamon" wrote it.


13 posted on 02/09/2006 3:01:21 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: FreedomPoster
I am frankly amazed that A) the SF Chronicle/Comical published it and that B) someone named "Cinnamon" wrote it.

Regarding A, I suspect some on the Left have noticed that Islam and free speech are incompatible and are getting a wee bit worried about theirs...

Regarding B, Stillwell is in my list of favored commentors, FWIW.

14 posted on 02/09/2006 3:09:25 AM PST by backhoe
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To: backhoe

I'll be watching for her in the future, for sure.

Regarding A, it's amazing that 9/11, 7/7, and many other events didn't wake up the Left, both here and in Europe, but this cartoon issue has. Oh, well, better late than never.


15 posted on 02/09/2006 4:06:00 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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