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Danish cartoonists fear for their lives
Times (UK) Online ^ | February 4, 2006 | Anthony Browne

Posted on 02/04/2006 8:03:41 PM PST by xjcsa

TWELVE Danish cartoonists whose pictures sparked such outcry have gone into hiding under round-the-clock protection, fearing for their lives.

The cartoonists, many of whom had reservations about the pictures, have been shocked by how the affair has escalated into a global “clash of civilisations”. They have since tried, unsuccessfully, to stop them being reprinted.

A spokesman for the cartoonists said: “They are in hiding around Denmark. Some of them are really, really scared. They don’t want to see the pictures reprinted all over the world. We couldn’t stop it. We tried, but we couldn’t.”

Mogens Blicher Bjerregaard, president of the Danish Union of Journalists, told The Times: “They are keeping a very low profile. They are very concerned about their safety. They feel a big responsibility on their shoulders. It’s blown up so big. It is tough for them.”

The cartoonists’ names were originally printed in the Danish paper Jyllands-Posten. Flemming Rose, the paper’s cultural editor, invited 25 newspaper cartoonists to draw a picture of Muhammad “how they saw him”, after a children’s author complained that cartoonists would only dare illustrate a book he was writing on the life of Muhammad if they could be anonymous. Twelve cartoonists responded, had their pictures printed in September, and were paid 800 Danish krone (£73) each.

In an interview with a Swedish newspaper this week, some of the cartoonists expressed their doubts about the entire episode. “It felt a little like a lose-lose situation. If I said no, I was a coward who contributes to self-censorship. If I said yes, I became an irresponsible hate monger against Islam,” one of the cartoonists said.

Another said: “I was actually angry when I first received the letter [from Jyllands-Posten]. I thought it was a really bad idea. At first I didn’t want to participate, but then I talked it over with some friends from the Middle East, and they thought I should do it.”

The cartoonists come from a variety of different political backgrounds, which is reflected in their work. While some of the pictures satirise Muhammad, others attack populist right-wing politicians and even Jyllands-Posten itself, which is rightwing.

Having failed to stop the cartoons being reprinted across Europe, the cartoonists have now decided to use all the money raised from the sales of the pictures to set up a foundation which will award an annual international prize for press freedom.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cartoons; denmark; islam; pigs; trop
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To: Junior_G

The NRA site lists Denmark as being have very strict gun laws. I couldn't find anything specific though.


21 posted on 02/04/2006 8:37:58 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: xjcsa

They should move to the US. find a state that allows concealed carry, and keep on drawing....


22 posted on 02/04/2006 8:38:38 PM PST by Kozak (Anti Shahada: " There is no God named Allah, and Muhammed is his False Prophet")
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To: cjmae

Speaking of Chevy Chase...

SNL is having a spoof of the Hamas election...with Steve Martin supposedly performing at their victory party.

Wonder if SNL will get hate mail.


23 posted on 02/04/2006 8:55:02 PM PST by Txsleuth (l drink tea, not kool-aid.)
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To: SteveMcKing
The law will punish you faster than the actual terrorist who is out to kill you.

How painfully and obviously true. I have said for a long time the police are there to keep the productive cattle from straying, not defend them from predators.

24 posted on 02/04/2006 9:02:47 PM PST by papertyger
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To: Londo Molari

Precisely.

There is no civilization connected with Islam, and Mohammed is its prize pig.


25 posted on 02/04/2006 9:05:47 PM PST by Emmet Fitzhume ("Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure." President Reagan)
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To: VOA

"I can't think that any Dane would feel truly safe while the Islamics are still around."

Precisely.

If I were unarmed and surrounded by mouth-foaming Muslims, I would feel exactly the same way.


26 posted on 02/04/2006 9:07:33 PM PST by Emmet Fitzhume ("Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure." President Reagan)
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To: Lunatic Fringe
The Danish press has more guts than the American press.

It's not even a contest, unfortunately.

27 posted on 02/04/2006 9:15:17 PM PST by Do not dub me shapka broham ("Liberals aren't neighborhood people." -Daniel Patrick Moynihan)
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To: stevengrant98

Yeah, well, let me help ya'll not forget. Here's a list of video links regarding Islam, Muslims and terrorists.

http://kokonutpundits.blogspot.com/2006/02/islam-religion-of-peace-video-gallery.html


28 posted on 02/04/2006 9:50:02 PM PST by kokonut
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To: xjcsa

Hope they come out with more depictions of the mass murdering pedophile mo soon. Get to drawing!

Kinda link "Uncle Toms Cabin" with drawings instead of words.

Hah! Who's gonna ask them if they're the people who started this BIG-OLE WAR!


29 posted on 02/04/2006 10:42:47 PM PST by bayouranger (The 1st victim of islam is the person who practices the lie.)
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To: xjcsa

Buy Danish!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1572134/posts?page=1


30 posted on 02/05/2006 4:42:35 AM PST by Notwithstanding (I love my German shepherd - Benedict XVI reigns!)
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To: xjcsa

Which says it all regarding the so called religion of peace. It's a death cult masquerading as a religion.


31 posted on 02/05/2006 6:13:27 AM PST by conservativecorner
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