Almost two weeks ago, "three
men with a Muslim background" were arrested by Danish police on anti-terrorism
charges, suspected of having plotted to murder Kurt Westergaard, a cartoonist
for Jyllands-Posten. Westergaard is one of the 12 cartoonists who on
September 30, 2005 published cartoons of the Muslim prophet Muhammad to protest
the tacit enforcement in Danish society of Islam’s taboo on depictions of
Muhammad, no matter how banal, or inoffensive, through intimidation — a clear
violation of Western freedom of expression.
"I think…that the impact of the insane response to my cartoon will last
for the rest of my life. It is sad indeed, but it has become a fact of my
life."
And within 3 days, by February 15, 2008, confirming the pervasive fear of
violent Muslim reprisal that apparently grips Danish society, Westergaard
was ejected from his police-protected hotel room having been deemed, "too
much of a security risk." Now the 73-year-old cartoonist and his wife are
homeless.
violent Muslim reprisal that apparently grips Danish society, Westergaard
was ejected from his police-protected hotel room having been deemed, "too
much of a security risk." Now the 73-year-old cartoonist and his wife are
homeless.
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