Here we go again.
A newspaper has again published a
Swedish Muslims protested and threaten to sue, and art galleries are refusing to show the artists’ work. Islamic nations are outraged. The Swedish government actually apologised, although they deny doing so. The newspaper refuses. Some Muslim groups demand the Swedish government actually punish those responsible. Of course there’s a call for dialogue and understanding. Meanwhile, the artist’s work is destroyed. There are death threats. And now Al Quaeda has put a bounty on the head of the cartoonist and the editor.
All that’s missing is the inevitable mass rioting. Some think that won’t happen because, unlike the Danes, the Swedes started groveling quickly.
I spent an hour looking on the Web for what I assumed would be an image so insulting that members of the Religion of Peace to want to kill two people. Finally, I found one newspaper Web site that was brave enough to link to the artist’s Web site (if not brave enough to actually carry the image in question). Finally, I found this image:
Yeah. I know. Shocking, isn’t it. At least I think it’s the offending cartoon. The site is in Swedish, and I cannot find an online translation that seems to work well.
As a I wrote before, other extremely mild cartoons printed in a Danish newspaper gave some Muslims what they felt was the right to riot and destroy embassies all over Europe.
Then, as it is now, the response from the world-wide media was weak and generally apologetic. Here in Illinois, the bosses of the
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
I’m all about promoting tolerance, being tolerant, and having open dialogue and understanding between nations, cultures and religions. I think most people don’t know enough about Islam to make a valid judgment. I also think that most religions are excessively intolerant.
That being said, I think that practitioners of a religion are a direct reflection of what that religion is about, and with the kinds of threats that consistently come from the Muslim crowd, I find it hard to take seriously anyone who says that Islam is a religion of tolerance and peace while turning a blind eye to crap like this. It’s like arguing that Christianity is all about morality and family values while ignoring sickos like Warren Jeffs.
Thanks for all the references in the article, Billy.
I’m Swedish. And unless you stop bashing Swedes, Bill, I’m going to slap you with a Swedish fatwa (you think lutefisk smells bad!).
I’m also Danish, so thanks for the backhanded compliment.
Muslims Against Sharia praise the courage of Lars Vilks, Ulf Johansson, Thorbjorn Larsson and the staff of Nerikes Allehanda and Dagens Nyheter and condemn threats issued by Abu Omar Al Baghdadi and the Islamic State of Iraq. Muslims Against Sharia will provide a payment of 100,000kr (about $15,000) for the information leading to capture or neutralization of Abu Omar Al Baghdadi.
Muslimer mot Sharia berömmer Lars Vilks, Ulf Johansson, Torbjörn Larsson och övriga anställda på Nerikes Allehanda och Dagens Nyheter för deras tapperhet och fördömer hotet från Abu Omar Al Baghdadi och Islamistiska Iraq. Muslimer mot Sharia betalar 100 000 SEK (ca 15 000$) för information som leder till gripande eller oskadligörande av Abu Omar Al Baghdadi.
Muslims Against Sharia