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September 24, 2006
Denmark: Muslim Anger At Cartoonist's Lack Of Apology
News from Jyllands-Posten (in Danish) states that a meeting was held between a cartoonist and Kasem Said Ahmad, the spokesperson for the Danish Islamic Society.
The cartoonist produced the most nototious image of the series of 12 cartoons which had been commissioned by Jyllands-Posten in September last year. When the author of a children's book on the life of Mohammed could find no illustrators brave enough to provide pictures for his book, Jyllands-Posten's cultural editor, Flemming Rose invited Danish artists to submit their own pictures of Mohammed.
These appeared on September 27, but after a trip to the Middle East by the extremist imam Abu Laban and his sidekick Ahmed Akhiri, Muslim religious figures were made aware of these cartoons. Laban and Akhiri had added three extra "cartoons" which had never been printed in Jyllands-Posten, just to inflame Muslim anger.
By February there were protests around the world, and at least 30 people were killed by fanatical Muslims.
Kurt Westergaard's cartoon of Mohammed with his turban as a bomb, complete with fuse, can be found here. I cannot speak Danish, but an internet associate and proud Dane, Wiking, has given his translation, which I reproduce below:
"A very unusual TV-transmitted meeting between two men came to an abrupt end when one of the Jylland Posten's cartoonists, Kurt Westergaard met with the spokesman for the Islamic Society, Kasem Said Ahmad, in preparation for the one year anniversary of the publishing of the 12 Muhammad cartoons.
Kasem Said Ahmad interrupted the recording session in dismay, when it became clear that the cartoonist did not intend to offer an apology for the by now world famous cartoon, depicting Mohammad with a bomb in his turban. The spokesman for the Islamic Society did not give his consent to use the already recorded material.
"I got angry and went away from the session. All attempts at dialogue were futile. I had expected repentance and an apology" says Kasem Said Ahmad after the meeting that took place in Mr. Westergaard's home.
Also Kurt Westergaard, who has received several death threats since the cartoons were published on 30 Sept 2005, was disappointed over the outcome. This was to be his first public appearance since the crisis."
Kurt Westergaard's image of Mohammed with a bomb/turban has become iconic. When your work is itself the feature of further satire, an artist knows he has made an impact. To see his image transferred onto a camel's bottom (and in some very graphic and potentially offensive reworkings of Mr Westergaard's original drawing) please click here.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at September 24, 2006 8:36 PM
Comments
If cartoonists had to aplogise for their work, I should imagine people like, for instance, Steve Bell would spend every moment of the rest of their lives in grovelling prostration.
It's nonsense, isn't it. As I said elsewhere on these pages: they take themselves (Muslims, that is) sooooooo seriously.
Posted by: Sir Henry Morgan ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.westernresistance.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 25, 2006 8:37 AM
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