With
a week's worth of reporting and non-reporting behind us, we have a much clearer picture of the Danish cartoon charade.
We know that it has taken five months to organize the "spontaneous" demonstrations. Flags have to be
shipped before they can be burned for television.
We can now state these facts:
The original article was commissioned by Flemming Rose, the cultural editor of Denmark's leading newspaper, Jyllands-Posten,
to illustrate the point that an author of children's books was unable to find an illustrator for fear of offending
radical Muslims in Denmark. In Danish terms, the paper is considered to be center-right politically.
The 12 original cartoons were published in Denmark September 30, 2005, the beginning of Ramadan, and two weeks
later in the newspaper Al Fagr in Egypt. There was no reaction in either place at the time.
At this point, Ahmed Abu-Laban of the Faith Society in Copenhagen began a campaign of protest in Denmark aimed
at forcing the paper to apologize for offending Islam..Mr. Abu-Laban is an Egyptian-born Palestinian who makes
his living as a radical cleric. He is associated with the terror group called the Islamic Brotherhood. One fundamentalist
Islamic belief is that any image of man or animal is forbidden in the name of avoiding idolatry. Any critical image
of the prophet Muhammad is forbidden as apostasy punishable by death. The cartoons offend both precepts.
The initial efforts to gain an apology were rejected by the newspaper and the government on the grounds of free
speech. The radical Islamists seemed to think that the government controlled the press and interpreted free speech
as subordinated to the interests of the state.
In the Muslim belief structure there is no separation of church and state. Since they hold that their religion
is immutable, it follows that logically their politics are as well. Since religion cannot be criticized by non-believers,
neither can their politics. The cartoons hit the intersection between the sectarian belief that free speech is
the necessary foundation of a free society and the radical Islamic belief that any criticism of them is an affront
to Allah.
Finding rejection of his complaints by the Danish government who rightfully pointed out that they do not control
a free press, Abu-Laban began working with the Egyptian embassy in Copenhagen. This contact led to a trip to the
Middle East and plans to "globalize" the free speech issue and punish Denmark.
The Danish delegation met with Sunni Islam's most influential scholar, Yusuf al Qaradawi. He is the radical Muslim
Brotherhood's leading intellect and opinion-maker thanks in part to his weekly talk show on the al Jazeera television
network.
The Copenhagen delegation manufactured a false and vicious 30-page report on the issue of Denmark. It contained
numerous lies. The report accused the Danish press of publishing 120 not 12 cartoons. They slipped into the report
three really offensive cartoons that had nothing to do with the newspaper. They charged the government of Denmark
with burning, descecrating and banning the Koran. They stated that it was forbidden to build mosques and that a
movie that mocked Muhammad was being planned.
In the past week, radical Islam has sought to demonstrate its reach and power by staging violent demonstrations
throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds. The graphic television has come mainly from Afghanistan, Lebanon, Pakistan
and Syria. Saudi money and Iranian money and tactical support have fueled the flames. As columnist Tony Snow has
pointed out, these are lands with double-digit unemployment, poverty rates pushing 50 percent and large pools of
idle young men. The riots, though billed as about the cartoons, have usually degenerated into protests over local
issues.
Having gotten the world's attention through television, the Arab leadership has begun to boycott Danish products.
Denmark is a small country of 5.2 million people. Exports are important to their economy. Their trade in the Middle
East has been brought to a standstill. As of this week, both the government and the newspaper have apologized and
Flemming Rose has been placed on "indefinite leave." Mr. Rose seems to be one of the few who understand
what is being asked. "If Muslims insist," he said, " that I, as a non-Muslim, should submit to their
taboos then they are asking for my submission."
This month Denmark is scheduled to assume the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council. This month is when
the IAEA referral on Iran's nuclear issues will be debated. This weekend is when the Danes have been dis-invited
to the Jeddah Economic Forum. Their action was supported by the Council of Gulf Countries' Chambers and the Council
of Saudi Chambers of Commerce & Industry. An economic boycott of Danish products has begun in the Middle East
and among Muslim enclaves throughout the world.
The pressure has already been felt as the E.U. has made room on its agenda to discuss a proposed European press
charter that would commit journalists to "prudence" when reporting on Islam. While the code would not
have the status of an EU legal instrument and would not be enforceable, it would state what radical Islam thought
were the outer boundaries of free speech. It would forbid, for example, any discussion that suggested that the
problem with Islam was Islam. It would demand tolerance of radical Muslim intolerance.
In reaction to the spineless media and elite politicians who won't jeopardize their contacts, the blogosphere has
launched its own counter attack against the suppression of free speech. They have begun a "Buy Danish"
campaign to offset trade lost to the Muslim boycott.
For those of you who want to support the anti-boycott, lists of Danish products can be found through search engines.
For that matter, those of you who are on the other side can assemble a list of things not to buy. That's free speech.
Here is a start.
Pass the Havarti, open a Carlsberg and toast our founding fathers and the rights of free speech and assembly.
