Meanwhile over in the moose-limb media, we are treated to an endless array of sweet, nice-nice images that never offend civilized people.
Posted on 02/02/2006 1:31:39 PM PST by Cornpone
PARIS, Feb 2, 2006 (AFP) - Several French newspapers rallied Thursday in support of France Soir after it became the first publication outside Denmark and Norway to print all 12 controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
The authoritative daily Le Monde published its own front-page depiction of Mohammed -- a drawing by cartoonist Plantu showing a bearded prophet made up of the words "I must not draw Mohammed" written repeatedly in long-hand.
"A Muslim may well be shocked by a picture of Mohammed, especially an ill-intentioned one. But a democracy cannot start policing people's opinions, except by trampling the rights of man underfoot," it said in an editorial.
The left-wing newspaper Liberation said it would publish two of the 12 cartoons in its Friday edition, along with six pages of comment on the affair which burst forth this week after smouldering for several months.
The satirical weekly Charlie-Hebdo said next week's paper would feature all 12 pictures, which include one of Mohammed with a bomb-shaped turban and another of him at the gate of heaven telling Muslim suicide-bombers to stop because "We ran out of virgins".
"We are going to do it as a matter of principle and to express solidarity with France Soir and our Danish colleagues," said editor Philippe Val.
"This is an inviolable question of principle here in the land of Voltaire and Zola. We are willing to appear before the courts if some think the drawings go too far, but we are certainly not willing to give way to the desires of religious extremists," he said.
The French government has kept its distance from the row, with ministers defending the principle of free expression but saying it should be exercised "with tolerance."
Meanwhile the editor of France Soir Jacques Lefranc challenged his sacking overnight by the paper's owner.
"This decision seems to me questionable in both reasoning and method," he said in a statement. "I reserve the option to contest it."
Lefranc was removed from his job as French-Egyptian owner Raymond Lakah apologised to Muslims for offence caused by the cartoons which appeared in Wednesday's edition.
The dismissal was meant as a "powerful sign of respect for the intimate beliefs and convictions of every individual," Lakah -- a Roman Catholic who has joint French-Egyptian citzenship -- said.
Once the country's biggest daily, France-Soir today sells fewer than 45,000 copies a day and has been in receivership since October. Seventy percent of the stock is owned by Lakah's company Montaigne Press.
Journalists on France-Soir said that Lefranc had been made a scapegoat in order to "make a symbolic gesture to the Muslim countries." Insiders said the editor had actually been opposed to publishing the cartoons, but was talked into it by colleagues.
Le Monde's cartoonist Plantu told his newspaper that cartoonists and other humourists find it increasingly hard to touch on religion in their work.
"People do not understand to what point -- outside the Catholic Church which we can attack and which is, one has to say, very lenient -- it has become impossible to criticise religious things," he said.
Ping...
Meanwhile over in the moose-limb media, we are treated to an endless array of sweet, nice-nice images that never offend civilized people.
Looks like we have a Perfect PC Storm. The PC tolerance weenies have to choose between defending an intolerant religion or not tolerating an intolerant religion. Quite the quandry (hehehehehe!).
You know the French, always on the lookout for a reason to call a massive work-stoppage or street demo. They'll have a lot of fun with this one.
Wow, when did the French grow balls?
This could be big. And freepers should give it a big push.Stick it in cairs face for trying to tell the pres what to say.Cair is a cartoon.
Agree!
(See my #33) Imposing restrictions on images of mohamMAD is enforcing elements of sharia in the west.
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Bookmark
What really shocks me is that the DailyKOS.com Kosacks have a thread up asking American lefties to buy as many Danish products as possible and to try to publish the offending cartoons as much as possible in the USA.
WTF? They are on our side on this! The American liberals are on our side on this!
Monsters every one.
Regarding your post #33
EXCELLENT!
You need to keep reposting it.
Thanks Proud... I will. ;oP
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