Mohammed cartoonist Kurt Westergaard accuses BBC of ‘appeasing Muslim fanatics by not showing interview’
From the Daily Mail (UK):
The BBC has been accused of appeasement of radical Islam by the artist behind one of the infamous cartoons of Mohammed.
Kurt Westergaard claims the corporation’s decision not to air a recent interview with him came because they are petrified of upsetting Muslims extremists.
Westergaard was one of the 12 cartoonists commissioned by the Danish Jyllands-Posten newspaper in 2005 to produce caricatures of the Muslim prophet.
Islamic tradition says no image of him should be produced or shown.
Kurt Westergaard said he was disappointed ‘on behalf of freedom of speech’ if the BBC did not show his interview
Muslims were particularly incensed by Westergaard’s cartoon, which portrayed Mohammed with a bomb in his turban and was seen as extending the caricature of Muslims as terrorists. The images sparked protests and outrage across the globe.
Mr Westergaard, 73, gave his first-ever English interview to BBC journalist Malcolm Brabant four weeks ago.
It had been expected to go out on BBC World, the BBC News channel, across radio services and on its website. But the corporation has kept the report under wraps amid claims it is frightened that it will ‘inflame’ Muslims around the world.
Mr Westergaard told the Daily Mail last night: ‘I am disappointed on behalf of the freedom of speech. Every time you are afraid I think you make a step backwards. That is depressing me.’
He compared the BBC’s behaviour with the way countries tried to appease Hitler before the Second World War and added: ‘If you have an appeasement policy towards the radical Muslims then you are on a very wrong way and you have to start marching backwards.’
A BBC spokesman said last night: ‘No decision has been made yet. As and when one is, it will be based, as always, on editorial merit.’
Comments
By Muhammad R Memon on April 8th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Mr Westergaard has every right to speak his mind. I do wish, however, that he would put that right to more productive use.
the cartoon is not offensive to fundamentalists only. its offensive to all muslims even those who respect, and would struggle to preserve, the right of free speech.
By Muhammad R Memon on April 8th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Mr Westergaard has every right to speak his mind. I do wish, however, that he would put that right to more productive use.
the cartoon is not offensive to fundamentalists only. its offensive to all muslims even those who respect, and would struggle to preserve, the right of free speech. Just because you have the right to swear at people doesnt mean you should.
By Manuel Palaiologos II on June 29th, 2009 at 9:23 am
IMHO there is no such thing as “muslims who defend free speech”.
Islam is a system of worldly rule under which their is no freedom of speech.
You can be either a true muslim or a true defender of freedom of speech, not both at the same time.
See how Muhammad himself established a normative practise of assassinating of those who speak badly about God and his Prophet.
For the Prophet and his true followers, criticism of the cardhouse called Islam is more dangerous and therefore needs to be persecuted more viciously than real crime.
By Me on January 3rd, 2010 at 4:39 am
I agree completely. Also, I would like to say that Kurt Westergaard is a very brave man who is doing the right thing to speak his mind despite the danger. I wish we all had such balls.
By rounak on January 17th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Lol at everyone who is saying that this man has done the right thing…No Wonder the Devil puts all such thoughts in peoples minds and makes all bad deeds look good…Please dont let the Shaitan win…
And for all those enemies of Islam…do know that if Islam is as violent as you think…it would never have been the second largest religion in the world… and would never have attracted new converts…MashAllah…
By rounak on January 17th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Lol at everyone who is saying that this man has done the right thing…No Wonder the Devil puts all such thoughts in peoples minds and makes all bad deeds look good…Please dont let the Shaitan win…
And for all those enemies of Islam…do know that if Islam is as violent as you think…it would never have been the second largest religion in the world… and would never have attracted new converts…MashAllah…
and we dont need the strength of Westeners to survive in this world…we need the strength of God…so AlhumduliAllah, if He is with us, we have nothing to worry about…
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