Declaring war on cartoons
By Mike Pellicio
If you think we have cartoon problems at The Santa Clara, think again. In October 2005, Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 12 cartoons that mocked radical Islam. One displayed the prophet Mohammed with a turban wrapped around a smoking bomb.
Since then, awareness has increased, Islamist propaganda has set in and the situation has escalated. In Palestine, Danish flags were burned; Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Libya withdrew their ambassadors; Jyllands-Posten was evacuated twice for bomb threats; armed men took over a European Union office in Gaza; a boycott of Danish goods was enacted.
Why the fuss? Some Muslims believe that Islamic law forbids caricaturing the prophet. They believe this can lead to idolatry.
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen resisted calls to penalize the newspaper, citing freedom of the press, and refused to offer an official apology. In a display of solidarity, other European publications have reprinted the cartoons.
What can we learn from this madness? First, for those who do not understand what radical Islam is, this is it. It is important to affirm that not all Muslims are Islamists but only a few.
To understand this vociferous minority, analyzing the cartoon backlash is a good starting place. The Islamists believe that the cartoons violate Islamic law, so they protest. Islamic law does not govern Denmark, but Islamist extremists feel the need to enforce their principles in Denmark nonetheless.
On Saturday in Damascus, the Danish embassy was set on fire; later in the night, the Norwegian embassy was burned to the ground. This is the sort of behavior that Islam's most radical followers practice. They call for tolerance by burning down embassies.
Furthermore, a simple visit to RadioIslam.com reveals over a hundred anti-Semitic cartoons.
When President Bush referred to "radical Islam" twice in his State of the Union Address, this is what he meant.
The encouraging half of the equation is Europe's reaction. With several European newspapers reprinting the cartoons, Europe has responded that freedom of the press, a central tenet of liberal democracy, is more important than the fear of the Muslim world.
In dealing with the playground bully, you cannot be afraid. That only leaves you twiddling your thumbs at lunchtime.
Europe had the right idea: walk right up to the bully and punch him in the nose. This should be commended, as it is what the world has been lacking recently. Unlike G**gle in China, many newspapers stood up to the playground bully that has been bullying Europe far too frequently.
Mike Pellicio is a junior political science major.