Working within the Danish system as an alternative to burning and boycotting It is a cultural disconnect that Moslems offended by the cartoons published in JP think that the Danish government can at any level dictate what a Danish newspaper does or doesn't do. In a way it is more a reflection of the socio-political environment which these people inhabit (quite against their will; it's an environment they were born into).

To contrast, Egypt is not a secular country. The country's constitution deliberately, clearly, and repeatedly refers to religion being a prime motivator and ingredient in statehood (e.g. the constitutionally mandated religious education in schools). This can explain why Egyptians fail to understand that the cartoons don't constitute an actual Christian insult.

Furthermore, the entanglement of Ahram and Akhbar with the government to the extent where they are considered government mouthpieces goes some way towards explaining how even some otherwise intelligent Egyptian muslims will say that they think the Danish government ought to apologize.

It's just ignorance, that's all.

I'm not going to educate about free speech, separation of religion from government, or any of that stuff here. Unfortunately, the kind of people likely to read this post will already know this, and (to use a metaphor which I hope won't be taken out of context by some hotheaded defender of Islam), I will not preach to the choir.

What I do want to highlight, however, is some news from Danish newspapers.

It has been my position from the beginning that the only appropriate action of response to these cartoons (some actually offensive) is through the courts. It makes no sense to clamor for the amputation of free speech with exceptions when appropriate machanisms exist. In Denmark, there are two such mechanisms.

1. There is something called Pressenævnet which is the media watch dog. The head of Pressenævnet stated today that they had received no complaints at all regarding these cartoons, and that he was slightly mystified why no one had complained. You know, instead of setting fire to, erm, Austrian and Norwegian embassies. In any case, complaints must be registered a maximum of 4 weeks after publication of the relevant material, so it's too late now. Ahmed Akkari, a spokesman for a Danish muslim workgroup, said that he was not aware of the existence of Pressenævnet. Err...

2. The second course of action would conceivably have been in the courts. According to Danish law, racist statements and actions and blasphemy are punishable by varying prison sentences. Now, the state prosecutor is currently assessing whether to bring case against JP, but his initial reaction has been negative. On both counts (racism and blasphemy), he says that the satire contained in the bomb cartoon is not directed at Muslims in general but at extremists, in which case it is an accurate satire. And since it is directed at extremists and not God, then there goes the blasphemy charge. In any case, he is still looking at them.

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