2008 Woodie Awards
Students Exercise Their Free Speech
Jessica Estes
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: News
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The theme was prompted by a series of controversial political cartoons published by Danish Newspaper Jyllands-Posten last September. The cartoons included caricatures of the prophet Mohammad portrayed as an apparent terrorist yielding knives and hiding bombs in his turban.
The pictures quickly incited the Muslim world as offended individuals rioted, burned embassies, and staged boycotts of all Danish goods. Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador from Denmark, and Libya closed its embassy in Copenhagen, the Danish capital. Kuwait called the cartoons "despicable racism." Iran's foreign minister termed them "ridiculous and revolting."
Despite the outraged response of the Muslim community, other European newspapers republished the cartoons in 2006, claiming they believed their freedom of expression was under assault from extremists using violence and intimidation.
The Danish paper later apologized for publishing the caricature. Jyllands' editor in chief, Carsten Juste, told the Associated Press, "We are sorry if Muslims have been offended", but added, "it is not a dictatorship like Saudi Arabia that is going to dictate our editorial line here in Denmark." Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen refused to apologize, expressing in a speech that "freedom of speech is absolute. It is not negotiable."
The Forum sought to analyze that statement. Is freedom of speech in fact a non-negotiable right? Students spoke up expressing a variety of viewpoints. Some alluded to a media double standard, arguing that similar cartoons depicting images of Christianity were not published, due to fear of inciting Christians. Dr. Balak, one of the three faculty speakers, commented that he has "yet to see any mainstream characters of Christ." These images were published in the largest circulating Danish paper.