Motoons – one year on
A year ago today the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published the 12 infamous Motoons. The Guardian marks the occasion with an article in which it is revealed that, while many Muslim nations boycotted Danish products causing a drop of 15.5% in sales to those countries, exports to the USA rose by 17%, which more than made up the difference.
Both the Danish PM, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, and the Jyllands-Posten stood admirably firm throughout the crisis in their refusal to apologise for the publication. In an upcoming book by Per Bech Thomsen entitled “The Mohammed Crisis – what happened”, Rasmussen says:
The believers, no matter of what religion, cannot demand that others outside their believers’ circle should observe their rules of conduct, order, dogma and doctrines that apply to the individual believer.
The book also contains interviews with some of the original 12 cartoonists, 10 of whom still have not reappeared in public.
One thing is certain. The effect of the Muslim reaction four months later ensured that those 12 cartoons were reproduced in the press all over the world, and spawned several websites devoted entirely to displaying pictures of Mohammed in varying degrees of humiliation. It also resulted in the deaths of 139 people.
The BBC report on this anniversary asks “has Denmark learned its lesson?”
It is not Denmark who has lessons to learn.
As usual (and as Monitor correctly observes) the BBC has got the wrong end of the stick. We should start calling it the PCC – Politically Correct Corporation or MAC Muslim Appeasing Corporation. Either way, this is typical PC bullshit. Fortunately, at least we have a place to air our views. Pity the BBC have closed their ears.
That is one bizarre article by the BBC. I have no idea what they meant by Denmark learning its lesson. What lesson? Not to express themselves in case they piss off fascists? Very odd.
Marc, I think I’ll write to the BBC about this to see if I can provoke any sort of response.
Amazing. The BBC show themselves in their true colours: pandering to Islam. Biased reporting. Dare they also put up: Has Islam learnt its lesson? You can’t tell people who think what you believe is woo-woo nonsense do what they do?
Actually, it’s even worse than “has Denmark learned its lesson?†What it says is “The question everyone is asking is has Denmark learned its lesson?” Everyone? Everyone? What does it mean ‘everyone’? It means some, of course; that’s why it says everyone.
That section has a subhead, too: ‘Lesson learned?’
Revolting stuff.
Quite true, Ms. Benson, quite true.
(How pleasant to have you drop by from B&W! Do you come hear off’n? [F’narr f’narr!])
I can forgive them for not actually trying to piss of the islamic nut jobs (i.e. most of them) but actually this kind of supine remark is beyond understanding. If anything makes the nutter worse, it’s actually letting them think that their methods work.
What ever happened to the old theory “We don’t give in to hostage takers: because it validates what they do”? For hostage takers, you can replace hostage takers for muslims (or Christians, Jews, Sikhs whatever).
Martyn, sorry mate meant to add this above, if you do write to the BBC, do copy us in. I’ll follow up with a similarly worded retort myself.
>>>What ever happened to the old theory “We don’t give in to hostage takers: because it validates what they do�
>>>What ever happened to the old theory “We don’t give in to hostage takers: because it validates what they do
Hmm. Evidently the comments form has a bit of a temper tonight.
[…] (via MediaWatchWatch. Twice) Posted by Paul in Denmark (October 3, 2006 at 7:20 pm) […]
Response from BBC:
Thank you for your comments. We have changed the text to read “has Denmark learnt any lessons?” This makes it clear that we are not taking sides – but it is still a legitimate question to ask, because the cartoon row had a big impact on Denmark.
Thomas Buch-Andersen says this in response to your complaint:
“It’s generally accepted that the cartoon row constituted the biggest foreign policy crisis for Denmark since World War II. Therefore, one of the most relevant questions seems to be what Denmark as an entity has learned from the crisis.
“Now, when it comes to the question ‘who is to blame for the escalation of the row?’, there are – as I mention in the article – two fundamentally different positions: One suggests the root of the row is the actions of extremist imams, the other suggests the cause is the line taken by the Prime Minister.
“I don’t see it as my role to point the finger at anyone, but simply to report on the views generally held by Danish opinion makers/analysts.
“For an article which marks the first anniversary of the publication of the cartoons in a Danish newspaper and reports on the Danish consequences, I don’t find it relevant to go into depth with the reaction of the outside world. I would like to think that would be more relevant on the first anniversary of the international row that followed, which is in February next year.”
Regards, L Peter, Europe editor.
The stance taken by the Danish PM? WTF?
The whole thing was blasted out of proportion by a bunch of Imams lying (now there’s a surprise) about WHAT the cartoons actually featured. The three fakes that they created were by far and away the most insulting. D’uh!
Even more ironic that one of those troublemakers ends up taking refuge at the Danish embassy. Funny that.