To the Editor:
It’s sad to see that Mr. Atkinson is majoring in journalism. People are killing and kidnapping over these cartoons and I think it makes sense to show what these people are acting like savages over, in context of course. I should add that there are depictions of Mohammed in various kinds of Islamic art, so no, there is no prohibition of drawing Mohammed followed by all Muslims. Not to mention that as non-Muslims we are not forbidden from depicting the prophet in any manner, though some tact should be used.
As for a Christian equivalent, Christians used to kill people over what people said about Christianity and I’m sure they also killed over those breaking the 2nd Commandment. Cultural tolerance means when someone does or says something that you don’t like or offends you you don’t go out and riot and kill, even when someone makes an offensive cartoon of a religious figure. Muslims in Philadelphia conducted themselves in a reasonable manner in their protest and we should expect no less of Muslims elsewhere.
Mr. Atkinson said the European newspapers reprinting the cartoons made no sense. Rioting over a cartoon is what really doesn’t make sense. As if rioting is the way to discredit the notion that a good number of Muslims are terrorists. Europe and the U.S. should not kowtow to an extremist, violent minority, which truly does more than just offend any thinking person.
Keith Morris
