Often Muslims are accused of being over-sensitive to religious offence.
But I ask the question - how many times does an insult have to be repeated before that abuse becomes a form of victimisation?
In September 2005, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany... In February 2008, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Spain..
.
In fact, in 143 newspapers in 56 countries around the world, according to the 'The Brussels Journal'.
These dates, countries and newspapers share the fact that they have all participated in printing and re-printing deeply offensive cartoons about the Holy Founder of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him).
What makes the situation worse is that the newspaper responsible for these offensive images, Jyllands-Posten, in the year 2003 refused to print a cartoon about Jesus Christ (peace be upon him).
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This is what I thinkThe Editor in question justifies this saying: "The illustrator thought his cartoons were funny... It would offend some readers, not many but some."
So the cartoons deemed to be offensive towards Jesus Christ were withdrawn because the Editor thought they would "provoke an outcry"; yet two years later, significantly more offensive cartoons were published about the Holy Prophet Muhammad.
Journalism is supposed to be the art of presenting an unbiased view, the facts with which the populace can make an informed choice; where and in what manner was the opportunity given to present the beautiful character of a man with whom billions of people around the world over millenia have fallen in love with.
A man who taught his followers forgiveness, compassion, mercy, generosity, patience, humility; a man who forgave those responsible for the deaths of his wife, daughter, uncle and other dear ones; a man who, despite being the master of all Arabia, gave his wealth away so that he himself slept on a straw bed; a man who would free a slave only for the slave to respond that he would rather be a slave of Muhammad than a free man.
Is this not Love or have some in the West become blind to Love?"
* Zafar Bhatti can be contacted at: midlands@khuddam.org.uk.
