Britain and free press

Here's an interesting exchange between Global's Martin Himel and Dr. Tim Benson, head of the British editorial cartoonists' society about two years ago. At the time the Independent published a cartoon showing Israeli prime minister Sharon eating babies, a cartoon which later won an award by the British editorial cartoonists' society.

Himel: My question to you is, why, in all these paintings [sic] don't we see Sharon and Arafat eating babies?

Benson: Maybe Jews don't issue fatwas.

Himel: What do you mean by that?

Benson: Well, if you upset an Islamic or Muslim group, um, as you know, fatwas can be issued by Ayatollahs and such, like, and maybe it's at the back of each cartoonist's mind, that they could be in trouble if they do so.

Himel: If they do what?

Benson: If they depict, uh, say, an Arab leader in the same manner.

Himel: Then they could suffer?

Benson: Then they could suffer death, couldn't they? Which is rather different.

Maybe this explains why the Mohammed cartoons were not published in Britain? British cartoonists, unlike their Danish colleagues, have already learned who you can and cannot depict in cartoons.

Meanwhile, London mayor Ken Livingstone, marched in a Muslim protest against the Danish cartoons.

"I am supporting this event because, unlike some of the BBC's coverage, it will allow the views of the mainstream Muslim community to be properly heard," Reuters quoted Livingstone as telling reporters.

He was referring to the British broadcaster’s devoting too much coverage to a rally by a "tiny minority" -- as he put it -- of Muslim hardliners who had taken part in the highly publicized protest at the Danish embassy last week.

Livingstone also criticized the BBC for briefly showing the cartoons on some of its news bulletins.

"There is no excuse for breaking the law and anyone who does so should and will face prosecution, but there is no getting away from the fact that this whole episode has allowed much of Europe 's media to engage in an orgy of Islamophobia," Livingstone said.

Source: Daimnation (English), Islam Online (English)

No comments: