NEEDLESS violence occurs on a regular basis, but rarely has it been to this scale -- in response to a cartoon. Twelve cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammad, a violation of Islamic belief, have ignited Muslim protest and violence across the globe. Leaders of Western democracies have condemned the cartoons as well as discouraged any reprinting. Despite the offensive content of the cartoons, the violent response of some Muslim groups has been a gross overreaction and holds no justification.
The response of the Muslim community has varied from peaceful protest to the damaging of Danish embassies in Syria and Lebanon. Those who have responded with violence against the governments of nations miss a crucial point: An independent newspaper, not the nation of Denmark, created and printed these cartoons. Since the nation of Denmark cannot control its individual citizens or media, destroying their embassies seems like flawed logic.
In trying to understand the Muslim reaction, freedom of the press in the Middle East needs to be examined. Freedom of the press in the Middle East is "a very risky business" according to Reporters Without Borders. The organization's annual report continues, "Local journalists work in fear of government repression and foreign journalists who come to report on events
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