Flemming Rose - Cartoon Controversy

Cartoon Controversy

Rose is best known for commissioning a series of drawings of Muhammad in the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy that were published on 30 September 2005. His reasoning was that the European public had witnessed severe examples of self-censorship because of possible violent threats from groups from within the Muslim minority. It began with Danish children's book author Kåre Bluitgen, who seemingly couldn't find illustrators for a book about the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The Jyllands-Posten asked illustrators to depict Muhammad "as you see him". Among the cartoons two that caricatured Bluitgen, one that mocked the Jyllands-Posten itself, caricatures of Danish politicians, and one depicting Muhammad with a bomb in his turban.

In the text that supported the publishing of the 12 cartoons, Rose wrote: "The modern, secular society is rejected by some Muslims. They demand a special position, insisting on special consideration of their own religious feelings. It is incompatible with contemporary democracy and freedom of speech, where you must be ready to put up with insults, mockery and ridicule."

He later argued that the publishing of the cartoons could mean an "inclusion" instead of an "exclusion" of ethnic minorities like Muslims, arguing that Muslims at last were a part of the European societies as much as the rest of the population when there were made cartoons of their religious authorities as well.

When accused, "But you depicted Muhammad with a bomb in his turban, armed with a knife and with a broken halo that resembled satanic horns", Rose replied, "The cartoon with horns didn't arouse special criticism; it was the other two. The one with the bomb in his turban doesn't say, 'All Muslims are terrorists,' but says, 'Some people have taken Islam hostage to permit terrorist and extremist acts.' These cartoons do not treat Muslims in any other way than we treat other citizens in this country. By treating them as equals, we are saying, 'You are equal'".

When asked whether he had any regrets about commissioning the cartoons, Rose replied, "That is a hypothetical question. I would say that I do not regret having commissioned those cartoons and I think asking me that question is like asking a rape victim if she regrets wearing a short skirt Friday night at the discothèque." (Jyllands-Posten 11 Dec. 2005; Politiken 16 Dec. 2005)