How much is too much?

The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after The danish newspaper decision to publish drawings of 12 carocatures of the Prophet Muhammad on the 30 September 2005. According to the newspaper, it was reported that the danish artist were afraid of the muslims that they did not dare voice out about thier perspective of the religion like they used to. Intrigue by this, they wanted to experiment by asking illustrators to draw a picture of the Phrophet as how they saw him to see whether or not the artist were really afraid. Out of 44 illustrators, only 12 drewed with a promise of the picture to be published.

The cartoon that shook the world

Because the depiction was so controversial, muslims around the world led violent protest by burning the Lebanon, Iran, Norwegian, French, German and Denmark Embassies and flags which caused hundreds of death. According to the writer of ' The cartoons that shook the world', she studied that the problem escalated after a few months of the publication. It brewed only after a meeting in Mecca 3 months after the publication about boycotting for a trade which sparked the issue on the cartoons.

Critics argued that it was blasphemous to the muslim people and to the minority of Denmark, also describing the decision as Islamophobic and racist. The newspaper and it's supporters argued that the illustrations were merely an excercise of the freedom of speech which were frequently printed of other religions as well and never intented to discriminated muslims in any way.

ethical publishing or eithics in drawing cartoons, freedom of speech of when to say, what to say and whether to say or not.

According to Miller v California, Obscenity cases usually generate tremendous emotional outbursts. They have no business being in the courts. If a constitutional amendment authorized censorship, the censor would probably be an administrative agency. Then criminal prosecutions could follow as, if, and when publishers defied the censor and sold their literature. Under that regime a publisher would know when he was on dangerous ground when the mode of dissemination carries with it a significant danger of offending the sensibilities of unwilling recipients or of exposure to juveniles.

I think when a person wants to present a material to the public, he/she must have in mind the consequences that will lead after its exposure because with the many types of audiences out there with different views and attitude, it is understandable to respect and acknowledge its presence instead of being ignorant.

Reference

1. Miller, V.C., 1972. The intractable obscenity problem, [online] Available at:  http://scholar.google.com.my/scholar_case?case=287180442152313659&q=drawing+cartoon+ethics&hl=en&as_sdt=2002
2. 2005. The Cartoons that shook the world. [online] Available at: http://www.vnafmamn.com/cartoon_controversial.html
3. Jytt, Klausen.,2009. The Cartoons that shook the world. Yales University Press.[online] Available at: http://yalepress.yale.edu/yupbooks/book.asp?isbn=9780300124729