On September 30, 2005, Denmark's leading newspaper published 12 caricatures of Mohammad, Islam's holiest prophet. Because Islamic tradition forbids images of Mohammad, religious Muslims considered the pictures offensive. But one cartoon was particularly insulting to them; it portrayed Mohammad with a bomb in his turban, thereby associating Islam with terrorism. In response, Muslims around the world erupted in violent demonstrations that killed more than 50 people. The ferocity and scope of the deadly violence caused many people to worry that radical Islamists - many of whom support Osama bin Laden - had hijacked the cartoon controversy to further their terrorist war against America and its democratic allies. Inflammatory statements by key organizers of the riots justify those concerns: "The way I see it, the war has already started," said Daii al-Islam al-Shahal, a Muslim cleric in Lebanon.

WHY DID THE NEWSPAPER PUBLISH THE DRAWINGS?
Flemming Rose, editor of the Danish newspaper, says he commissioned the drawings to resist intimidation from radical Muslims, who have threatened, kidnapped, and killed those who criticized Islam in public or violated Islamic taboos, such as drawing the prophet. "If a believer demands that I, a non-believer, observe his taboos in public, he is not asking for my respect, but for my submission," says Rose.

THE DRAWINGS ARE OFFENSIVE, AREN'T THEY?
Muslims revere Mohammad; they consider him God's final prophet to humanity. In fact, criticizing Mohammad can result in a death sentence in some Muslim states. For many believers, therefore, the cartoon depicting Mohammad was an unforgivable insult. "In the name of freedom of expression, which is one human right,"said Ahmad Abd-al-Husayn, an Iraqi journalist, "dignity, another sacred right, is trampled."

WHAT VALUES ARE IN CONFLICT?
Freedom of the press vs. respect for the dignity of others

IS THERE A JEWISH VIEW ON THE CONTROVERSY?
Yes, and you might be surprised by what Jewish tradition says. Although Judaism respects the secular (nonreligious) world's emphasis on freedom of the press, Jewish tradition, under most circumstances, prohibits publishing lashon hara, negative speech, and ona'at devarim, humiliating speech. Since an objective analysis of the most inflammatory drawing would probably conclude that it is negative, one Jewish view might be to censor the drawings.

DOES THAT MEAN JUDAISM VALUES RESPECT FOR OTHERS MORE THAN IT VALUES FREEDOM OF THE PRESS?
Yes, under most circumstances, but exceptions to the prohibition against lashon hara exist. Speaking negatively about others is permitted - in fact, required - when it is l'toelet, for a productive purpose; for example, to warn someone about a dishonest business partner. The speaker, however, must rely on verified, firsthand information and not hearsay.

WHAT PRODUCTIVE PURPOSE IS SERVED BY PUBLISHING THE CARTOONS?
Although offensive to Muslims, the cartoon of Mohammad with a bomb in his turban conveys a truth that should not be ignored: Radical Islamic terrorists want to destroy the United States and Israel. Terrorist organizations, such as Al-Qaeda (which killed thousands of Americans on 9/11) and Hamas (which has murdered hundreds of innocent Israelis) are our sworn enemies not only because they blame their economic and social problems on us, but also because they believe our way of life and Israel’s existence are preventing Islamic global domination.