Anger over 'offensive' caricatures spreads

After more than two weeks of protests, anger and violence surrounding purportedly offensive caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, the uproar has continued to spread throughout the world and even to the IU community. \n"I'm mad that they even showed him, and then associated him and Muslims with terrorists," said junior Bashar Aburashed, who was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. "It would offend any Muslim." \nThe controversy started in September 2005 when a Danish publication premiered a series of 12 caricatures of Mohammed that included one presenting the Prophet wearing a bomb-shaped turban, according to The Associated Press. However, the AP reported the recent uproar began about two weeks ago when the caricatures were republished throughout Europe and in Jordan, resulting in several deaths and the destruction of foreign embassies in the Middle East. \nAlthough some think the Muslim reaction is blown out of proportion, Bloomington resident Elsa Marston Harik, who wrote a biography on Mohammed and has lived in Lebanon, said the issue goes much deeper than just the cartoon. \nHarik said Muslims, particularly in the Middle East, have felt the threat of and suppression from the West since the Crusades. Along with feeling looked down upon by the West, the notion that people aren't respecting their religion or Mohammed has made them even angrier, she said.\nHarik added that she agrees with the Danish newspaper's right to freedom of expression, but the publication of the Mohammed caricatures was done in poor taste and with bad judgment. \n"It was stupid and irresponsible for people to do that," Harik said. "There's no sense in asking for trouble." \nAburashed said that many are upset because, according to Muslim anti-idolatry beliefs, no one is supposed to depict Mohammed. Not only did he find the depiction itself offensive, but Aburashed said associating a religious figure with terrorism makes the world more ignorant and close-minded toward Islam and the Middle East. \n"An apology is nice, but more needs to be done," Aburashed said. "The people who are responsible (for the caricatures) should be punished. They should be fired or fined, and (should) remove the cartoons from existence." \nJeremy Kirsch, a third-year law student, agreed the context of the material was offensive, but said the newspaper still has the right of expression to print it. \n"People have a right to political speech," Kirsch said. "Apologizing isn't the right thing to do. (The caricatures' message) is not the sentiment of the Danish people or stance of the Danish government." \nAccording to the Associated Press, one of Iran's largest newspapers is attempting a form of retribution and is in the process of forming its own cartoon contest, giving awards to people who make light of the Holocaust. \nKirsch said Iran's newspaper and the protesters' reactions are extreme. \nHarik said the Holocaust cartoons are childish, and that the violent response of the protesters is crossing the line. \nThe most violent of these Middle Eastern Muslims "are young men who don't have anything else to do," Harik said. "They don't have any organized activities like the United States has -- they're working off energy." \nHarik said Mohammed should be respected and not exploited, nor should the Middle Eastern sentiment. Also, she said, although the violence is out of control, Muslims should still be allowed to demonstrate. \n"Non-Muslims should allow them to have emotional conviction and not mess around with it," Harik said. "But we better just accept it for the \ntime being"