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New Controversy Over Muhammad Cartoon-- This Time In South African Paper

By Howard M. Friedman

A new controversy over a newspaper's publication of a drawing of the Prophet Muhammad has erupted, this time over a cartoon published in the May 21 edition of South Africa's Mail & Guardian. As described by the paper's editor Nic Dawes, the cartoon shows "the Prophet Muhammad reclining on a therapist's couch and saying sadly 'Other prophets' followers have a sense of humour'." (Link to cartoon.) The Mail & Guardian reported last week that as the drawing was appearing, the Council of Muslim Theologians tried unsuccessfully to get a South African court to enjoin its publication. The Council said violent reaction to the cartoon was possible. The court refused to interdict publication because the cartoon was already available in the paper's online edition and at some outlets. The paper's editor defended the cartoon, drawn by Zapiro, as "a contribution to the global debate" about depictions of Muhammad. The award winning Zapiro's cartoons have offended many targets of his drawings. London's Guardian yesterday also reported on the controversy.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 27, 2010 (boomark / email).