A French satirical magazine is set to publish several cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed on Wednesday, a move that is likely to inflame the Islamic faithful and militants who have already rioted in more than 20 countries over a movie mocking the prophet.

Depictions of the prophet are strictly prohibited and considered blasphemous by Muslims. Cartoons of Muhammad published in Denmark in 2005 and then reproduced in newspapers across Europe triggered riots throughout the Mideast and Africa. Churches and embassies were torched and at least 100 people died in the outbreaks and police crackdowns.

The magazine "Charlie Hebdo" has confirmed that it will publish the cartoons, but has not revealed what they will depict. French newspaper "Le Monde" reports that some of the cartoons show the prophet in "particularly explicit poses," without providing any further detail.

The move comes as Muslims are still simmering after riots in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and nearly 20 other countries over the move "Innocence of Muslims." U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans died during an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

French government ministers have criticized the magazine's decision and police in Paris have stepped up security around its offices.

France is home to Europe's largest Muslim population, and the senior cleric at Paris' biggest mosque has appealed for followers to remain calm, according to the French news agency AFP.

The magazine has defended the move by invoking the right to free speech. Speaking on French radio, the magazine's director explained that a decision not to publish would "hand victory to a handful of extremists that are causing a commotion in the world and in France."

It's not the first time the anti-establishment, left-wing magazine has courted controversy. In 2011 the offices of "Charlie Hedbo" were bombed after it published an Arab Spring edition with the Prophet Muhammad as "guest editor" on the cover.


http://news.yahoo.com/french-mag-publish-cartoons-prophet-mohammed-214916307--abc-news-topstories.html

Those pesky french! Probably gonna photoshop images of Mohammed over
Kate's racy boobies!

Rubbing freedom of speech in the noses of Islam? NICE!

gonna be fun,watching Paris burn again,this time over a few Pencil-strokes!

well,they arrogate themselves the Right of Free Speech,anytime the Infidel is concerned!
Just a handful of Idiots who seem incapable of leaving the 12th Century!

Wonder when the US, Dutch, Brits, Canadians, Aussies, Russians, Spaniards, Chinese, Indians and the rest of the world will follow suit?

Egypt ’s general prosecutor issued arrest warrants on Tuesday for seven Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Florida-based American pastor andreferred them to trial on charges linked to an anti-Islam film that has set off riots across the Muslim world. The case is largely symbolic, since the seven men and one woman are believed to be outside Egypt and unlikely to travel to the country to face the charges. The prosecutor’s decisionappears to be aimed at absorbing some of the public anger over the film.

The French surprise me sometimes with their ability to do the right thing. All the free countries in the world should flood the air and internet with Mohammed cartoons constantly to defuse the excuse that free speech can be stopped by intimidation.

This REALLY is the heart of the matter. Who will prevail in the
long term?

Will those who love freedom of speech and freedom of religion and
believe in equal rights for men and women eventually bring these
freedoms to all oppressed people everywhere?

Or will the world succumb to some backward form of Sharia law which
rolls back the clock on modern society 1500 years or so?



Europe and free Westernized societies do not realize that there
is a war of opposing and wholly inconsistent ideologies. This war is
happening now and is a very real serious threat to all the
freedoms we enjoy today. Violent oppression can stifle the voices
of freedom and moderation but only if we allow it.

Watch a very enlightening video on the subject here:

http://youtu.be/j3BGwQr8xg4

its like bigots who hide behind freedom of speech to defend their bigotry

what idiots,,,I just dont get the point and I dont think they care about the repurcussions,,,

The word bigotry sure comes into play here an awful lot.

Used up as much as the racist card.

muslams can kill, rape and maim and that's cool with SPECIAL groups.

Why hasn't there been any reaction or comment from the ghetto NOI?

_______________________________________________________________________

A French magazine ridiculed the Prophet Mohammad on Wednesday by portraying him naked in cartoons, threatening to fuel the anger of Muslims around the world who are already incensed by a film depiction of him as a womanizing buffoon.

The French government, which had urged the magazine not to print the images, said it was temporarily shutting down premises including embassies and schools in 20 countries on Friday, when protests sometimes break out after Muslim prayers.

Riot police were deployed to protect the Paris offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo after it hit the news stands with a cover showing an Orthodox Jew pushing the turbaned figure of Mohammad in a wheelchair.

On the inside pages, several caricatures of the Prophet showed him naked. One, entitled "Mohammad: a star is born", depicted a bearded figure crouching over to display his buttocks and genitals.

Initial reaction from Muslim countries was critical. <<< So, what's new??



VIVE LA FRANCE!

I agree with metal that it would be important if many publications
around the world exercised their right to publish whatever they
wish just to demonstrate that free societies will not be threatened
into self-censure under the threat of violence.

When extremists do not know whether to attack French, Danish, US,
Russian, Japanese, Australian, German, Spanish or British embassies
then perhaps they will get the point that freedom will not be
bottled up under threat of tantrums and violence.

In fact, it is a way to flush out violent extremists, track them
and prosecute them if they attempt to force their backwards and
bigoted ways on other people.



I mean honestly, look at all the times Jesus has been lampooned and
caricatured and Christianity has been on the receiving end of ridicule.



It has not denigrated the religion but elevated it.
Gives us all a chance to show the cheeky the other cheek.



C'mon people. Can't Mohammad take a joke for Chrissake?!?

Those that constantly play the race card are the biggest racists by far. The same goes for bigotry. You can really tell when it is thrown into a topic out of context.

France stepped up security at some of its embassies today after a satirical Parisian weekly published crude caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
Riot police also took up positions outside the offices of magazine Charlie Hebdo which printed the cartoons in reference to the U.S.-made anti-Islam film which has sparked violence around the world.

You mean in reference to the Egyptian-Coptic-made anti-Islam film.



In a related news story a magazine in the US published a cartoon of
Jesus and nobody rioted or killed anyone. Good for some chuckles tho.

Let them protest. The muslime brotherhood can't protect them in the free world.

Let them protest. The muslime brotherhood can't protect them in the free world.

race is not a card and bigotry isnt specific to race

it was called a 'reference'


here is a different one for those who are so sensitive to the topic of bigotry

its like someone with big diamonds and jewels walking through a trailer park just to show their RIGHT to be rich


its purpose is to encite, there is no other reason or need for it, and its stupid,,,

He never said race was a card. He used an expression. It may be news to you, but when people say it's raining cats and dogs they don't mean it literally.

lol

wow

Im aware race card is an expression, its an expression that cheapens and belittles the significance and reality of RACISM

thats why I usually show objection to the term


much like 'indian giver' may be objected to by an indian although the person referenced may not actually be an indian themself


the expression is objectionable and tossed around too often to try to hush discussions about bigotry or race