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Article: Why cartoons sparked furor: Islamic tradition and freedom of press clash over artists' depictions of Prophet Muhammad.
- Article from:
- Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)
- Article date:
- February 7, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Chicago Tribune. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Margaret Ramirez and Manya A. Brachear
Feb. 7--The violent and now deadly protests rippling through Asia and the Middle East over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad reflect a larger schism and lack of understanding between traditional Western cultures and Islam, experts said Monday.
In the secular world, the debate is about freedom of the press, but to Muslims worldwide, the images are offensive not only because they depict Muhammad as a promoter of terrorism but also because their very existence violates the Islamic tradition forbidding visual depictions of the Prophet.
As European diplomats urged calm and restraint, ...