# Iran seeks Holocaust cartoons



## The Gues-|- (7 Feb 2006)

TEHRAN, Iran - A prominent Iranian newspaper said it would hold a competition for cartoons on the Holocaust to test whether the West extends the principle of freedom of expression to the Nazi genocide as it did to the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. 

About 50 protesters, meanwhile, hurled firebombs and stones at the Norwegian Embassy in Iran’s capital, the second straight day of violent protests against European missions in Tehran. A small fire outside the embassy was contained quickly, but the protest continued. 

Hamshahri, one of Iran’s largest papers, made clear the contest is a reaction to European newspapers’ publication of Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, which have led to demonstrations, boycotts and attacks on European embassies across the Islamic world. Several people have been killed. 

In Washington, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack called the proposed contest “outrageous.” 

“Any attempt to mock or to in any way denigrate the horror that was the Holocaust is simply outrageous,” McCormack said. 

“You can almost hear President Ahmadinejad's voice in the editor of this particular newspaper making this proposal,” he said.

The newspaper said the contest would be launched Monday and co-sponsored by the House of Caricatures, a Tehran exhibition center for cartoons. The paper and the cartoon center are owned by the Tehran Municipality, which is dominated by allies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, well-known for his opposition to Israel. 

‘Wiped off the map’
Ahmadinejad, who was Tehran’s mayor until being elected president in June, provoked outcries last year when he said on separate occasions that Israel should be “wiped off the map” and the Holocaust was a “myth.” 

Iran said last month it would sponsor a conference to examine the scientific evidence supporting the Holocaust, an apparent attempt to give voice to Holocaust deniers. 

Hamshahri invited foreign cartoonists to enter the competition. 

“Does the West extend freedom of expression to the crimes committed by the United States and Israel, or an event such as the Holocaust? Or is its freedom only for insulting religious sanctities?” Hamshahri wrote, referring to the Prophet Muhammad cartoons. 

*First publication in September*
The cartoons were first published by a Danish newspaper in September. As Muslim protests mounted, numerous European newspapers have reprinted them in recent days in the name of free expression, provoking wider and angrier protests. 
The drawings — including one depicting the prophet wearing a turban shaped as a bomb — have touched a raw nerve in part because Islam is interpreted to forbid any illustrations of the Prophet Muhammad for fear they could lead to idolatry.

Hundreds of Iranians hurled stones, and sometimes gasoline bombs, at the Danish and Austrian embassies in Tehran in protest against the cartoons Monday. Austria currently holds the European Union presidency. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11216508


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## CBH99 (7 Feb 2006)

I wish I could see these cartoons, and see what all the anger is about.  I can understand why some people would be insulted by any cartoonist's cheap shot on their religion, but I really do want to see one of these cartoons so I can understand why there is so much anger towards them.

On a sidenote:  Anybody else find killing in the name of God to be an oxymoron?  Marching around with banners suggesting beheading anybody who depicts the Prophet Mohammed visually sounds a bit hypocritical, considering what the whole message of the Qur'an is about.  (Yes, I have actually read the Qur'an - out of personal interest.)

On another sidenote:  I know hindsight is 20/20, and therefore we can't always make the best choice possible.  However, considering the state of relations between the Muslim nations and the West, anybody else think it was a really stupid idea to print offensive cartoons in the first place?  I understand freedom of expression, and I certainly don't wish to challenge that.  But, common sense comes into play also - and considering the nature of current political and religious tensions, perhaps printing off an offensive cartoon insulting Islam's religious figures was a BAD IDEA.  Great job at thinking things through, whoever you are...


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## Scoobie Newbie (7 Feb 2006)

Religion of peace. Sure looks like it.


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## Fabius (7 Feb 2006)

The Iranian newspaper's compition has already been held informally. In todays (Feb.7/06) National Post there is a page with numerous examples of recent anti Semitic political cartoons, most depicting Ariel Sharon in Nazi costume massacring Palestinians. Result not a single complaint from the West.


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## Kat Stevens (7 Feb 2006)

So what's going to happen when the adult world goes "Meh, whatever",  or better yet "hey, those are pretty funny" ?  What will that prove to these guys.....anything?


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## The Gues-|- (7 Feb 2006)

Exactly, where's the senses of humour?


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## Kunu (7 Feb 2006)

CBH99 said:
			
		

> I wish I could see these cartoons, and see what all the anger is about.  I can understand why some people would be insulted by any cartoonist's cheap shot on their religion, but I really do want to see one of these cartoons so I can understand why there is so much anger towards them.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_cartoons

Mods, feel free to remove this if you see it fit.  And for the record, I personally think it was a dumb idea to print these.  Even though similar crap targeting Jews/America/the west is the norm in certain parts of the world, so much for not marginalizing an entire religion and maintaining the moral high ground.


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## Baloo (8 Feb 2006)

I think the part that everyone seems to look over in the media, is that a large part of this debate is fuelled not by those images printed in the Danish newspaper (which were bad enough, and I think, in poor taste...), but by images circulated by Danish imams that travelled to the Middle East. Remember that Kashmir worker strike back in December? No? http://actualidad.terra.es/articulo/kashmir-denmark-strike_kashmirs_muslim_danish_by_633040.htm Funny how it actually was drawn...Oh, a couple months ago? Wait, that means...yes, that means, ladies and gentlemen, the Danish imams must have been fuelling hatred, and not just with the images printed in the paper. They literally borught along with them, *falsified pictures* they claimed to have been printed in Denmark, showing Muslims having sexual relations with dogs, etc. The original cartoons were printed in September people. Whoa. Take a step back. When? September. These three images:
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/tegninger40sm.jpg Muhammed as a pedophile.
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/tegninger39sm.jpg Muhammed having sex with a dog.
http://www.zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/tegninger38sm.jpg Muhammed with a pig snout.
All three of these, were circulated as being authentic, and it is nothing more, than these Danish imams spreading their hate. Why doesn't any news outlet carry these truths? I don't know. But these three drawings are being brought to bear, not the original cartoons folks. They are on a cross-Middle Eastern tour with these.

[note]I took the liberty of emphasizing a key word. HF


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## Acorn (8 Feb 2006)

The quoted news article makes no mention of the Danish imams or the false cartoons. The sources for the allegation are pretty thin. Is there any corroboration anywhere?


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## DBA (8 Feb 2006)

Search around it's pretty much past just allegations now. Things like having a large supply of Danish flags to burn at some of the demonstrations struck some people as odd so they looked into it more and discovered the extra images and inflammatory 'tours' to various Muslim countries to fan the flames by various Imans. If you think of it the strategy is a good one if your goal is to divide Muslims from others wherever they live. Make people feel unwelcome by other groups and they will tend to stick to themselves more.


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## tomahawk6 (8 Feb 2006)

I thought Iran didnt believe in the holocaust ?


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## Baloo (8 Feb 2006)

Acorn said:
			
		

> The quoted news article makes no mention of the Danish imams or the false cartoons. The sources for the allegation are pretty thin. Is there any corroboration anywhere?



The news article was in relation to the Kashmir strikes, back in December.

However, I have been looking for additional news sources for the "three additional photo," and unfortunately, the only sites which currently carry them or this controversy are blogs (and there are many, many that carry it, but still) and editorials of newspapers. So, at this point, I haven't been able to find it on something like BBC, CBC, CNN, what have you. I'll keep the search up. Unless of course media outlets don't want to carry it, but at this point, it seems like too much information on it has been released for it to be false. Like I said, I'll keep this updated.


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## Baloo (8 Feb 2006)

Well, found something a little more reliable. Couple articles (one from Wikipedia, another from a Danish news site) that show the 43 page dossier Danish imams took with them to the Middle East on their recent tour. The Wiki article contains more facts about it, and if you can read Danish...all the power to you on the second link. They contain all 43 pages, but the ones with the additional images are on pages 34, 35 and 36 respectively. 

http://www.ekstrabladet.dk/VisArtikel.iasp?PageID=329877
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyllands-Posten_Muhammad_cartoons_controversy_43p_dossierhttp://www.ekstrabladet.dk/VisArtikel.iasp?PageID=329877


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## clasper (8 Feb 2006)

A little help for your search Baloo:

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/02/08/20060208-cartoons.html



> ...During his visits with Muslim leaders, Akkari also showed images that had not been published in any newspaper, but were part of hate mail sent to his colleagues.
> 
> Those drawings show the Prophet as "a pig, a dog, a woman and a child-sodomizing madman," says the Globe.
> 
> ...



See?  A perfectly reasonable explanation for why cartoons of the prophet depicted as a child-sodomizing madman appeared next to the bomb-turban images... :


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## 48Highlander (8 Feb 2006)

clasper said:
			
		

> A little help for your search Baloo:
> 
> http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/02/08/20060208-cartoons.html
> 
> See?  A perfectly reasonable explanation for why cartoons of the prophet depicted as a child-sodomizing madman appeared next to the bomb-turban images... :



That particular cartoon is a reference to the fact that Mohammed in his later years married a 6 year old girl, and consummated his marriage with her when she was 9.

With that said, the Danish cartoons are actually very mild.  Half of them do not even show Mohammed in a negative light.  Meanwhile, many of the pictures and claims being spread by Muslim extremists are EXTREMELY offensive.  And all are comperatively trivial when considering some of the cartoons coming out of Palestine on a daily basis.


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## The Gues-|- (8 Feb 2006)

48Highlander said:
			
		

> With that said, the Danish cartoons are actually very mild.  Half of them do not even show Mohammed in a negative light.  Meanwhile, many of the pictures and claims being spread by Muslim extremists are EXTREMELY offensive.  And all are comperatively trivial when considering some of the cartoons coming out of Palestine on a daily basis.



Mild or not, it was reported that the majority of the trouble makers or rioters didn't even see the cartoon themselves and are reacting from what they *heard*.


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## Acorn (9 Feb 2006)

Since my question I've seen some additional info regarding the "three extra" cartoons. They are allegedly "hate mail" sent to Muslims in Denmark, that were included in the "dossier" that the Danish imam took on his tour.

Gues-|- 

Reacting to hearsay isn't a uniquely Muslim failing. Nor is it one of the uneducated. We see it a lot on this very site (Seaking crashes, shootings in Iraq, various incidents).


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## Gunnar (9 Feb 2006)

> Reacting to hearsay isn't a uniquely Muslim failing



Trying desperately to keep things balanced, eh Acorn?  

Never pass a fault.


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## Acorn (9 Feb 2006)

"Desperately?" 

Hardly. I shake my head at some of the reaction. My wife had to change the channel to calm me down when I saw the British Muslim demonstration and their "behead them," "jihad" and "screw free speech" placards.

What gives me hope that this doesn't have to be Huntington's nightmare is the reaction of Muslim leaders in Canada, as well as Muslim leaders in the UK that called for the arrest of the protesters (I still wonder why they haven't been arrested - is the UK that weak?) From where I sit, while pretty much all Muslims are offended by the cartoons, other than areas where agitators have been successful (either gov't or not) in general the Islamic world isn't burning. Yet.

We can play into their hands though, by our own reaction. Think about it.


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## TCBF (9 Feb 2006)

Maybe we should start burning cars?



Tom


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## winchable (9 Feb 2006)

Only if they're Peugot's

The Muslim leadership across the board has been fairly unanimous in condeming what is agreeably an outrageous reaction, I think even they're "getting it."


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## Acorn (9 Feb 2006)

There's some visceral satisfaction to burning French cars. I'm not sure what it's all about.


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## The Gues-|- (9 Feb 2006)

Acorn said:
			
		

> Gues-|-
> 
> Reacting to hearsay isn't a uniquely Muslim failing. Nor is it one of the uneducated. We see it a lot on this very site (Seaking crashes, shootings in Iraq, various incidents).



There was no insinuation nor did I try to imply it as such.  Simply, my point is that whether or not the cartoons ( which were originally produced in Sept '05 ) are being percieved as mild, strong, postive or negative that people are reacting to hearsay alone.  Would there be much violence if everyone seen it for themselves or would it be worse? I don't know, but I do know that many just jump on the bandwagon before thinking for themselves.  I agree we do see it a lot on this site but rarely ever do I hear someone spazzing out of control flipping his neighbours Lada.


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## GAP (15 Aug 2006)

This has been closed since Feburary, but now Iran has put the pictures on an exhibit as a way of pushing the buttons of the west a few more times...

Cartoon exhibit mocking Holocaust opens in Iran
Updated Tue. Aug. 15 2006 12:29 PM ET  Associated Press
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060815/Cartoon_Holocaust_060815/20060815?hub=World

TEHRAN, Iran -- An exhibition of cartoons about the Holocaust opened this week, reflecting Iran's response to last year's Muslim outrage over a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper.

The display, showing 204 entries from Iran and abroad, was strongly influenced by the views of Iran's hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who drew widespread condemnation last year for calling the Holocaust a "myth" and saying Israel should be destroyed.

One cartoon by Indonesian Tony Thomdean shows the Statue of Liberty holding a book on the Holocaust in its left hand and giving a Nazi-style salute with the other.

Masoud Shojai, director of the host Caricature House, said a jury looked through 1,200 entries received after the contest was announced in February by the co-sponsor, the Iranian newspaper Hamshahri.

It came following worldwide protests by Muslims against the Muhammad cartoons published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. Many Muslims considered the cartoons a violation of traditions prohibiting images of their prophet.

Hamshahri said it wanted to test the West's tolerance for drawings about the Nazi killing of 6 million Jews in World War II. The entries on display came from nations including United States, Indonesia and Turkey.
more on link


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