Section 266b of the Danish Criminal Code provides:
�Any person who, publicly or with the intention of wider dissemination, makes a statement or imparts other information by which a group of people are threatened, insulted or degraded on account of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual inclination shall be liable to a fine or to imprisonment for any term not exceeding 2 years.
And its section 140, which deals with blasphemy, reads:
Those who publicly mock or insult the doctrines or worship of any religious community that is legal in this country, will be punished by a fine or incarceration for up to 4 month.
| Similarly section 142 of the Norwegian Penal Code provides for punishment for any person “who publicly insults or in an offensive manner shows contempt for any religious creed…or for the doctrines or worship of any religious community lawfully existing here”.. |
Also, free speech in the US is limited by responsibility. You cannot yell fire in a crowded theatre, as it might create stampede. Those who are familiar with Muslim sensitivities could easily anticipate a political stampede. I believe it was a deliberate attempt for two objectives:
- To test the water in Muslim world i.e., if no reaction next time they would publish more outrageous stuff; and,
- If there is a reaction, the proponents of the so-called free speech will tell to their Western audience, look how irrational Muslims are. If they so violently react to a cartoon, then how can you engage them in a rational dialogue?
Unfortunately, most of the Westerners cannot fathom Muslims devotion to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). In contrast, anti-Semitic stuff is prosecuted with the full majesty of law. This is called hypocrisy.
(name with held)