An End to Cartoon Violence

The Times Online reports that Iran's Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, has called for an end to the violence sparked by the caricatures of the Prophet Muhummad. Thank heavens for a voice of reason. Interestingly, those who are using these cartoons as an excuse for violence are acting contrary to the very faith they purport to defend. About.com's guide to Islam, Huda, has written an excellent article on What Would Muhummad Do? in response.
I've avoided commenting on the issue so far, as this is a drawing site, not politics or religion. But over 45 people dead, flags burned, riots, property destroyed.... over a cartoon?
Writer Michelle Malkin makes some interesting points on freedom of speech, and includes reproductions of the cartoons. Interestingly, there were only a couple that I felt were particularly offensive - others turned the 'joke' on its head - one with the text "Relax folks, its only a sketch made by a Dane from South-West Denmark", and another with "PR Stunt".
Two of the drawings were, I felt, trying to actually bridge the divide, portraying the Prophet in a similar style to some images of Christ, one with a donkey, the other with the crescent-moon shape forming a sort of halo. Perhaps Muslims might resent the comparision, but I perceived it as an attempt to communicate something about Muhummad in a visual language familar to Christians.

As for the offensive images, well, nobody likes to see attacks on another person's faith, but I find it a bit ironic, as Christianity and Judaism in particular, (and other faiths less familiar to me, I'm sure) have long been the target of cartoonists. A quick internet search yeilds plenty of cartoons that display Christians as gullible idiots or redneck extremists, ministers as dishonest and Jesus as a sandal-wearing Hippy. Representations of Jewish people in the press - including the Arab press and American publications such as The Independent - can be truly hideous, as HonestReporting.com writes.

In my view, free speech is to be defended at all costs, but the right to free speech carries a responsibility, a responsibility to our society and to the human race. It would be easy to take a cheap shot or to make a cartoon that panders to the politics of the media monopolies. If you are going to invoke freedom of speech, you can't do that. You must be fully informed about the issue you comment upon and willing to stand by that comment.