Kurt Westergaard Criticizes Florida Koran Burning; German Chancellor Recognizes Artist In Keynote

There's more heat than fire in wire reports covering last night's presentation of the M100 Sanssouci Colloquium international media conference's 2010 prize to Danish Cartoons cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, but it's pretty good heat. In an interview published by the daily Die Welt, Westergaard drew a distinction between actions like drawing satirical cartoons and burning copies of the Koran, noting that satire is the sort of provocation that leads to reflection and enlightenment and the act of burning holy books really doesn't move you in that direction. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, criticized by some for giving the night's keynote speech, also slammed the book-burning but declared that Europe is the kind of place where cartoonists should be allowed to draw things satirically, and that freedom of belief and respect for belief were not mutually exclusive principles.

Westergaard called the award the greatest recognition he has yet received. In addition to his role in the 2005 publication of the cartoons, Westergaard has been vocal and public in his defense of same, drawing criticism and the attention of those who would do him violence. Most of the wire reports note he remains under some sort of police protection.
 
posted 10:00 am PST | Permalink
 

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