Flemming Rose Quotes (13 Quotes)

My newspaper is trying to establish a contact with the Iranian newspaper and we would run the cartoons the same day as they publish them.

The idea wasn't to provoke gratuitouslyand we certainly didn't intend to trigger violent demonstrations throughout the Muslim world. Our goal was simply to push back self-imposed limits on expression that seemed to be closing in tighter.

These were not directed against Muslims, but against people in cultural life in Europe who are submitting themselves to self-censorship when dealing with Islam.

The furor over the cartoons has been a wake-up call for Danes. We are used to seeing ourselves as a permissive and open society on the side of the good, and it is shocking to see Danes as objects of hate.

No cartoon is worth a human life. But what is happening has more to do with the situation in the Middle East than 12 cartoons in a Danish newspaper.

We have a tradition of satire in Denmark. We do the same with the royal family, politicians, anyone. In a modern secular society, nobody can impose their religious taboos in the public domain.

When I visit a mosque, I show my respect by taking off my shoes. I follow the customs, just as I do in a church, synagogue or other holy place. But if a believer demands that I, as a nonbeliever, observe his taboos in the public domain, he is not asking for my respect, but for my submission. And that is incompatible with secular democracy.

I think it's very unfortunate that now Danish interests, Danish buildings are being attacked in Syria, but let me also say that Syria is a police state, and this could not have happened if not the authorities in some way had allowed it to happen.

I commissioned the cartoons in response to several incidents of self-censorship in Europe caused by widening fears and feelings of intimidation in dealing with issues related to Islam.

The cartoonists treated Islam the same way they treat Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions. And by treating Muslims in Denmark as equals they made a point we are integrating you into the Danish tradition of satire because you are part of our society, not strangers. The cartoons are including, rather than excluding, Muslims.

This is a challenge. It means that what you do in a secular, modern democracy may offend people in some parts of the world, people not living in this type of society. I think it would be unfortunate if people in Saudi Arabia or some parts of the world inf

There is no disagreement whatsoever between me and the company. I'm tired, I have been under huge pressure, and I am grateful to the paper for this time off.

I do not think they are asking for respect in this case. They want me to follow one of their taboos in the public domain. And I think there's a very fundamental principle in secular society that you cannot insist on everybody paying special attention to your religious feelings.