Kurt Westergaard (1935) is a Danish cartoonist who created
the controversial cartoon of the Islamic prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb in his
turban. This cartoon was the most contentious of the 12 Jyllands-Posten
Muhammad cartoons, which met with strong reactions from Muslims worldwide,
including Western countries. Since the drawing of the cartoon, Westergaard has
received numerous death threats and been a target of assassination attempts. As
a result, he is under constant police protection.
On 12 February 2008, the Danish Security and Intelligence
Service (PET) announced the arrest of three men — two Tunisians and one Moroccan-born Dane —
who were charged with planning to murder Westergaard.
After the plot was foiled, the Danish secret service was
made responsible for protecting Westergaard. He was placed under police
surveillance when traveling to and from work. His house was fitted with steel
doors, a panic room, reinforced glass in the windows and surveillance cameras.
Westergaard has been awarded the Sappho Award, an award
given by the Free Press Society in Denmark to a 'journalist who combines
excellence in his work with courage and a refusal to compromise'.
On 8 September 2010, he was awarded the M100 Media Award
(M100-Medienpreis) by German Chancellor Angela Merkel for his contributions to
freedom of opinion.
Because religion is based on speculation, myth and fairy tales, it cannot coexist with intellectualism, serious thinking and freedom of speech. All these shine the light of rational thinking onto religious teachings which then fall apart. For this reason, those who hold these tenuous beliefs will do anything to protect them, even murder those who oppose them. I applaud Mr Westergaard's bravery to openly confront religious oppression by using free speech. And, yes, free speech does mean criticising anything which promotes the oppression of non-believers.
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