More Cartoon Madness

Russia has closed down a newspaper that featured a cartoon of Moses, Mohammed, Jesus and Buddha watching a telecast of supposed religious violence. Moses says " "Well, we did not teach them that."

This simply underscores exactly my problem with the censors, Once a specific part of speech is censored the rest is soon to follow. All it takes is for one "authority" to decide they don't "like" the message and it's all over. Writes the NY Times:

MOSCOW, Feb. 17 — In a controversy with echoes of the Islamic anger over Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, the authorities in a central Russian city today ordered the closing of a newspaper that published a cartoon showing Muhammad along with Jesus, Moses and Buddha.

The cartoon, published on Feb. 9 in the official city newspaper in Volgograd, prompted some criticism and a federal criminal investigation but no public outrage. That may be, in large part, because it depicted the figures respectfully, renouncing violence, though Islamic teachings forbid any depiction of Muhammad.

"Well, we did not teach them that," Moses says in a caption as the four watch a television set showing two groups confronting each other with banners and clubs and hurling stones. The cartoon appeared on Page 5, accompanying an article on an agreement signed by regional political parties and organizations to combat nationalism, xenophobia and religious conflicts.

Volgograd's first deputy mayor, Andrei O. Doronin, announced the closing of the newspaper, Gorodskiye Vesti, or City News, "in order not to inflame ethnic hostilities," according to the official Russian Information Agency. He gave the newspaper a month to liquidate its assets, leaving the fate of its staff unclear.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/17/international/europe/17cnd-russia.html?_r=1&oref=slogin