Kåre Bluitgen, a Danish author, wrote a children's book on Mohammed, and for the most noble causes. He's a firm believer in multiculturalism, and his own kids go to schools with a high percentage of immigrant kids. He wanted Danish children to understand Islam. After all, Muslim children in Denmark are expected to learn all about Danish culture and history. Why shouldn't Danish children learn about their immigrant friends' history? It's all a matter of mutual respect, no?
He couldn't find anybody to illustrate his book, and once an editor at Jyllands Posten got wind of that, the newspaper came out with a Mohammed cartoon contest. The rest is history. Bluitgen, meanwhile, managed to find an illustrator and published his book.
The only problem is that now Danish schools are banning the book. Why? Because it's too violent and only stresses the violent side of Islam. I'm not sure how Mohammed's life could be portrayed in a non-violent way, though I'm sure there are ways to do so in an age-appropriate manner. From what I can in the pictures here, it doesn't seem too violent, either.
All this does not bother Muslim sites from gloating over the fact that this book has been banned. After all, thousands of Muslims went out on the streets in protest just because he couldn't find an illustrator. Nobody really cares by now if the author who wrote the book is actually pro-Islam or not. Though, maybe, if the Danish are complaining that the book is too violent, it should make a difference.
Embargo on Danish Author's Book
Schools libraries in Denmark are not accepting Danish author Kaare Bluitgen’s children’s book titled, “Koran and the Prophet’s Life.”
Regarded as the inciter of the caricature crisis, Bluitgen said, “caricaturists do not want to draw the Prophet’s pictures for a children’s book because they fear being killed.”
Danish educators stressed it is inappropriate to limit the Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) life to his wars and commented, “Children will have incorrect information about Islam when they read this book.”
Scientists also backed schools that decided not to benefit from the book containing pictures of the Prophet.
Authorities described the book as “lacking scientific quality.” Bluitgen’s “book for children” received reactions mostly from schools.
Park school in the city of Struer is one of the schools that did not want to carry the book its in library.
School librarian Soren Langkjaer said their decision is not related to the caricature crisis or censorship and added, “The book highlights violence. If children read only this book, they will get inaccurate information about Islam. That is why we bought the book for teachers, we are not giving it to students.”
Hellig Kors School in the Norrebro province of Copenhagen did not find the book appropriate even for teachers and the Hillerodgade School also did not give consent to it.
The school administration said, “the content of the book brings violence to the foreground.”
Jorgen Baek Simonsen, a researcher in Islamic Studies at the Copenhagen University indicated the schools decision to not accept the book in their library was “appropriate.”The book is absolutely inappropriate for children,” he told. Simonsen asserted that those who want to read the book should read it under the supervision of an adult, adding “It is difficult for children to understand this book.”
Bluitgen, who introduced himself as a children’s book writer, wrote a 272 page book, exceeding the size of children’s book.
Titled, “Koran and the Prophet’s Life”, there is no chapter in the book about the Koran.The writer said he would include the “Danish version of the Koran” as well. There is a description of Prophet Muhammad in 10 sentences.
After the writer’s statement that “cartoonists do not want to draw images of the prophet because they fear being killed,” the Danish Jyllands Posten newspaper challenged 40 cartoonists to draw the images of Prophet Muhammad according to their own understanding.The cartoons depicting the prophet had caused great anger in the Muslim world.
Source: Turks.US (English), Hat tip: Islamic Evil
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