Thanks to Facebook fame, May 20 is the pseudo-official "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day". There are lots of odd holidays out there – some official and some not. Some people, including the organizers, see this day as a way to spark debate. This "holiday", though, really runs a lot more of a risk of anger than understanding.
Article Resource: Everybody Draw Mohammed Day – Making a free speech point By Personal Money Store
The events that spurred Everyone Draw Mohammed Day
The free speech questions behind Everybody Draw Mohammed Day have been building for years. A tenant of the Muslim religion bans showing images of God or the prophet Mohammed. The first controversy of the depiction of Mohammed by non-Muslim artists began in 2005, when a Danish newspaper printed a full-page layout with numerous depictions of the prophet. Just a couple of weeks ago, a South Park episode that satirizes the prohibition on showing Mohammed caused death threats to be leveled against South Park creators. Some estimates blame this five-year controversy for as many as 200 deaths, and it has led to lawsuits in and outside of the United States that have costs running into the millions of dollars. Rather than get instant cash loans to hide from the threats or hire bodyguards, numerous people are facing the threats head-on.
The point of Everyone Draw Mohammed Day
An artist within the Northwest decided that Everybody Draw Mohammed Day would be a good way to spark debate. A paper in Portland, Ore., the Portland Mercury blog encouraged Everybody Draw Mohammed Day as a way to respond to the threats on the “South Park” creators. As outlined by the Facebook page created for Everyone Draw Mohammed Day, the creators are hoping to "spark severe debate in international forums.”
Results of Everybody Draw Mohammed Day
The popularity of Everybody Draw Mohammed Day has sparked reactions from a wide variety of organizations and individuals. For a short time, Facebook did delete the page, though access had been restored as of May 20. Within the United States, many are calling this day a way to celebrate free speech. Some religious tolerance groups are concerned that the “celebration” of the day could very easily turn into mockery of all Muslims, not just the extremists that are the intended target. Some countries have really blocked access to Facebook and YouTube.
Tell me your opinion? Is this "celebration" dangerous or offensive? Is this move a more benign thing, expressing rights to free speech?
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