Pamela Geller and the American Freedom Defense Initiative have arranged for Bosch Fawstin’s prize-winning Mohammed cartoon to be displayed on a series of billboards across the United States. One of them was put up in Marion County, Arkansas, but it didn’t stay up long before it was covered over by the nervous owner of the billboard.
When the Memphis Fox 24 station aired a photo of the “Islamophobic” billboard, they blurred out the face of the cartoon Mohammed in deference to the sensibilities of their Muslim viewers. However, the billboard’s message was allowed through loud and clear: “Support Free Speech” and the AFDI logo, with the cartoon’s speech balloons clearly readable:
Below are excerpts from an article on the billboard controversy from LocalMemphis.com:
SUMMIT, AR (localmemphis.com) — Pictures depicting the Islamic Prophet Muhammad were recently posted on billboards in Marion County, Arkansas.
The billboard shows an angry, sword-wielding, Muhammad that is being drawn by a hand. The text coming from the Islamic Prophet says, “You Can’t Draw Me,” with the response of “That’s Why I Draw You.”
The signs also features the seal of the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) with “Support Free Speech” written above it. The AFDI website says the picture was the winning entry of a Muhammad drawing contest in Texas, in May — the same contest where two Muslim extremists were shot and killed after they opened fire on a security officer.
[…]
The Baxter Bulletin and Answer Dude, Thomas Garrett, took photos of the signs while they were still visible and shared them with our sister station KOLR10.
People who live in Summit, Arkansas say they were posted for days but are now covered with blue paper.
The owner of the billboards said he never gave permission to anyone to use his billboards.
Hat tip: Vlad Tepes.
The owner of the billboards said he never gave permission to anyone to use his billboards.
LIAR
Baron has the right idea when he appends the phrase “this has nothing to do with Islam.” No end of cartoons, including those with bombs in turbans, should be published with the disclaimer “of course, this should not be regarded as a representation of Mohammed.” That should throw the whole controversy into a cocked hat.
Might I suggest any further billboards or posters containing an image of the prophet include one of those black bars across the eyes, so as to sooth the sensibilities of our more sensitive neighbors…