Kurt Westergaard, the Danish artist who painted the picture of Mohammad having a bomb for a turban, was the target of an assassination conspiracy which was uncovered yesterday.

In response, newspapers across Europe have reprinted his cartoon.

Good for them. This is an issue of free speech, and the right to free speech includes the right to be an asshole without fear of violence or death.

For what it’s worth, I do find this cartoon offensive and bigoted:

But the idea that it merits death threats, or for that matter actual conspiracies to assassinate, is repugnant to any civilized people.

The freedom of speech includes the freedom to blaspheme.

By way of example:

I would expect that this would get me called a bigoted asshole, but anyone who thinks that it rates death, and has the inclination to act on it, needs to be removed from free society.