When a Facebook user launches a competition “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!” Facebook is banned in Pakistan. Now Facebook shall stay banned in Pakistan until May 31st (at least.)
- Read more about it here.
- Ms. Molly Norris, the cartoonist whose caricature inspired this campaign apologized for her role in the row!
When the Jyllands-Posten or the JP publishes 12 Prophet Mohammed Caricatures (drawn by 12 different Danish Cartoonists) on September 30, 2005, it leads to protests throughout the Muslim world.
When Michelle Obama’s caricature appears on Google Search, Google is brought in line and it removes the caricature from its search (something that doesn’t match up to Google’s policy of “not manipulating” the results.)
You know what drawing a caricature means to the artist?
It means that the artist thinks that the subject of the caricature is important to him or her. The caricaturist spends time trying to perfect those lines, trying to get them to speak…so why caricature someone who doesn’t matter to you – or who matters only to the point that you wish to ridicule him or her?
Spend your energy drawing people who matter to you. Create caricatures for the joy of drawing them; not for joining in a mindless orgy of ridicule. Someone launches a competition and calls it a “campaign for free speech” – and you leave everything else and jump into the fray. Who wins? The person who organized the competition! Who competes? Everyone with a stub of a pencil and tons of free time on their hands!
Nevertheless, my best wishes to all those brave artists, non-artists, caricaturists, non-caricaturists…effectively, everyone with a pencil and paper, who is helping the cause of free speech.
My caricature bows to you.
Shafali's Caricatures, Portraits, and Cartoons 