About Mohammed pictures.

Well. Here you have my opinion. First of all, my English is a bit rusty.

In Spain, during Franco's dictatorship, both blasphemy and press freedom weren´t allowed, and writing against catholics or against Franco could take you to jail for several years or even could take you to death penalty. Fortunately, democracy in Spain brought a new and democratic Penal Code. Catholic Church during dictatorship played a role of repression against all left and free-thought people, including massive murders. So, influence of Catholic Church in Spanish politics is still viewed with fear between Spanish left parties. We still fight against fascist ideas of bishops and cardinals about gay and lesbian people, sex, education... So, we can say what happen if religion and politics goes together.

Now we have Mohammed´s pictures in a Danish newspaper. There has been a wave of reactions against those pictures. Of course, press freedom must be in a preferent position among human rights. But being respectful with religions must be in a similar position.

I'm sure and it's not demagogic to claim that if pictures had been a joke about jewish people and Holocaust, danish newspaper had never published the joke. So we have to be as respectul with Islam as we are with jews. Islam is not terrorism, so drawing Mohammed with a bomb in his head is, at least, offensive for all those muslims not-terrorist (most of muslims). But goverments and parlaments must not punish these pictures as a penal fault in a secular country. Punishing these pictures is opening doors to religion in policy and law. So publishing offensive pictures about Islam only deserves a moral (not judicial) punishment.

People, not governments, must be respectful with religions. In my opinion, in a secular country, governments shouldn´t have their own opinion (neither respectful nor offensive) about religion: it is the best way to be respectful with all your citizens.

Do we have a right to blasphemy? Yes, we have. But our right to blasphemy finishes at the begining of muslims, catholics, jews... to believe in their gods. Drawing Mohammed is offensive for muslims wherever, even newspapers. It's normal. Holocaust's jokes are for jewish offensive wherever, even newspapers. Does anybody publish an Holocaust's joke? Not. Does it reduce press freedom? Not, it reduces unrespectful jokes. I have a right to blasphemy in the private circle. Similarly, religious people have a right to believe in gods in the private circle. That´s a secular country: religion at home, not in the street.

Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, supports a civilizations' alliance. Conversation among countries, cultures and religions prevents shocks and wars. A deep meeting between european and islamic countries could be an answer. This situation cannot happen again.