Danish news staff rejects apology...

Good for them!

Thirty-eight staff members of the Danish daily Politiken issued a letter on Saturday saying they are against the newspaper's apology for offending Muslims by reprinting a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad with a bomb-shaped turban.

In a letter published in the newspaper, the editorial staff said "Politiken has nothing to apologize for."

"The settlement gives the impression that we regret our journalism, something there is no basis for whatsoever," they wrote, saying democratic journalism entails "describing reality as precisely as possible and to encourage social debate." They also said they fear the settlement could interfere with their editorial freedom.

Politiken, which has around 200 staff members, last week apologized for offending Muslims with the 2008 reprint but did not apologize for reprinting the cartoon.

Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry and the drawings brought Denmark on a collision course with the Muslim world, sparking fierce protests.

Politiken's apology was part of a settlement with a Saudi lawyer representing eight Muslim groups in the Middle East and Australia who has been demanding apologies from 11 Danish newspapers that reprinted the cartoon.

Politiken's apology drew strong criticism among Danish media, which previously had stood united in rejecting calls to apologize for the reprints. Even Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen expressed surprise at the move, saying he was worried Danish media were no longer shoulder to shoulder on the issue.