There is no society that protects freedom of religion more than secular democracies, because in societies where one religion rules, different viewpoints will be labelled as heresy and blasphemy. Why? Because the society is built on religion – not freedom for all points of view.

The point here is what makes human beings different from other creatures is our ability to use language. We can use words to express ourselves in very eloquent and complex ways. We grow up telling and listening to stories. That’s what turns us into the people we are.

What is one man’s hate speech is another man’s poetry.

The cartoons did nothing that transcends the cultural norms of secular Denmark, and this was not a provocation to insult Muslims.

The furor over the cartoons has been a wake-up call for Danes.

The furor over the cartoons has been a wake-up call for Danes. We are used to seeing ourselves as a permissive and open society on the side of the good, and it is shocking to see Danes as objects of hate.

The idea wasn't to provoke gratuitouslyand we certainly didn't intend to trigger violent demonstrations throughout the Muslim world. Our goal was simply to push back self-imposed limits on expression that seemed to be closing in tighter.

I commissioned the cartoons in response to several incidents of self-censorship in Europe caused by widening fears and feelings of intimidation in dealing with issues related to Islam.

I am not confrontational. I am not a crusader.

The only right we do not and should not have in a liberal democracy is a right not to be offended.