Personally I find the current Jyllands-Posten controversy quite entertaining.

It is never wise to poke a wasps' hive just to demonstrate that you theoretically can. Especially if the ferocious members of the wasp family have never considered making peace an option.

When exercising freedom of speech, you need to have some common sense... Of course it is not right in our value system to kill somebody just by what he says, but when you are dealing with people who are capable of doing so, it would be common sense not to make yourself a possible target. There is the Dutch flimmaker last year, and the famous Indian-British writer in 1989...

We do not approve the actions of the extremists, but we can't change them either. Don't provoke them then. If they are all out to destroy you, then fight them like what Bush is doing. It's useless trying to preach your ideals about freedom of speech, state that it is the foundation of society, and suggest that they ought to be more tolerant of ridicule.

You know, human nature: I can mock you, but you can't do the same to me. Especially true in people who do not respect individual rights and freedom. Let alone freedom of speech.

And going to the extent of generalisation is also dangerous... If we are not supposed to criticize faith in general, we need not discuss about anything. In a multi-cultural society, as ideas meet and clash, there will be disagreement... It is impossible for everybody to be able to accept everybody. Still these words: exercise common sense. Do not provoke or spread hatred, whether intentionally or not.

I feel that the original 12 caricatures not exactly offensive. Just like those you see everyday in newspapers. It is those 'Bonus Pictures' used by a Danish Islamic group to instigate boycott in Arab countries and the response by other authors after the incident blew up that are offensive. See and judge for yourself.

http://info2us.dk/muhammed/
This link includes depictions of Muhammed from all era and all parts of the world. The most recent ones are at the bottom.