"Muslims across the world stage protests over Danish caricatures that they say insult Islam and the Prophet Muhammad"
apparently the 'Sticks and Stones' list of things that can hurt you needs to be amended to include cartoons. Maybe in this country we are desensitized to public characterization and even in some cases we clamor for lampooning of public figures, but this seems like it would not be the intent of any religious teachings handed down through generations and practiced by millions of people.
I can even understand the message in saying an image of the prophet should not be created to avoid idolization, but the battle to avoid any pictured image is an idolization act in itself. Would the same fervor be generated if Picasso had generated a classic art piece, instead of a cartoon image? If the argument being used holds true it should, but in practice it seems unlikely. As leaders or zeolots try to protect a 'perfect image' mental and emotional - and some extent intellectual they are building a faith idolization and protecting something from scrutinization and challenge.
This is simply an intangible idol, but a idol still in what acts it drives. The balance between sensitivity and over-sensitivity is what should define us as a species and lead us to tolerance and eventually peace.
