 Ashwani K. Peetush of Wilfrid Laurier University wrote that in a liberal democracy freedom of speech is not absolute , and that reasonable limits are put on it such as libel , defamation and hate speech laws in almost every society to protect individuals from " devastating and direct harm " . He said that the cartoons " create a social environment of conflict and intimidation for a community that already feels that its way of life is threatened . I do not see how such tactics incorporate people into the wider public and democratic sphere , as Rose argues . They have the opposite effect : the marginalised feel further marginalised and powerless . " He said that it is reasonable to consider two of the cartoons as hate speech , which directly undermine a group of people ( Muslims ) by forming part of an established discourse linking all Muslims with terrorism and barbarity . 
