American Newspapers Won’t Publish Cartoons That Upset Muslims

Via Sykes Writes, Michelle Malkin outlines the fact that very few American newspapers (and none of the major ones) have published the Danish cartoons that have caused riots and protests.

We weren’t too enthusiastic about the original publication of the cartoons, since we don’t think it a good idea to gratuitously poke a stick in the eyes of Muslims.

But the demonstrations, threats, riots and deaths following the original publication make the cartoons eminently newsworthy. Citizens, in other words, now need to see the cartoons to understand the news.

Then there is the fact that violence and threats of violence should not be rewarded.

Were we the editor of a major newspaper and a group of Moslem clerics and leaders came to us to explain, in a civil way, that the images were offensive, we would probably not publish them.

But caving in to violence and threats of violence is to reward violent tactics. It seems craven, because it is craven. To reward such tactics is to encourage their continued use. It teaches the lesson that western media — and perhaps the West generally — can be bullied into submission.

Which of course strengthens the hands of the bullies in the Muslim world.