Author Daniel Pipes argues that our American State Department needs to get a backbone in regards to the Muslim Cartoon Jihad Against the West. And given the past performance of the Department of State it was predictable that they would come out with a cowardly act of appeasement rather than a forceful defense of Western freedom.
“Inciting religious or ethnic hatred in this manner is not acceptable,” said State Department press officer Janelle Hironimus.
What is meant here by "not acceptable"? Does the State Department think that when it comes to criticizing Islam the First Amendment no longer applies? Will they be shutting down any newspaper or blogger who does not tow the official government line? Is there a double standard for Islamic behavior which does not apply to anyone else? The cowardice of this statement is difficult to fathom, but it's not hard to see. Fortunately there are those with more spine who are willing to stand up for Western freedoms.
The deeper issue here, however, is not Muslim hypocrisy but Islamic supremacism. Flemming Rose, the Danish editor who published the cartoons, explains that if Muslims insist “that I, as a non-Muslim, should submit to their taboos, … they're asking for my submission.”
Norway: “we will not apologize because in a country like Norway, which guarantees freedom of expression, we cannot apologize for what the newspapers print,” commented Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.
Germany: “Why should the German government apologize [for German papers publishing the cartoons]? This is an expression of press freedom,” said Interior Minister Wolfgang Schauble.
France: “Political cartoons are by nature excessive. And I prefer an excess of caricature to an excess of censorship,” commented Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy.
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