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A useful summation of the cartoon controversy. From "A Failure of the Press" by William Bennett and Alan Dershowitz in the Washington Post, with thanks to DFS:
What has happened? To put it simply, radical Islamists have won a war of intimidation. They have cowed the major news media from showing these cartoons. The mainstream press has capitulated to the Islamists -- their threats more than their sensibilities. One did not see Catholics claiming the right to mayhem in the wake of the republished depiction of the Virgin Mary covered in cow dung, any more than one saw a rejuvenated Jewish Defense League take to the street or blow up an office when Ariel Sharon was depicted as Hitler or when the Israeli army was depicted as murdering the baby Jesus....When we were attacked on Sept. 11, we knew the main reason for the attack was that Islamists hated our way of life, our virtues, our freedoms. What we never imagined was that the free press -- an institution at the heart of those virtues and freedoms -- would be among the first to surrender.
Posted by Robert at March 7, 2006 6:46 AM
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Free speech is all very well, but where do you draw the line?
Posted by: Interested![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/nav-commenters.gif)
at March 7, 2006 7:00 AM
Congrats to Dershowitz and Bennett for a refreshing burst of honesty in an atmosphere otherwise clouded by the fog of denial and unspoken fear(to wit: was the Chapel Hill incident a terrorist attack?).
But the alarm bell should've been rung on September 12, when we were presented with a false and suicidal premise as fact. A false premise any cub reporter coulda knocked over before lunch.
Posted by: Alarmed Pig Farmer at March 7, 2006 7:27 AM
This is old news now, the comments are right on but were published two weeks ago. Seems like Dhimmiwatch is running out of material to post here...
Posted by: odin, king of gods at March 7, 2006 7:47 AM
These comments are very refreshing and needed at a time when the truth has to come out about the msm bowing to the Islamofacists.
Posted by: bigcatgirl13106 at March 7, 2006 8:11 AM
Funny real-life story about what peopel wearing turbans DON'T notice:
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/entertainment/146002004.htm
Posted by: odin, king of gods at March 7, 2006 9:24 AM
You want to see a most bizarre (so it seems to me) example from travel writer Rick Steves?
Take a look at
http://tinyurl.com/eak2q
at March 7, 2006 10:08 AM
Raw data: I read the Rick Steves link. After reading Mr. Steves article, I am convinced that he should concentrate on reporting about travel destinations, not the political scene of the world.
Re: "What we never imagined was that the free press -- an institution at the heart of those virtues and freedoms -- would be among the first to surrender."
Please don't tell me that you have never heard of the politically correct press?
They are a dominant force in the media and shape how the news is reported and delivered to the public.
Posted by: Johnathan at March 7, 2006 10:29 AM
There are a lot of disturbing things that have come out of the cartoon controversy if you believe in defending Western Culture against the threat of Islam. The refusal of virtually all US papers to publish the cartoons, the dhimmi attitude displayed not just in the US but in Europe, Canada and India, and now I've heard a couple of European politicians utter "Peace Be Unto Him" after mentioning The Prophet of Death. It's enough to make you cry.
If publishing the cartoons was a test, I'm afraid the results are bad news for us. Very bad news.
Posted by: Proud Infidel at March 7, 2006 12:56 PM
It is one thing to surrender, but when both the media and Hollywood start their propaganda machine we have crossed the line of treason.
It would be great if they would report the truth with accuracy. If they are going to surrender it would be great if they were silent. But for them to surrender and start speaking for and on the side of our enemy is wrong.
The news media wonders why newspaper sales are at all time lows. And Hollywood wonders why movie sales, and television audiences are at all time lows. Americans as a vast majority don't buy it, even though the liberals polls say they do. The propagandist tries to convince through numbers. Polls don't mean squat.
Posted by: alaskan1000 at March 7, 2006 12:58 PM
Two lone, but sane, voices:
World must stand up to religious censors
and
FREE SPEECH ON THE RUN IN THE WEST.Posted by: Lisa
at March 7, 2006 1:10 PM
From the Rick Steves' article:
do they instead want dignity for the Palestinians, Christian armies out of sacred Muslim territory, and freedom for the Arab world to control its own natural resources?
This is land for peace, a known failed policy, on a grander scale. Also, just because the feet walking on the land are predominently Muslim feet, note Steves' gratutitous statement that this becomes sacred Muslim territory to be free of the infidel. Forgive him, Tather, for he knows not what he speaks.
Posted by: Lisa at March 7, 2006 1:16 PM
To all those in support of not showing the cartoons for 'respect to Islam', what have you gained for your respect? Nothing. And guess what... they still hate you and will still try to kill you. Print them, not print them. The end result is the same... Well done.
Posted by: myiironu at March 7, 2006 2:08 PM
Truth4u
That Al-beeb post is sickening they really are plumbing the depths of PC cultural and moral relativism.
I really believe the UK is lost.
Posted by: km at March 7, 2006 2:16 PM
This is why I am thankful that there is the internet because at least the internet allowed for people to see what those famous Danish cartoons look like. Frankly, I lost confidence in the msm a long time ago when it was not doing the job of presenting truthful and timely information.
Posted by: bigcatgirl13106 at March 7, 2006 4:30 PM
l was listening to the car radio when Bennette was interviewing Dershowitz, and was impressed with both men. both are on opposites in many ways, but both are old fashion on freedom of speech. l applaud both men, and know their words will resonate with many people!
Posted by: Lulu at March 7, 2006 8:05 PM
Dershowitz has got a new book out called Preemption. What I've read of the book so far is fascinating. In particular a chapter in the middle, titled "Would Preemptive Action Against Iran's Nuclear Program Be Justified?" The chapter is brilliantly clear, logical and penetrating -- trademark Dershowitz -- and shows with remarkable concision the whole gamut of strategic and moral complexities facing decision-makers trying to determine the right course of action or inaction toward the apocalyptic challenge represented by Iran.
Posted by: eduardo odraude at March 7, 2006 11:04 PM
Does anyone else besides me feel heartened that a conservative Catholic and a liberal Jew can get together on this?
Posted by: CGW at March 9, 2006 4:56 AM
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