Michael Ackley: If American papers had guts, they’d publish offensive cartoons

In the wake of France’s Charlie Hebdo murders, some in the American media say they don’t publish cartoons or other material that might offend people. The fact is, they don’t publish cartoons or other material that might offend people who might attack or kill them.

Unfortunately, the latter category includes Muslims like the Charlie Hebdo attackers. There are nearly universal declarations of support for freedom of expression, but if American media really wanted to demonstrate courage they all would publish that periodical’s “offensive” cartoons. Solidarity can be a great bulwark against intimidation.

Another such bulwark is informed opinion. If you wish to know how the Charlie Hebdo gunmen could have felt justified in what they did, read the Koran.

This story was originally published January 8, 2015 at 1:03 PM with the headline "Michael Ackley: If American papers had guts, they’d publish offensive cartoons."