I think I know where you are coming from, samtheman. Our military men and women sure don't need a cartoonist riling up our enemies. Not a cartoonist from the U.S. or Denmark, or anywhere else for that matter. Lord knows the world has enough trouble right now without some cartoonist deciding to stir the pot a bit. Oh yes, I am a firm believer in free speech, but I was also taught that free speech was not a free pass to go about willy-nilly insulting other people(s)just because I'm free to do so.
The person who created the "Islamic cartoons" has the freedom to do so. I will defend that person's freedom. However, that doesn't mean I think that person was acting in a way that was right, helpful, nor responsible.
Liberals and Dems have the right to free speech and oh boy, they sure use it. They make statements that we all know have and will continue to hurt our military men and women, if not get them killed! I do find it ironic that when a Dem/Lib abuses their right to free speech, we become furious because they are putting us all, especially our troops, in danger. But now when someone in Denmark enflames our enemies, it's all about "free speech" and we should applaud them?
Go figure....
They also don't need our own State Department validating the violent response our enemies give to the cartoons. No matter how much State protests that it really does condemn the violence, the very fact that it has decided to single out these cartoons for condemnation, when there are cartoons and other offensive displays all over the world that defame Christians and Christianity and Jews and Judaism, shows an implicit acceptance of the notion that violent responses are the proper way to draw attention to an issue. Not the way to fight terrorism.