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Posted on 02/05/2006 7:35:21 AM PST by suspects

THE BOSTON GLOBE SAYS: "CARTOONISTS = NAZIS."

Why won't the Boston Globe stand for the principle of free speech and show their support for the cartoonists whose lives are being threatened by Muslims demanding their beheading? Because the cartoonists are just like the Nazis, that's why! Or is it the Klan? Here, read this from Saturday's Boston Globe editorial page for yourself:

"Depicting Mohammed wearing a turban in the form of a bomb with a sputtering fuse is no less hurtful to most Muslims than Nazi caricatures of Jews or Ku Klux Klan caricatures of blacks are to those victims of intolerance. That is why the Danish cartoons will not be reproduced on these pages."

The Globe's "reasoning" reveals a shallowness of thought that would embarrass the editorial page of your average high school paper. The argument that "Jews were offended by Nazis, therefore cartoonists who offend Muslims are Nazis" is impossible to take seriously. After all, there are Muslims offended whenever a woman shows her ankles in public or are allowed to drive a car. Does that make Paris Hilton a Nazi?

The question to be answered by rational people (which may or may not include the editorial staff of the Globe) isn't "Is someone offended?" but rather "Is there a rational basis for the offense?" And I challenge any rational person to look at these cartoons and say "Yes, this is offensive."

How convenient for the Globe that giving into the irrational demands of murderous thugs also prevents its readers from seeing for themselves just how shameful the Globe's behavior truly is. Many Globe readers no doubt assume that these cartoons must be on par with "Piss Christ" or the portrayal of the Virgin Mary in elephant dung--two (taxpayer-funded!)works of "offensive" art supported by the Globe in the past.

But as you can see using the link on this page, the cartoons are mild by any modern standard. Nazi? The Klan? These cartoons aren't even outrageous enough to make the cover of Rolling Stone--which currently features racist Kanye West as Christ in an crown of thorns.

Even worse than the Globe's reference to the cartoonists as Nazis and Klansmen is their stated position on the Muslim thugs advocating murder. What is the Globe's take on them? Silence. Not one word.

There isn't a single mention of the violence committed by these opponents of free speech, not one quote from the protesters themselves about beheadings or executions. Not one assertion by the Globe that killing people over a cartoon is idiotic, or even wrong.

Why would the Globe take such ludicrous and indefensible positions? The only reason I can think of is that their real motivation is even more embarrassing: Fear. They are backing down, kowtowing to threats from Muslims, not out of respect, but out of cowardice. The Boston Globe doesn't have the courage to stand for free speech.

The Globe editorial writers should remember that the next time THEIR newspaper is attacked by some special interest group in Massachusetts. If the Globe doesn't think freedom is inherently worth defending, why should defenders of freedom ever step forward again to defend the Globe?

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