When Worlds Collide: Freedom vs. Religion

This week a bunch of European newspapers published a set of Danish cartoons satirizing Islam’s Prophet Mohammad as a terrorist. The cartoons had been floating around since September when a tiny Danish newspaper gave them a platform. But their wider dissemination across much of the Western world outraged ultra-religious Muslims who have rioted and protested and demanded apologies. And now our State Department has barged into the controversy – essentially saying freedom of religion trumps freedom of speech.

As a broadcast journalist, I find this a difficult issue. I feel very, very strongly about press freedom and freedom of speech. I also feel very, very strongly that we long ago crossed over into PC-land in the US -- which doesn't help foster understanding among differing cultures. But I am not sure what the purpose of publishing the cartoons was -- simply to lampoon? Or to insult? Or were the editors just basically heedless of the tempest that might be triggered? There are such problems surrounding the growing Muslim population in Europe that without living there -- I hesitate to pass judgment.

Major dailies here have NOT printed the cartoons, preferring to talk around them.

ABC in its evening news story showed them – but not in great detail. NBC and CBS told staffers it was network policy NOT to show the cartoons.

This issue I don’t find difficult. Once something becomes a story -- it needs to be fully vetted. And pictures are what TV does. I'm for letting it all hang out, as it were, for a true and honest discussion of issues. Covering up the truth – be that in words or pictures – is never the way to settle differences. But from a network/publisher standpoint I would imagine this was more about fear of boycotts or worse rather than a true editorial judgment.

As for the State Department jumping in -- well we all know the Bush Administration doesn't exactly love and respect a free press. Plus the Administration is desperate to dispel Muslim hatred for the US. Since we can't just pull out of Iraq and say it was all a mistake, sorry for the death and destruction and for unleashing the genie from the bottle --- we are trying the propaganda method (remember the US payments to the Iraqi news organizations to publish favorable stories written by the US military).

These are not easy issues. There are many nuances that need to be debated – calmly and rationally. Like so many big issues today -- there are more shades of gray than black and white.