Muhammad Cartoons
By David Holcberg

If fear of violence against their staff is the reason newspapers did not publish the Muhammad cartoons, they should say so. Admitting such fear would be a great service to their readers; it would remind them of the Islamist threat under which we live, including the dangers any one of us faces in criticizing or ridiculing Islam.

But if the decision not to publish the Danish cartoons was based on a consideration for the "religious sensibilities" of Muslims, then the decision is disgraceful.

All American and Western newspapers should show their support for the Danish cartoonists now hiding from Islamists threatening their lives.

We who value freedom must stand together and actively defend our rights to life and liberty against those who seek to subjugate us to Islam and its taboos.

A public show of support for the Danish newspaper and for our freedom of speech is not only still possible, it is necessary. We the readers should expect nothing less from our newspapers.