European and American Use of "Freedom of Speech" in Real-World Situations are Clearly Not the Same

The ongoing cartoon row between the Islamic world and the West has illustrated major differences in how freedom of speech is applied in real-world situations.

One European newspaper after another ran the Mohammed cartoons simply because they could. After it blew up in their faces, they took the HOW DARE ANYONE ATTACK OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH!! defense. This militant approach isn't helping Europe's cause.

In contrast, American newspapers didn't run the cartoons simply because they could; a few outlets did run them, but, according to some of these newspapers, they ran them deep inside their papers with various explanations of why they did so, and to let readers decide for themselves if the cartoons were offensive or not.

For the most part, most American papers and broadcast outlets refused to air the photos as they subscribe to the notion that fighting words (or pictures) are not protected speech. Yelling FIRE in a packed room which leads to a stampede is not protected speech either. These cartoons have the same effect as fighting words. They shouldn't have, but they did.

The failure that happened was when the Western newspapers ignored what was already happening in the Islamic world and ran the cartoons. They did so regardless of the serious consequences that were playing out on the news right in front of their faces. If one is trying to extinguish a fire, does one throw gasoline on the fire to put it out? DUH!!!

This is not about a threat to freedom of speech. This is about newspapers realizing that they've made a catastrophic mistake but choosing to hide behind the freedom of speech instead of admitting their mistake and getting it right.

This also shows that in spite of what happened to it on 9/11, America is a more tolerant society than the Europeans give it credit for. The fact that most American news sources refused to show the photos out of respect for the various Islamic faiths is proof of it for one thing; American news media is also more open to admitting when they make a mistake.

Remember Memogate on CBS's 60 Minutes program during the 2004 U.S. Presidential election campaign? Remember the outrage following incorrect reports that the Quran was flushed down a toilet at Guantanamo Bay? Both news agencies involved apologized there.

Europe needs to get their act together and get this right.

Using freedom of speech as an excuse to cover up deeply irresponsibile behavior should not be tolerated by any free society; especially if people are dying because of what the newspapers did. This is a sickening situation.