More newspapers

I was disappointed to discover that more European newspapers had published the cartoons that have caused much offence to Islam.

I will repeat again that they have every right to do so if they wish; this doesn't change the fact that I think they are wrong to do so.

The original publication by the Danish paper can be accepted if only because they did not understand that such offence could or would be caused. Now that the issue is known, I can see no excuse for repeated publication.

I do not accept the argument that it is a defence of the free speech principal. Such a defence could easily have been made in a written article without the offencive material. I can not see the case is made any stronger by using the pictures.

After some thought I can see only two reasons why the other newspapers would publish the pictures. Either they assume some natural superiority of their own feelings and cannot accept that their actions do cause harm or they have malicious intent and wish to deliberately cause offence.

They have every right to do so though and the fact that I think they are wrong to do so doesn't change that.