The bomb in the turban

I probably disagree with Ezra Levant, publisher of the Western Standard, on nine out of ten issues, or perhaps 99 out of a 100, but I support his decision to print the Mohammed cartoons. He is defending freedom of expression and freedom of expression is a damn sight more valuable than any religion.

He is right, also, to accuse the Canadian press of hypocrisy. The daily papers have not, for example, been reluctant to publish material about pedophilia in the Catholic Church. If Catholics had poured out of their cathedrals and rioted in the streets over adverse commentary, would they have bullied the media as successfully as violent Muslims have?

We all know the overwhelming majority of priests are not pedophiles, but there have been a few, and they have created great problems for the Church, so they are fair game for public comment. Similarly, we all know the overwhelming majority of Muslims are not violent, but a few are extremely so, and they create great problems for their community, as well as for the rest of us, so they too are fair game for public comment.

There is a bomb in the turban. Kudos to the cartoonist for telling that simple truth, and kudos to Mr. Levant for supporting him.