Corrected by Mr. Carter

In my report yesterday on the Kartoonistan hour on the Hugh Hewitt show, I said the Hewitt/Carter axis felt we should moderate our freedom of the press, winning Islam over with respect for our system.

Joe Carter corrected me:

No, no, no. That's not it at all. My position is that it is hypocritical for the press to self-censor when it comes to provoking groups they respect while showing no concern for Muslim religious sensibilities.

In fact, I was shocked and a bit appalled that two men that I repect and that usually side with virtue would take a "screw 'em if they can't take it" we're siding with the boors approach on this issue.

I stand corrected ... but. I respect the Hewitt/Carter "high ground" position, but in this case, the press that re-ran the cartoons in a show of respect for freedom of the press, rather than a show of disrespect (or lack of concern) for Muslims. A free press is the media's god, and they're bowing to it. Gotta respect that, even if you criticize it.

The other axis, Medved/Prager, did side with the boors, and I wonder if that was due in part to the fact that, as Jews, they've had it up to their eyeballs with state-owned media in Muslim countries perpetrating the most heinous propaganda about their people.

But it is clear that the main reason they sided with the media on this one was for the same reason I did: This is a skirmish in a war of public opinion, and we believe the effective strategy in this skirmish is to stand by our freedoms and allow the Muslims to embarass themselves in the process.

Hewitt/Carter can certainly justify their high ground position. In fact, it's one I like very much. But while I just don't support it this time, I most emphatically would if it became standard operating procedure to provoke the Muslims in order to make them look bad. We're not there yet.