February 10, 2006
Self regulate free speach
Is censorship any different if it is done by force or our of fear?
Mr Frattini, a former Italian foreign minister, said the EU faced the "very real problem" of trying to reconcile "two fundamental freedoms, the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion".Or is this just ignorance.Millions of European Muslims felt "humiliated" by the publication of cartoons of Mohammed, he added, calling on journalists and media chiefs to accept that "the exercising of a right is always the assumption of a responsibility". He appealed to European media to agree to "self-regulate".
Accepting such self-regulation would send an important political message to the Muslim world, Mr Frattini said.
By agreeing to a charter "the press will give the Muslim world the message: we are aware of the consequences of exercising the right of free expression, we can and we are ready to self-regulate that right", he said.
Self censorship in the face of the cartoon riots does send a message though. It sends the message that the western democracies are weak cowards that can be intimidated by irrational violence.
For examples of the rising tide of government and corporate efforts to "self regulate" be sure to read Michelle Malkins piece here. It's getting cold and ugly out there.
Posted by Sid at February 10, 2006 12:59 AM | Political Correctness
