Get A Sense Of Humor

The Washington Post and several other newspapers around the country pulled Sunday's edition of the cartoon "Opus" because it might offend Muslim readers. The same papers had no problem with the strip a few weeks ago when it made fun of Reverend Jerry Falwell. Why is it okay to poke fun at one group but not another?

Check out the strip here: http://www.comics.com/wash/opus/index.html

The problem is that radical Muslims have no sense of humor. If they could laugh at themselves, they wouldn't be radical. It isn't just radical Muslims that have this problem. I've seen the same thing in radical Christians, radical environmentalists, and many other groups. You'll note the common thread isn't Muslim, it's radical. Radical anything can be a problem.

But we don't kowtow to other radical groups, why should we defer to radical Muslims? An Islamic activist argued today that newspapers have the right to not print what they don't want to print, regardless of reason. It's their freedom of speech. Others are arguing that cartoonist Berkeley Breathed's freedom of speech was infringed on by not printing the cartoon. The issue isn't freedom of speech. Yes, Breathed has the right to make fun of whatever topic he chooses. Yes, the newspapers have the right not to print it. That's not the issue. The issue is this wouldn't have happened with any group other than Muslims.

We live in a world of humor. Sometimes a joke is told to you; sometimes a joke is told about you. It isn't prejudice if you pick on everybody equally.

Get a sense of humor.