
With it's June edition, Harper's becomes the first major American liberal magazine to publish the infamous Muhammed cartoons, complete with commentary from "leading American cartoonist" Art Spiegelman
Spiegelman even offers what he calls a "fatwa bomb meter" to rate their offensiveness, according to an Associated Press story.
The AP continues:
Spiegelman, an elder statesman of political satire famous for his New Yorker cartoons, said the cartoons needed to be seen to be understood.
"As a secular Jewish cartoonist living in New York City, I start out with four strikes against me, but I really don't want any irate Muslims declaring holy war on me," Spiegelman wrote in his commentary.
"It's not intended to add fuel to any fire," Spiegelman told Reuters, describing himself as "a devout coward."
"I wanted to show ... what couldn't be described," he said, adding that he was surprised that most of his friends had not seen the cartoons.
Whatever Spiegelman's intent or the seriousness of his purpose, Harper's should be commended to breaking the wall of self-censorship imposed by most in the American media and publishing the cartoons to that its readers can see for themselves and hopefully understand why the cartoons have caused such a ruckus. By publishing the cartoons, Harper's also has struck a blow for the freedom of the press and why it must be defended and promoted, especially in the face of extremism and lunacy.
The latest edition of Harper's hit newstands on Tuesday.
(H/T to Michelle Malkin.)
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