Freedom of speech

At this stage, the Mohammed cartoons and the reactions to them have been analyzed to death. Still, there are a few things about a lot of the coverage and analysis that's really getting on my nerves.

1. I can't tell you how many times I heard or read that freedom of speech is a cherished right in Europe. If this is true, why wasn't there a greater outcry when the Swedish Pentecostal Minister was convicted and sentenced to a month in jail for a sermon he gave, which was later published, on homosexuality? He was eventually acquitted when the Swedish Supreme Court ruled in his favor. Sweden isn't the only country with such hate speech statutes. There are legal limits to freedom of speech in Europe and I think Muslims can justly ask why bigotry towards Islam is allowed, but not towards homosexuality.
   
   
2. On the other hand, I heard a few references to Muslims living "under siege" in Europe, particularly following September 11 and the attacks in Madrid & London. Under siege? I don't think so. Muslims are still moving to the EU from other, mostly Muslim, states. What people freely choose to live "under siege"? It seems to me that for the most part Europeans have been extremely tolerant.
   
   
3. Cartoons published in the Middle East can be vile (found through Jon). The anti-semitism is repugnant. Any Muslim being interviewed about the Danish cartoons should be forced to confront these and denounce them. I heard this raised a couple of times with Muslim commentators, but the issue was dropped too easily. And, each time I heard it raised the Muslim guest changed tack to talk about Jesus. How could any interviewer let that go?