The Double Standard of Cowardice

Freedom of Speech is only guaranteed in the United States of America – or is it?  Why does the traditional press defend Maplethorpe exhibits, the Crucifix in urine, and people walking on the flag?  Why do they attack the Catholic Church, Hobby Lobby and Chik-fil-A?  Why is it ok to mock Christians with the Church of the Spaghetti Monster or to criticize Israelis?  Is it freedom of speech?  Yes.  But that is not why…

Because one can’t help but notice that radical islamists that don’t allow women to drive, go to school, go out in public without a relative and covered head to toe and stone them for being raped do not get criticized, but not covering birth control in your business medical plan is a War on Women.  40 Christians beheaded on the beach and no one cares.  345 school girls taken by Boko Haram are rescued, 314 are pregnant from constant gang raping.  No news.  One cop shoots one person of another race – news for months.

Now cartoonists are to blame for “provoking” terrorists to shoot at them.  In France, they said, Je Suis Charlie, or we are all Charlie after the death of Charlie Hebdo, who did much worse.  But in the US, where we have free speech and openly criticize religion, we blame the cartoonists?

For a long time I could not reconcile why Christianity, Judaism, police, religion, all is fair game – except terrorism.  Then it dawned on me.  Have you seen any of the pictures of the cartoonists on TV?  Have you seen pictures of the terrorists that tried to shoot them?  No, all you see are the cartoonists and event organizers being grilled.

There is only one reason in my opinion – cowardice.  At it’s core, the mainstream press knows that Christians, Jews, police and others will not show up at their news site workplace and shoot them for exercising free speech to criticize those groups.  However, show the picture of a cartoon on TV or in print media, you may get shot.  The Wall Street Journal, all three major networks – no pictures of the beheadings, torture or even cartoons.  Have a beating in America, you watch it from every angle for weeks.

I risked my life for my country in the Air Force.  As I get older, weaker and have more friends and things, I feel less brave.  I don’t go out of my way to offend others with my freedom of speech, even though that is exactly the speech we have to protect.  Everyone is ok with nice words, it’s the bad ones people want to ban.  I hope as Americans we can start to treat all groups equally, not freedom of speech to criticize those who won’t hurt you, and blame the victim for being brave enough to stand up to terror.