Exhibit A is, of course, the extremist attack on a satirical newspaper in Paris in which 12 people were murdered. The victims were killed because they refused to stop publishing material---much of it cartoons---critical of the prophet Muhammad. He points out there are lots of images that are never criticized.
Yet in the aftermath, much of the world's media immediately decided to censor older photos of some of those killed holding the paper with one of the cartoons visible.
Here is the way The NY Post blurred out one of the cartoons, reported Slate. The ultimate in irony.
There are other incidents too. Facebook founder Mark Zukerberg says he received death threats from Pakistan because he will not ban blasphemous comments on the social media site. At the same time, he will not allow "dislike" buttons on Facebook because it would not be "good for the world". Clearly free speech has limits.
TIME Magazine reminded readers of a column by Christopher Hitchins in 2009 that examined the publishing world's lack of commitment to free speech.
Freedom of speech is a bit like pregnancy and death. It either is, or it is not. We adopt it knowing all along that we're going to be offended.
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