Unnecessary Abuse of Freedom of Speech

is apparently a law on the books in Jordan. I would love that law here in the US!

An article from the BBC through Drudge tells of two editors at the al-Mehwar and Shihan papers in Jordan being fired after publishing the contoversial caricature cartoons of Mohammed in their newspaper. They were also arrested and charged with "insulting religion", and

Jordanian King Abdullah condemned the cartoons as an unnecessary abuse of freedom of speech.

I find the notion of holding free speechers to some degree of account for their actions an amazingly profound one, and one we should take a long hard look at here in the US. The list is too long to repeat here, but all of us can remember at least a couple occasions where just such liberties have been taken by the media where it involves their reserved right to Free Speech under the First Amendment...liberties that have often times been subsequently PROVEN to be wrong with no follow up clarifications or retractions or apologies offered or mandated.

As an aside, perhaps the most significant passage in this article will definitely NOT be played out in the media here in the US in the coming days, but deserves to be brought to everyone's attention who may desire a victorious end to the war on terror:

Mr Momani's paper, Shihan, had printed three of the cartoons, alongside an editorial questioning whether the angry reaction to them in the Muslim world was justified.

"Muslims of the world be reasonable," wrote Mr Momani.

"What brings more prejudice against Islam, these caricatures or pictures of a hostage-taker slashing the throat of his victim in front of the cameras or a suicide bomber who blows himself up during a wedding ceremony in Amman?"

I defy anyone in the media to point out that these Jordanian media personalities, Muslims themselves, were trying to show the reaction to the cartoons by many in the world of Islam is misguided and ill placed.