How much of this is cowardice? I don’t think they are really thinking in those terms. For one thing, the Press in the US thinks of itself as being brave, in part because of all the critical things they say about Christianity. There are all those “bitter clingers” out there with closets full of AR-15’s just aching to shoot up the NYT and any other press outlet who dares say anything bad about Christianity (never mind that nothing like that has ever happened) and the Press bravely go ahead anyway. Likewise, they bravely risk being taken away by the Secret Police for criticizing the government when there’s a Republican President (again, never mind that no one has ever been taken away like that). They’re brave, damn it. They know they are! It’s all very romantic and revolutionary.
No, the problem, and the reason a lot of them won’t republish the Charlie cartoons, is that the Press isn’t supposed to be doing that kind of thing. It isn’t Progressive! It’s the wrong damned target!
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