Islam's Challenge

France has joined the list of countries facing Islam extremist anger over what they consider to be desecration of the Prophet Mohammed. A Paris weekly magazine, Charlie Hebdo, published today, contained cartoons showing Mohammed in caricatures, both sexual and otherwise. Today, the reactions flowed fast. The French government refused to order the suppression of the cartoons. Charlie Hebdo also refused, noting that the edition had sold out in a few hours and a second run would be on the newstands Friday. The French government also closed its embassies in 20 Muslim countries until next Monday and ordered French schools in those countries to close until Monday as well. The French prime minister refused to grant a march permit for a planned Saturday demonstration against the American film that set off the current round of confrontation with Islamists. (President Obama...take notice.) Despite all these actions, some French leftist politicians either asked Charlie Hebdo to withdraw its edition or expressed concern about the timing and effect on the safety of French living in Muslim countries. French Muslim leaders called the publication of the cartoons dangerous and said they should be voluntarily withdrawn. Charlie Hebdo explained that censureship is not part of French culture and would lead to the end of independent journalism. For Europeans, British and Americans, the anger seems a staged political ploy meant to take advantage of the situation to arouse Muslims into an anti-West frenzy. Abd there is much of that in the "Islamist rage". But, as French President Hollande said yesterday, the best counter to the Islamists must come from Islam itself, which has nothing in common with the Islamists. And, because of our western tradition of a free press, we have occasionally seen Christian values and Jesus subjected to severe satire and "desecration." But we understand that this is the price we pay for freedom - of thought, speech, religion and political choice. Our Muslim brothers and sisters must learn this lesson before they and their religion are destroyed by those who are using their traditions to entrap and enslave them.