Issue: Most U.S. papers not running 'offensive' cartoons: USA Today: 'I don't know if fear is the right word'/Editor & Publisher. And the controversial cartoons here.

Question: Why haven't most U.S. newspapers published the Muhammad cartoons?

1. There's no good journalistic reason to publish them
2. The images are offensive to Muslims, and papers are not in the offending business
3. The papers feel the written word can do a good-enough job of describing the cartoons
4. They are afraid of losing readers and/or advertisers by offending anyone
5. Management sees the violence overseas, and fears becoming targets of violence here
6. Editors at the papers sympathize with the Muslim cause
7. It's been so long since they've covered real, hard-hitting news, they have no concept what it is anymore
8. They're hypocrites! Any cartoon mocking Jesus or the president is fine with them, but not images of Muhammad
9. Other

DFO: Mebbe 5, 8 and 9; editors don't want to invite religious violence here, although they're more prone to publish things that mock Christian symbols. On the other hand, it might be that U.S. papers don't pay that much attention to European controversies. Bottom line? Mebbe it's best that editors think twice about mocking someone's religion.

For the WorldNetDaily news report, click here.

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