It looks obvious

The battle for freedom of speech in Europe continues with Muslims attacks on Voltaire and his play “Fanaticism, or Mahomet the Prophet,” according to report in today’s Wall Street Journal

The production quickly stirred up passions that echoed the cartoon uproar. "This play…constitutes an insult to the entire Muslim community," said a letter to the mayor of Saint-Genis-Pouilly, signed by Said Akhrouf, a French-born café owner of Moroccan descent and three other Islamic activists representing Muslim associations. They demanded the performance be cancelled.

While it seems absurd from some distance the Muslim gather some victories that threaten the foundation of the freedom of speech. And while self-censorship is important, Self-censorship because of fear should alert Europe.

Some devout Muslims are trying to revive taboos against blasphemy, and there are signs of growing self-censorship on matters even tangentially related to Islam. In January, the Belgian town of Middelkerke cancelled a planned art display that featured a fiberglass model of Saddam Hussein submerged in a fish tank in his underwear. The Czech artist, David Cerny, describes his work "Shark" as "a reflection on dictatorship." Officials say they worried it might upset local Muslims.

It seems that preserving the values of freedom and liberal society going to be a long battle. Do we, as a society, have the strength for this battle? Time will tell.