According to a story reported by CNN on Febuary 2 that has just come to my attention, an editor of the Jordan-based newspaper (remember, Jordan is a middle-eastern country!) published the cartoons and urged his readers in an editorial to "be reasonable" with regard to the cartoons. The editor apparently asked which was more offensive, suicide-bomber-led violence or the cartoons (http://www.cnn.com). That editor has since been fired.
It doesn't particularly matter if we disagree or agree with this man's actions. The fact remains that, as an editor of a newspaper in a predominantly Muslim country, he had the courage to stand up for the freedom of the press to publish these cartoons and a mitigating message at the cost of his job.
I am of the opinion that this man, Jihad Momeni, serves as a valuable reminder to the global community of two salient issues:
First, he reminds those people who have decried all of Islam for being "corrupt" and "out of control" that it is not "just Muslims" who are responsible for the violence against the embassies, the kidnapping threats in Pakistan, and the other unsavory results of this conflict. It is the extremists, a sub-group that is to be found in every religion throughout history, who are responsible for the violence. There are many, many millions and, perhaps, billions of Muslims in the world, of whom several thousand are involved in these acts of violence. We should be careful that we do not judge an entire population from the actions of a very small sample.
Second, he provides us with an inspiring story of a man who, against the will of the extremists in his country, stood up for the right of the press to publish what it wishes, and had the "audacity" to claim that a drawing is not as morally wrong as an act of violence.
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I agree that we shouldn't judge the views of the many by the actions of a few...and that this person has taken a courageous stand and should be commended for it.