Canadian Cowards

From the Globe and Mail, proof that free speech is moribund in Canada, too:

Canada's largest retail bookseller has removed all copies of the June issue of Harper's Magazine from its 260 stores, claiming an article by New York cartoonist Art Spiegelman could foment protests similar to those that occurred this year in reaction to the publication in a Danish newspaper of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. Indigo Books and Music took the action this week when its executives noticed that the 10-page Harper's article, titled Drawing Blood, reproduced all 12 cartoons first published last September by Jyllands-Posten (The Morning Newspaper).

Just as yellow-bellied as the cowering capitulation of some big U.S. book chains two months ago.

Comments

[Matt]

Well, the government didn't really force them to, so I don't see how this is a free-speech issue.

[Martin Owens]

Because, in order to have free speech, it is not enough that the government does nothing against it. We have to do things FOR it.

Your rights are like your arms or your legs- if you don't exercise them regularly you will lose the use of them.

[Amsterdamsky]

I'm mixed on this. While I think a business has the right to choose its inventory it is pretty lame to just pull one issue.