Friedman, I'm disappointed

[ Note: I x-posted this on my livejournal, and there is an excellent discussion in the comments about the issues involved ]

Thomas Friedman opens his column today by saying (no link because it is TimesSelect):

I have no doubt that the Danish cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad have caused real offense to many Muslims. I’m glad my newspaper didn’t publish them.

I’m disappointed that Friedman would say that, largely because of points about free speech that are eloquently made by Tom Evslin here and here, but the essential problem is that not printing those cartoons is

bad reporting, and
giving in

Friedman, of all people, is someone I would expect to understand how not printing offensive cartoons (that are directly relevant to the news story) is like saying “Yes, that’s right, it’s offensive and you can determine whether or not we are allowed to print them.”

Meanwhile, anti-semitic cartoons are reprinted in the US because they are relevant.

So Friedman is glad that the New York Times is self-censoring it’s news reporting to keep terrorists happy. I’m just sad that US media no longer defends free speech.