Reaction has been swift and predictable to the Yale University Press’s decisionto omit cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad from a new book about cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
From The Atlantic(“Yale has effectively condoned the heckler’s veto”) to theNational Review(“Cowardice and Surrender”) to the American Association of University Professors (“‘We do not negotiate with terrorists. We just accede to their anticipated demands.’ That is effectively the new policy position at Yale University Press”), we have yet to see anyone defend the Press’s move.
Critics note that Jytte Klausen’s The Cartoons That Shook the World is missing not only the dozen Danish cartoons that prompted worldwide Islamist violence in 2006, but also historical illustrations of Muhammad. The Press says it feared a reprise of the violence.
Interestingly, though, one National Review commenter — while condemning the cartoon quashing — did arguethat “Yale University Press is an outstanding publisher — one of the few academic publishers that routinely issues books by conservatives and libertarians.”
