NYT publishes virgin Mary “art” – but not ‘offensive’ Mohammed cartoons

The NYT has published a photo of the virgin Mary “art” (you know, the “art” that depicts Mary with blotches of elephant dung all over it) in it’s arts section today, effectively signalling that their willingness to not offend Muslims does not extend to not offending Christians.

The headline on the piece?

A Startling New Lesson in the Power of Imagery

I think a revision of that headline to read A Startling New Lesson in the Power of Hypocrisy would be far more appropriate.

Here’s a refresher on the NYT’s policy regarding the ‘offensive’ Mohammed cartoons:

“On the one hand, we have abundant evidence that a significant number of people — some of them our readers — consider these cartoons deeply offensive and inflammatory” Mr. Keller wrote. “Indeed, to publish them after seeing the outrage and violence across the Islamic world could be perceived as a particularly deliberate insult” he said.

“On the other hand” he continued, “we feel we can quite adequately convey the nature of the cartoons by describing them.” I quite agree. I doubt that the descriptions of the cartoons in Times articles over the past four days have left many readers with any major questions about why the drawings could offend Muslims or why some people might find humor in them.

In other words, descriptions of the cartoons are good enough to convey the image of what they look like. Strangely, this newfound policy not to offend did not extend to the virgin Mary in elephant dung “artwork” photo.

I don’t like the picture they have on that page, but I respect their right to publish it. And I won’t commit any acts of violence just because I’m disgusted by it. What would be really nice, though is that for once, just once, the NYT would show some consistency: if they don’t care about offending Christians, they shouldn’t care about offending Islamists. This is a glaring, blatant example of how the NYT has capitulated to the demands of a militant group of out-of-control fantatical Islamists. Something tells me that wasn’t their intent, but nevertheless that’s exactly what has happened.

(Hat tip: Junkyard Blog)

More/Related: Omar at Iraq the Model writes:

One last thing, even if the entire EU apologizes it won’t change a thing; fanatics in our countries here had always considered the west their infidel arrogant crusader enemy and no apology no matter how big or sincere can change that.

Yep.

(Hat tip: KLo)

Update I: Michelle Malkin blogs about the latest lame excuse from CNN as to why they won’t broadcast/publish the cartoons.

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