White House will 'leave it to media' to decide whether to publish 'offensive' cartoons

Brett T. | 4:12 PM on January 12, 2015

If there’s one thing the current administration learned from the Benghazi terrorist attack, it’s this: “The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.” Those were the words President Obama delivered before the United Nations after learning that an offensive YouTube video was the cause of the “spontaneous” attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya that killed four Americans.

The future might not belong to those who slander Mohammad, but after the terrorist attacks that killed 17 in France, it’s probably OK to satirize the prophet of Islam for now. White House Press Secretary John Earnest today told the press that nothing done by the staff of French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo justified violence, and passed along the White House’s revised thoughts on the issue.

White House says "without question" Americans should be able to draw and depict the prophet Muhammad.

— Byron Tau (@ByronTau) January 12, 2015

Our First Amendment freedoms don’t stop there, however. Media outlets will be allowed to decide for themselves whether to publish “offensive” cartoons.

How, um, nice? RT @ByronTau: White House would "leave it to media organizations" to decide whether to publish offensive cartoon.

— Thankful Muppet Energy (Sunny) (@sunnyright) January 12, 2015

@ZekeJMiller @SeeTac7 @ByronTau Why THANK YOU for your permission to use First Amendment. #GrumpyMonday

— (((Charlie Martin))) (@chasrmartin) January 12, 2015