Newsweek's Gaffe
As every American knows, the First Amendment protects the right of freedom of speech and the press. As every American also knows, this does not permit someone to shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater if there is none.
Newsweek recently shouted the equivalent of "Fire!" by falsely alleging that U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had flushed copies of the Qur'an down the toilet to coerce detainees to talk. As a result of that false report, approximately 17 people died during riots of deeply offended Muslims in Afghanistan.
Ever since 9/11 the Muslim world has been one very crowded theater, with no room at all for jokes, false reporting or insults to the Qur'an. Reporters today are playing with real lives every time they repeat allegations from an unnamed source about alleged American abuses.
David Aikman is a veteran journalist and the chairman of Gegrapha.
David Aikman is the author of A Man of Faith: The Spiritual Journey of George W. Bush.
Originally published May 23, 2005.
