We are being censored by the BBC

Transcript of BBC World At One News report today:

Further demonstrations have been held in a number of Muslim countries, to condemn the publication of European newspapers of cartoons which depict the Prophet Mohammed. One of the cartoons shows the Prophet with a bomb-shaped turban.

So we know why the Muslims are offended.

Muslim activists are organising a protest outside the Danish Embassy this afternoon. The cartoons first appeared in a Danish newspaper last year.

And we know why the Danes are to blame. And that's it. That is the headline.

The BBC isn't going to tell you WHY they were published last year. Or why they have appeared now after such a protracted gap. Or about the dubious tactics of the Danish Imam who has kicked up the fuss.

Whatever. I'm sure that context isn't important. Kinda like Free Speech. Whatever.

Someone needs to be fired. The BBC knows that they have judged this wrong because the "Have Your Say" recommended comments was MASSIVELY, overwhelmingly in favour of publication and the defence of free speech. It is extremely telling that that site is still up, but the link from the Have Your Say home page takes you here, where they can cover the strength of the response and attempt to cover it with technical issues....

Right now the actual message board is working fine: Check it out now. We are being censored by the BBC and you can prove it for yourself.

UPDATE 5pm ish: My bad. It's back up. Do compare the reader recommended comments balance vs the BBC view though.

UPDATE 7pm: Welcome to readers from B-BBC. Thanks for the link, Natalie!

UPDATE Sat 7pm: Just reviewed the emasculated HYS page. Current tally stands at:
No these cartoons should not be published: 13 comments
Yes they should: there is a principle at stake: 12 comments
It's a bit insensitive/we are all guilty/freedom comes with responsibilities: 12 comments

None of these comments mentions the background to the original publication, so there is no context to illustrate the key principle and why these cartoons are illustrative.

This is so COMPLETELY at odds with the Recommended Messages tally as to be laughable. The "Balance" of comments posted with which readers agreed was OVERWHELMINGLY in favour of standing up for free speech, unequivocably. Interestingly, even these posts are moderated: no mention of the context got through the censors even here. I simply cannot believe that such an important point would be ignored if posted coherently and politely (as I did ~20 or so times during the day...)

We are being censored. It's as simple as that.

Oh and contrast the picture below with the BBC report of the Protests, here and here (which was at least reporting a condemnation by MPACUK, and which included this nice line:

On Saturday more protesters, organised by the Hizb ut-Tahrir group, gathering outside the Danish embassy in London.
It appeared that the rally was far more restrained than the one on Friday.
Police later said two men had been arrested near the embassy during the protest.

Thank goodness: someone enforcing the law as regards incitement to violence.

They were arrested to prevent a breach of the peace, after a search by officers found leaflets including cartoons of the prophet Mohammed," a Met spokeswoman said.

Oh. Maybe not then. It's just those who wish to stand up for freedom of speech that get arrested.

UPDATE: Sun evening. Balance of comments now a bit better, but the killer context - I shall say it again so it doesn't get lost: Cartoons were published because illustrators were too frightened to submit RESPECTFUL drawings for fear of death threats - is still missing. The topic appears to have moved towards condemnation of the protestors, but the only comment addressing the original motivation is - Wait for it. I bet you can't guess - naked greed.

That's right. JP contrived an entire two week long debate, just so that it could publish some cartoons that would - FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE EVENT - cause Danish Embassies to be ransacked, just as a publicity stunt.