NOTE: To avert a meltdown of the mods and a discrediting of the SDMB, please do NOT provide links or turn this into IMHO, GD, or the Pit. I’m simply looking for a factual answer, no more.
So, have any American newspapers reprinted the controversial cartoons of Mohammad that have so outraged Muslim groups throughout the world? My impression is no, although CNN this morning apparently broadcast one such image, but distorted it, with the hope that it would not offend.
The San Jose Merc printed a photo of the Danish paper’s cartoon (the Mohammed with a bomb one, IIRC), so it might be technically said that they didn’t print the cartoon…
Most American newspapers wouldn’t print cartoons that stupid. Not that they’re offensive - they just suck. European editorial cartoons must be generally really awful if this stuff makes the paper.
The standards of many of the non-flagship US newspapers aren’t as high as you might surmise. If they pass on the cartoon, it isn’t likely because of their editorial-artistic values. Moreover, some newspapers are so bad they will print most anything and are hardly above pandering.
The Inky has taken such a circulation nosedive in recent years that this surprises me not in the least. I can imagine the editorial meeting:
“Well the plus side is that we can push more copies, the downside is that the buidling might get burned to cinders… hmmm… so… how big should we print 'em?”