Spanish self-censorship

Festivals commemorating the end of Moorish rule have been toned down.

Revelers typically dress up in period costumes and sometimes stage mock battles. In the finale, Christians defeat Muslim Moors, and an image of the prophet is destroyed.

But after the worldwide Muslim anger over the Prophet Muhammad cartoons, published a year ago, some villages are toning down their festivals, the newspaper El Pais said.

In the most recent case, last month the village of Beneixama near Valencia did away with the custom, the newspaper said.

It's come to this: "Outraged" Muslims no longer have to stage a protest--they don't even need to threaten a protest--to get the West to jettison an 800-year-old tradition.

Via Jay Nordlinger.

ADDED: The Independent applauds "the new sensitivity :

But in many places there is a growing realisation that freedom of expression is not absolute but needs to be governed by a sense of social responsibility. To elevate one right above all others is the hallmark of the single-issue fanatic. Sometimes it is wise to choose not to exercise a right.

Who can argue against an increase in civility in public discourse? But as seen here not all sensibilities are equal. It's A-OK to immerse a crucifix in urine. And applauding the murder of a Jewish cripple is fine, noble, transgressive. What's the difference? "There’s no mystery about it—it’s the threat of violence."