The American Society of News Editors, one of the core organizations of the journalistic establishment,  has been exposed as a gaggle of cowardly hypocrites. The Washington Examiner queried the ASNE on their reaction to the mortal threat faced by Molly Norris, the Seattle cartoonist forced in hiding over "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day."When The Examiner asked the American Society of News Editors for a statement on the issue, none was forthcoming. This despite the fact that the first sentence of ASNE's Web site describes its mission as supporting "the First Amendment at home and free speech around the world." We got a similar response from the Society of Professional Journalists, despite its dedication "to the perpetuation of the free press as the cornerstone of our nation and liberty."Freedom of speech and press are in deep trouble when the American government thinks the best it can do to protect a journalist from death threats is to counsel...(Read Full Post)