The Chocolate Jesus Controversy

I don't particularly get upset when people who fashion themselves artists take great pleasure in poking a sharp stick in the eyes of people they hate and call it "art". It is part of whatever anger issues they have not resolved with their parents and I take it as such. Additionally, I firmly believe in free speech and the freedom of expression. I also think that religion, given its basis in faith and not fact, must accept that it will be the target of non-believers. It is part of the deal.

But Michelle Malkin does, I think, make a good point. What would the MSM, who generally refused to reprint the infamous Danish cartoons on the grounds that they were offensive to Muslims, do if another "artist" crafted a chocolate Muhammad during Ramadan? It does seem clear that they certainly wouldn't publish photographs of the thing. After all, they did refuse to show the offending cartoons.

This raises the question: are the MSM afraid of offending religious groups across the board, or only afraid of offending religious groups that have a history of violent reactions when offended?