Free Speech?

Two things are bubbling up today. Cartoons published in a Danish publication depicting the founder of Islam are causing tremedous unrest throughout the Muslim world. In Britain the leader of a neo Nazi party managed to avoid conviction on race hate charges, although the speeches he had made seemed remarkably offensive to me, claiming that the Koran was justifying appalling (alleged) actions by Muslims against women.
In both cases it is suggested that there are issues of free speech involved. However, I cannot believe that suggesting the Prophet Mohammed is somehow a suicide bomber, that all asylum seekers are theives, rapists and murderers, and Muslims are hell bent on the destruction of western civilisation and democratic values contribute to rational political debate.
In the 1930s political cartoons were used to whip up hatred against the jews in Germany, justified the elimination of the rich peasants in Russia, and formed part of the irrational propaganda of many nations.
Satire can be a healthy part of any democracy, and the lampooning of political leaders part of everydauy life, but the evolution of a concerted attack on a minority of people extending the failings of extreme members to the totality is not free speech - it is just rabble rousing. As the vast majority of paedophiles in Britain are white men does this justify an attack on all white men? I don't think so. Why should the maintenance of free speech mean the broadcasting of irrational, unsubstantiated prejudices? This is the way of fascism - whether it be of the right or the left, the religious or the secular.
I find it interesting that in France there are so many concerns about religious symbolism being eradicated. Last year in Paris whole parts of the city rose up in rebellion against their constant oppression. It appears that the suburbs at the centre of the unrest contain not just those of african origin, but those who are regularly discrimated against in employment housing an education. There are remarkably few people of colour in the French media - do those of North African origin regularly read the news on French TV, are the names of those of West African origin to be seen as authors of articles in Paris Match? Meanwhile, many of the suburb dwellers are third or fourth generation French born citizens. One of the rioters said 'They will not accept us as French. Never will we be accepted'. Many of these people are Muslims - although they are not fundamentalists - yet.
I reckon this is going to run and run - there are riots worldwide now.