BAD IDEA OF THE WEEK: Protesting against free speech

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in the Russian region of Chechnya to rally against the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. They marched through the streets of downtown Grozny, the capital of the predominantly Muslim region, releasing balloons and carrying posters that read "Hands off our beloved prophet" and "Europe has only united us." On Friday, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov wrote on his official Instagram account that those who defended Charlie Hebdo were his "personal enemies," and vowed that at least one million people would join the government-sponsored protest in Grozny. Russia, which has a large and restive Muslim population and waged two devastating wars against Chechnya in the 1990s, offered its condolences to France after the attack but has warned local publications against reprinting Charlie Hebdo cartoons that featured the Prophet Mohammed. Seriously, it's just a few cartoons. I don't see what the big deal is about a magazine exercising their right to free speech. It would be a much better outcome than caving in to terrorist threats like a coward.