Chirac abandons free speech...

Well, how's this for a defense of free speech?

French President Jacques Chirac accused newspapers printing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed of "provocation," after yet another French publication put the contentious caricatures on its pages. "Anything that can hurt the convictions of another, particularly religious convictions, must be avoided. Freedom of expression must be exercised in a spirit of responsibility," Chirac told his cabinet, according to a government spokesman on Wednesday.