European Hypocrisy

A statement and question from Alex Tabarrok at Marginal Revolution:

David Irving, the British historian, was sentenced in Austria today to three years in jail for denying the holocaust in two speeches he gave in 1989. I have little sympathy for Irving but support the right to free speech. How can we in the West take a principled stand against radical Muslims who riot and kill to protest depictions of Muhammad when we jail those who attack our sacred beliefs?

"We" in America are not responsible for the actions of our European "allies." It is evident (not only from the Irving case) that most of Europe (especially "Old Europe") wants to defend life, but not liberty and property.