EDITORIAL - Reacting to the Danish editorial cartoons that depicted images of Muhammad, the Iranian newspaper Hamshahri initiated an editorial cartoon contest of its own. In an attempt to illustrate the hypocrisy of the West's dedication to free speech, the editors of Hamshahri called on "artists" from around the world to enter editorial cartoons about the Nazi slaughter of over 6 million Jews during World War II; the Holocaust. While the editors at Hamshahri may be attempting to prove a point, the truth of the matter is that should the editorial boards of all the newspapers in the free world take a pass on publishing these cartoons they are missing a tremendous opportunity.

The row over the Danish cartoons was about so much more than trying to "insult" the multitudes who blindly and obediently practice Islam. It was about taking a stand for free speech in the free world in the face of unyielding totalitarianism. It was about acknowledging that the world is in the midst of a religious culture war that most of the civilized world thought was over centuries ago. It was ? and still is to a certain extent ? about delineating the lines in a struggle to literally drag, kicking and screaming, a culture from the unenlightened bowels of the Seventh Century.

In a world where scientists are experimenting with the DNA helix and governments are struggling with the morality of cloning, stem cell research and genetic engineering, in an age where a man-made spacecraft explores the surface of Mars, the idea that women can still be "stoned" for dressing inappropriately or killed to vindicate honor is evidence enough that the Muslim World is in dire need of some sort of epiphany.

Another example of the Muslim World's desperate need for ideological rejuvenation is their process of political debate. To be kind, it is a bit extreme.

Where those of the free world may, on occasion, sling mud, negatively campaign or float ideological propaganda, in the majority of the Muslim World, when they take their political debate to the streets, they really take it to the streets. This usually entails setting fire to buildings and cars, blowing up the rival sects places of worship and many times killing a few people in the process.

So, it is with a bolt from the blue that instead of setting fire to something or sawing someone's head off with a rusty Seventh Century blade, that the editors of Hamshahri initiated the Holocaust editorial contest, as repulsive as it is.

Not surprisingly, there are many "artists" who decided that mocking Hitler's act of genocide was, well, "just a super idea!" Perhaps they envisioned a status boost after winning the Iranian propaganda contest. Or, because cartoonists seldom get any virgins for anything, that they would be admitted into the reserved section of Dante's Club Inferno for a private one-on-one meeting with ?ber anti-American cartoonist Ted Rall.

Some of the "artists" taking part in the contest hail from: Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Columbia, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, France, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, the Palestinian controlled territories, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey, Britain, Venezuela and the United States.

It is disquieting to note that aside from the editorial funnymen of the host country, Iran, who number 57 ? funnymen who may or may not have been "encouraged" to participate ? the United States ties with Brazil and China in having six "artists" contributing to this spectacle. By contrast Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Sudan and Syria only have one contestant a piece. I guess we are assured of at least a bronze medal in the participation category.

While this hateful concept of editorial cartoon reprisal is beneath contempt, it is ultimately indicative of the mindset of those controlling Iran's government. In light of that, I hope that the mainstream media and all new media outlets around the world publish each and every one of the winning cartoons in the Hamshahri editorial cartoon contest.

Not only will publishing the creations of these tortured minds prove to the Muslim World that the West is not hypocritical in their unwavering support of free speech, it is a perfect opportunity to once against expose the fact that radical Islamists are hate-filled, egotistical, genocidal maniacs that believe the only correct way to believe is as they do. The word totalitarian doesn?t scratch the surface of the maniacal arrogance born of radical Islam.

Yes, I say publish the Holocaust cartoons. Let people make them into t-shirts and computer screen wallpapers. Put them on stamps and on billboards. Publish them as widely as possible. Let everyone see the hate that exists in the hearts of those who have championed the annihilation of a country and its people. Expose the darkness of the souls who cheerfully blow-up innocents in the name of religion and who promote sectarian violence in neighboring countries. Showcase the pre-Medieval mentality that threatens the world with acts of barbary and terror so limitless that God Himself gets sick to his stomach.

Sooner or later, the continued exposure of the hate-filled, those so consumed with odium, will lead to their demise, their extinction, their "Holocaust." It will come in the form of true religious enlightenment devoid of intolerance, an ideological epiphany for the religion of Islam that will cast out the unholy narcissism that endorses terror and murder. And when this happens we can all have a good laugh?because it all started with a cartoon.