Second, as in the Rushdie Affair, freedom of expression became the primary framework within which major political and public figures interpreted the murder and the controversy over Submission. Legitimate criticisms of the film took a backseat to louder calls to defend this Western freedom at all costs. The Dutch prime minister identified Van Gogh as "a champion of freedom of expression."

XREF: Echoes the broader pattern of how Western responses to Islamist violence get framed, paralleling the earlier Rushdie Affair discussion in the same text.

Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Intro…, loc. 385