A worldwide battle for free speech is taking place, with Denmark at the center of the storm. One of the most important and hard-won rights in the West is free speech. When free speech is chipped away in the name of avoiding offense, all else is soon forfeit. Western countries will have to decide where to draw the line -- or find themselves overtaken by tyranny. With the controversy over the Muhammad cartoons, Europe seems to be awakening to this struggle. Will the US follow? from SFgate