and now Condi Rice has barged in and blamed Syria and Iran for inciting it all, which is garbage, Iranian politicians were pleading for calm this week.
The Middle East has been rife with anti-Jewish, anti-Western cartoons for yonks. It's nice to know that even in the more radical countries they are pleading for peace. What a nice world we live in.
I don't normally like what Ann Coulter writes, but this one hit the nail on the head. Sarcasm can be beautiful.
CALVIN AND HOBBES -- AND MUHAMMAD
By Ann CoulterWed Feb 8, 8:16 PM ET
As my regular readers know, I've long been skeptical of the "Religion of Peace" moniker for Muslims -- for at least 3,000 reasons right off the top of my head. I think the evidence is going my way this week.
The culture editor of a newspaper in Denmark suspected writers and cartoonists were engaging in self-censorship when it came to the Religion of Peace. It was subtle things, like a Danish comedian's statement, paraphrased by The New York Times, "that he had no problem urinating on the Bible but that he would not dare do the same to the Quran."
So, after verifying that his life insurance premiums were paid up, the editor expressly requested cartoons of Muhammad from every cartoonist with a Danish cartoon syndicate. Out of 40 cartoonists, only 10 accepted the invitation, most of them submitting utterly neutral drawings with no political content whatsoever.
But three cartoons made political points.
One showed Muhammad turning away suicide bombers from the gates of heaven, saying "Stop, stop -- we ran out of virgins!" -- which I believe was a commentary on Muslims' predilection for violence. Another was a cartoon of Muhammad with horns, which I believe was a commentary on Muslims' predilection for violence. The third showed Muhammad with a turban in the shape of a bomb, which I believe was an expression of post-industrial ennui in a secular -- oops, no, wait: It was more of a commentary on Muslims' predilection for violence.
In order to express their displeasure with the idea that Muslims are violent, thousands of Muslims around the world engaged in rioting, arson, mob savagery, flag-burning, murder and mayhem, among other peaceful acts of nonviolence.
Muslims are the only people who make feminists seem laid-back.
The little darlings brandish placards with typical Religion of Peace slogans, such as: "Behead Those Who Insult Islam," "Europe, you will pay, extermination is on the way" and "Butcher those who mock Islam." They warn Europe of their own impending 9/11 with signs that say: "Europe: Your 9/11 will come" -- which is ironic, because they almost had me convinced the Jews were behind the 9/11 attack.
The rioting Muslims claim they are upset because Islam prohibits any depictions of Muhammad -- though the text is ambiguous on beheadings, suicide bombings and flying planes into skyscrapers.
The belief that Islam forbids portrayals of Muhammad is recently acquired. Back when Muslims created things, rather than blowing them up, they made paintings, frescoes, miniatures and prints of Muhammad.
But apparently the Quran is like the Constitution: It's a "living document," capable of sprouting all-new provisions at will. Muslims ought to start claiming the Quran also prohibits indoor plumbing, to explain their lack of it.
Other interpretations of the Quran forbid images of humans or animals, which makes even a child's coloring book blasphemous. That's why the Taliban blew up those priceless Buddhist statues, bless their innocent, peace-loving little hearts.
Largely unnoticed in this spectacle is the blinding fact that one nation is missing from the long list of Muslim countries (by which I mean France and England) with hundreds of crazy Muslims experiencing bipolar rage over some cartoons: Iraq. Hey -- maybe this democracy thing does work! The barbaric behavior of Europe's Muslims suggests that the European welfare state may not be attracting your top-notch Muslims.
Making the rash assumption for purposes of discussion that Islam is a religion and not a car-burning cult, even a real religion can't go bossing around other people like this.
Catholics aren't short on rules, but they couldn't care less if non-Catholics use birth control. Conservative Jews have no interest in forbidding other people from mixing meat and dairy. Protestants don't make a peep about other people eating food off one another's plates. (Just stay away from our plates -- that's disgusting.)
But Muslims think they can issue decrees about what images can appear in newspaper cartoons. Who do they think they are, liberals?
Harry Kerdean
"Catholics aren't short on rules, but they couldn't care less if non-Catholics use birth control." AFRICA " No they just forced the whole world near enough to be Catholic at one point. Cheerleading the extermination of other religeons such as Judaism.
" Conservative Jews have no interest in forbidding other people from mixing meat and dairy." Let's not discuss the crucifixion of Christ, but I do know my wife, whose nan is Jewish was spat at in Israel just for showing her knees.
" Protestants don't make a peep about other people eating food off one another's plates. (Just stay away from our plates -- that's disgusting.)" Must be one of the only things they haven't made a peep about in their history ie burning at the stake and Catholics in thye UK being treated as second class citizens.
The Middle East isn't exactly 21st century is it?
Besides that food or pregnancies is hardly in the same league as depicting their God in a laughable way. The people kicking off in the West were a 'minority', I really don't see the Muslims in the West as trying to force their way of life on us either, in fact nor in the Middle East, all I can see is them wanting us to leave them alone, but we can't, due to our needing oil.
The Iraq and democracy working is laughable, the place is on the brink of civil war, due to the West mainly protestants trying to 'enforce' democracy on them, not that our religeons would do such a thing in the 21st century. That's not saying Saddam was a good bloke by the way or an ideal leader, but that's a whole new argument.
As for the US and democracy, Palestine and Bolivia rests the case, Democracy but on whose terms.
"Largely unnoticed in this spectacle is the blinding fact that one nation is missing from the long list of Muslim countries (by which I mean France and England) with hundreds of crazy Muslims experiencing bipolar rage over some cartoons: Iraq"
Completely wrong I'm afraid, the flamable flag industry is as vibrant in iraq as it is anywhere else.
Good point maddan, in fact I'm thinking about putting Danish flags on E bay - do you think they can get E bay in the Middle East? Maybe the furor will have died down when they realise I have none, or maybe I'll even be the next picture on a placard.
Harry Kerdean
I haven't really followed this since it started while I was off in Sharm El Sheikh. However, it seems to have caused a lot bigger fuss than Bush's plans to blow up Al Jazeera.
Wasn't that about unsuitable images appearing on TV?
Come to think about it - aren't Reuters still complaining at the death and imprisonment of their operatives when attempting to film the Americans in action in Iraq?
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