Salam,

Life is 10% what happens, 90% how you deal with it.

Your young people are the thorn in your side, they create all these problems for good people like you to have to mop up. You dont see those same people defending their actions, you see people like you having to 'go into bat for them', thus meaning you cop the brunt, thus segregating even the most peaceful, well meaning muslims.

Laugh at this:

Jesus walked into a pub, threw 3 nails on the bar and said, bartender, can you put me up for the night?

Who cares. Laugh and deal with it in a way that would make Allah proud. If that means being violent, that is a fault, but if it means being able to ignore it and rise above it, that is great.

Let them print what they want, the virgin thing is true, so laugh at it. I have seen countless gay priest jokes, and i will tell you plenty. Does that mean christians start burning and pillaging?

its about give and take living in a free tolerant society. In order to have our freedoms, sometimes certain segments of society may offend. But hey, they are not murdering anyone.

Lighten up, and handle your 90% of what happens in a diligent manner, that is the problem at present.

Salam,those cartoons were a test. Yet another test of how far the madness has gone and how totally corrupt the Islamic world is when muslims can't look at themselves critically while innocent people are being bombed, raped (ie. Pakistan-Vani) and exploited under the banner of Islamic leadership.

How can Islam expect to treated as sacred in light of such atrocities? All religions, all dogmas, policial viewpoints, and policians are open slather for criticism. Anything that assumes power over a people must be made available for criticism. Muhammad has not in fact brought peace and love to the world, and therefore cannot be exempt from ridicule. Allah did not stop the printing of those cartoon either.

I believe that this is only the beginning Salam.. Cartoons, films, Salmon Rushdie and others have been and gone and more will come again. Only a dictatorship can stop people from expressing their creative thoughts. I would have thought that your choice to live in Australia would have assumed your preference for freedom of speech. We all have to compromise ourselves to live in a multicultural, multi-religious society that values freedom of speech. In my view, wouldn't it be better to ignore a few cartoons than risk your right to build a mosque and practice your religion. As Irfan says, there are more important things to be concerned about, which those cartoon were alluding to.

This is a pathetic posting. We have Imams pleading with editors not to publish these cartoons in Australia because it will lead to violence. Doesn't that say more about Islamic values and culture than the cartoons?

I'll accept censorship of the Western press when I see Islamic countries stopping their tirades of racism and invective about cannibalistic rabbis and pig-dog Jews (among the least offensive of the usual rubbish published weekly in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and the Palestinian community).

When Muslims can control themselves and their people, whom most Muslim countries keep poor, ignorant and manipulated by refusing to spend their oil and other revenues on improving the life of their ordinary citizens, I'll be ready to listen to lectures about horrible, insensitive Westerners.

Kevin

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”

It is one of the statements which truly defines what free speech is the about.

Islam has no special exemption from it. Nor does the Pope or any other “religion”, race, creed, doctrine, belief or sundry group of people.

Among other things, which Salem did mention, is that newspapers do express “opinions” and not necessarily their own opinions but other peoples opinions, some popular and others contraversial. A Newspaper is not constrained by government or good taste to limit its content.

The point of restraint is, do those opinions represent an incitement for people to do harm.

It is merely some Muslims who have decided to do some burning and looting not incited by the cartoons but as a reaction to them. Those Muslims are displaying their thin skins and lack of tolerance as well as their inability to accept criticism (fair or unfair).
Those Muslims have displayed the same lack of understanding as the Christians who have paraded out side of cinemas to complain about movies of one sort or another. They are no different to the anti-abortionists who blow up medical clinics because they disagree with the right of individuals to seek abortions.

Nothing Salem has said justifies the violent reactions to these cartoons.

These cartoons and the right of free expression, even when it is grossly offensive to some, are not the problem.

Muslims have the right to boycott but not the right to burn.

Whilst some might suggest Western Values do not reflect Muslim ideals my only response is – I do not care.
I am not a vassal to Muslim Values. I am not required to accept the Pope telling what I can do or say and nor am I required to accept a Muslim religious leader telling me what I can do or say.

To all Muslims everywhere, grow up and got over it and show us all how you can be bigger than the cartoons or damn yourself to remain small.

We're here in Australia in the 21st c. Here we look first at what we are 'ordered' to protest. Don't look at these links if you dont want to see.

http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/698
http://timblair.net/

Consider islamist idiots beheading westerners on video. Imagine putting up with racist slogans saying "death to France, death to Danes (and the truly bizarre "To hell with freedom")? But, yes, we do put up with it here EVERY SINGLE DAY and much worse.

I've never seen those videos. I would never "choose" to watch a murder by islamist serial killers. One beheading is worse than a million cartoons, here.

Le Soir had a headline: "They're going mad, Voltaire, where are you?"

No religion is above criticism here, particularly not a new one with problems. Mohammed is also not THE prophet here, he is merely A figure to some people here.

But my respect doesn't make someone's beliefs true. Just because I am threatened doesn't mean I'm wrong. The major question is ... WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN?

September 11 came out of the blue and showed us suddenly, horribly a group of barbaric weirdoes who claimed Islam in order to murder people. Those nutters actually thought they had the 'right' to do what they did.

Now after losing two countries and any shred of respect for this 'cause', even more followers try to nail the coffin down further. The posters of protestors confirm what we believed after new york was attacked without provocation, that weird and very dangerous people wish to kill you for your mere existence.

The so-called religion of peace is too violent. The daily failure to protest stonings, female inequality, arabisation of Aceh and the Sudan, hudood laws, dhimmitude etc. shouts its hypocrisy. Forget whether the west understands islam, the noisiest muslim voices have no clue about the west.

Unfortunately now, thanks to the bombers, the beheaders and now the bullsh*t artists below, islam's global credibility has finally been lost and willt ake a lot of work to get back.

http://www.cphpost.dk/get/93691.html
http://www.jp.dk/english_news/artikel:aid=3533280/

All should read this interview with Hirsi Ali, Dutch politician and friend and collaborator of Theo van Gogh. She knows what she's talking about.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/02/07/hirsi_ali/