SR,

While I admire your skilful attempt to muddy the waters, the right to free speech is about the right to express one's opinion in a public forum, and should not be confused with the right to harass people.

However distasteful the comments of the "Sheik", I would support his right to state them in public, and the right of the public to ignore him. However, the moment he begins deliberately to target people with offensive letters, he commits a crime that is unrelated to free speech.

Poirot, we may have a double edged sward here. Up front these radicals say they are avenging 'the prophet', and on the surface that seems to be the accepted objective. There is also an interpretation that one less visible objective of these radicals with their attacks, is to insight the general non Muslim community to turn on moderate Muslims within, therefore forcing radicalisation onto some moderates,and thus strengthening the radical cause. So far the majority of moderate Muslims through their leadership have been at pains to show their solidarity with the rest of the community over these radical attacks.

p/s I love 'Father Ted' and that was a good episode.

<<So far the majority of moderate Muslims through their leadership have been at pains to show their solidarity with the rest of the community over these radical attacks.>>

I recall reading an account of the rise of the Ayatollah in Iran . Expats living in Iran found that their long-time moderate Muslim friends and associates suddenly became raging fundamentalists overnight --denouncing all foreigners and aspect of liberalism. Every one who is not a watermelon needs to give it some thought.

Radicals? More like fundamentalists and the 'moderates' would be more likely to regard them as such - as the purists, the true believers, Jihardists.

otb,

Australian standards require livestock to be
rendered unconscious and insensible to pain
before slaughter. Limited exceptions for
cattle - broadly accepted by Muslim and Jewish
groups permit stunning with a captive-bolt pistol
immediately after the throat is cut.

The Primary Industries Council of State and Federal
Agriculture Ministers have started reviewing ritual
standards back in 2007. The Australian Meat Industry
says its awaiting its findings. This has been a
controversial issue for some time - and we'll have
to see where it ends up - especially when big profits
are tied in with the equation for the meat industry.
The laws also in this area are not crystal clear -
and that complicates things becaue all Australians
are free to follow any religion they choose, so long
as its practices do not break any Australian law.
And that is something regarding ritual killing that
has not been settled as yet.

It is clear that the vast majority of Muslims in France, as they did in Australia, do not support the actions of a radical minority, in fact they condemn such actions. Even our conservative leadership recognise that fact. So much evil has been perpetrated in the name of religion, be it Christian or Islam. Shows that all religions are useless.

SPQR the history of Iran under the US backed Shah was terrible, one form of extremism was replace by another. You reap what you sow.