More On The Cartoon Jihad

How do you have a debate about the cartoons without letting anyone see them? Why do we accept the "spontaneous" eruptions of protest and violence in the middle east as if these actions were even remotely legitiment? Why are is the Canadian press censoring itself? Is it because of their "respect" for Muslim feelings? Or is it because they expect Muslims to behave like ignorant savages and they are afraid?

Whatever the reasons, the Canadian media has elected to dance around the issue. No problem with rabble.ca depiction of the pope (hell, I'm not even Catholic and I found it offensive), the Virgin Mary constructed of dung, etc. Nope, no free speech/sensibility problems there. I guess your sensibilities only count if you have a history of killing those that give you offence.

Whatever the reason, here's a quote from a Muslim woman who has more balls that the entire Canadian press corps combined. From Ayaan Hirsi Ali in Berlin on Feb 9/06.

Today, the open society is challenged by Islamism, ascribed to a man named Muhammad Abdullah who lived in the seventh century, and who is regarded as a prophet. Many Muslims are peaceful people; not all are fanatics. As far as I am concerned they have every right to be faithful to their convictions. But within Islam exists a hard-line Islamist movement that rejects democratic freedoms and wants to destroy them. These Islamists seek to convince other Muslims that their way of life is the best. But when opponents of Islamism try to expose the fallacies in the teachings of Muhammad then they are accused of being offensive, blasphemous, socially irresponsible - even Islamophobic or racist.

The issue is not about race, colour or heritage. It is a conflict of ideas, which transcend borders and races.
(....)
I do not seek to offend religious sentiment, but I will not submit to tyranny. Demanding that people who do not accept Muhammad'’s teachings should refrain from drawing him is not a request for respect but a demand for submission.

Oh I forgot. We can't really participate in the debate because we have been shielded from these horrible images.