You'd think the angry Muslim mobs would have tired themselves out with ranting and rioting over a bunch of Danish cartoons by now, but evidently news travels slowly in Pakistan, where sizable numbers of fools, having seemingly tired of rioting in anger over the discovery of a few pages of the Koran in a drain, are now busy burning down their own country because of a few lines of ink published in a newspaper they'll never see, in a language they'll never comprehend.
More than 1,000 protesters stormed into Islamabad's diplomatic district while thousands vandalized Western businesses and torched a government building in another city Tuesday, in Pakistan's worst wave of violence against the Prophet Mohammed cartoons, officials said.At least two people were killed.
Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao said two protesters died in the worst of the violence in the eastern city of Lahore, when a bank security guard opened fire to prevent demonstrators from forcing their way into a bank.And yet this is the "Religion of Peace™" to which the likes of Kofi Annan and Jack Straw insist we show respect? "Respect" has never been so cheaply earned - Mr. Annan, as a secularist worshipper at the altar of mammon, I'm personally offended that these idiots should have chosen to insult my most dearly held beliefs by sullying what ought to have been a day of tackily commercialized sentimentality with their ludicrous, murderous rage, and I demand that the UN do something about it!He said paramilitary troops were deployed in the city to restore order, after stone-throwing protesters ran amok.
Witnesses said rioters torched the provincial assembly building and targeted Western businesses, breaking windows at a Holiday Inn hotel and Pizza Hut, KFC and McDonald's restaurants.
They also damaged more than 200 cars, two banks, dozens of shops and a large portrait of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, witnesses said.
It should of course be noted that this is all Denmark's fault and has nothing to with either the rioters or the Danish Imams who whipped up this furore. Indeed as this NYT article by a Dane who makes Jack 'Iron Balls' Straw look like a principled defender of free speech, points out-
[i]Now, the general view, expressed in the press and among a majority of Danes, is that the Muslim leaders who led the protests in Denmark should have their status as citizens examined because they betrayed their fellow Danes by failing to keep the controversy within the country.
But the real story is that they and their followers ran out of options. They tried to get Jyllands-Posten to recognize its offense. They tried to enlist the support of the government and the opposition. They asked a local prosecutor to file suit under the country's blasphemy law. And they asked ambassadors in Denmark from Muslim countries to meet with Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. They were rebuffed on all counts, though a state prosecutor is currently reviewing the case. But, really, what choice did they have?[/i]
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/12/opinion/12burcharth.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
See they had abolutely no option but keep complaining for months on end and invent new 'offensive' cartoons to show to people in the Middle East.
Posted by: Ross | February 14, 2006 at 08:07 PM
Good to see someone call out those evil, oppressive Danes, whose recalcitrance in the face of demands for punishment of private citizens utilizing their freedom to speak, has driven poor helpless Muslims worldwide into fits of threat-making, arson, rock-throwing and even murder. Why, how else could any reasonable person expect decent, peace-loving individuals to express their rage, other than in such a manner?
One could easily mistake Mr. Burcharth's op-ed for a Swiftian effort at satire were one not so certain it was meant in earnest ...
Posted by: Abiola | February 14, 2006 at 09:34 PM
"They asked a local prosecutor to file suit under the country's blasphemy law."
Which of course would criminalize the Qur'an for denying the divinity of Christ. They were lucky not to get the protection of this paticular law.
Here's a thought - take them seriously and prosecute them into the ground. Jail the imams for inciting the burning of Denmark's embassies.
There's already a backlash among Danish Muslims aginst these imams; can't remember the reference. The people involved are putting themeselves at risk by speaking out, and that's fine; if they want to defend what they have in Denmark, they can act like citizens.
Posted by: Jim | February 14, 2006 at 11:27 PM
We'd all better watch our tongues now - the ROP might just be a-listening around the corner:
http://odili.net/news/source/2006/feb/14/200.html
[...fled soon after making the statement that was said to have injured the feelings of Muslim students in the school...]
Ah yes! Hurt feelings again! A meme is born in the Muslim community. Allah Akbar, and so on and so forth. Derogatory statements are punishable by death, the language police will be summoned...
What's more:
[...According to Daya, the police were stationed to carry out 24 hours routine surveillance in and arround the School, to ensure absolute security and peace, while urging the general public to be law abiding and give usefull information on criminals and criminal activities, as the police was ready to protect its "informant."...]
OhMiGosh! Criminals and Criminal activities...I suppose all the heathens commenting on this thread qualify, don't they? Say your Goodbyes fellows - The claws of the ROP are long indeed.
Arresting students in a University - that free market place of ideas, polished ivory tower, abode of all types of thinkers and non-thinkers - Well, this is the "Islamic civilization" that our dear friend Juan Cole would have us understand more - this is his "anti semitism" at work, and whats more, it is these people that the West is importing in hordes.
I am in good mind to start dragging any so called Physics Professor who dares suggest the world aint flat to court. I will not brook such an assault on my feelings, and as a Flat Earther, will demand that the Government accord my beliefs the respect they deserve.
PS: I also believe that our flat world is balanced on the back of an Elephant, standing on Turtles, extending all the way down. I will be making a case about this in court also. Damned Newtonians hurting my feelings. I'll show you! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Posted by: Chuckles | February 15, 2006 at 01:29 AM
What happens if Muslims made the three really awful cartoons that were spread around? Do they get to ignore the prohibition against depicting Muhammed? Is it like the prohibition against suicide--the law is off so long as you are hurting infidels. In this case if you can pass off the depictions as being made by infidels do can you escape damnation?
Posted by: Sebastian Holsclaw | February 15, 2006 at 07:12 AM
With the release of previously unpublished photos of alleged brutality at Abu Ghraib, let us get ready for another bout of the usual hysteric hissy fits from the foaming rabid dogs aka Mohammedans.
Posted by: Charlie | February 15, 2006 at 09:24 PM
I think it is rather more reasonable to get upset over government-sanctioned torture than some offensive cartoons published by a private newspaper...
Posted by: Andrew | February 15, 2006 at 09:55 PM
You know the story over here in Belgium is that it's a plot manufactured by the neoconservatives. The story goes like this. Flemming Rose the editor of the cultural section of Jyllands-Posten and the man who published the cartoons is a neoconservative and a good friend of Daniel Pipes. They and other neoconservatives want other media to publish those cartoons to inflame not only radical but also moderate muslims. The goal it to persuade Western public opinion that all muslims are violent and dangerous and so that a clash of civilizations in the Middle-East is unavoidable. The result should be a total victory for Israel. The magazine breaking this story seem to have read a lot of this guy: http://kurtnimmo.com/
Enjoy.
Posted by: ivan | February 16, 2006 at 11:35 AM