CNN.com - Cartoon protests turn deadly - Feb 6, 2006

CNN.com - Cartoon protests turn deadly - Feb 6, 2006

Have extemists mugged Islam? Or is this the face that we will see more of as time passes? Is this being stretched and distorted by the media? Or are these tens of thousands of people protesting as violently as appears?

Who is it that said Islam is a religion of peace? Our government/president has said so; was this just said so as cover?

George Neumayr, at National Review said this this morning, in his article, “Religion of Peace” or Riots, '"Uproars over criticism of radical Islam almost always follow the same ironic trajectory. First, someone makes an observation about the violent character of Mohammed or Islam. Then what follows? Violent protests and rioting, which serve to illustrate and confirm vividly the criticism that occasioned them."'

'"One of the unstated reasons for hesitating before calling radical Islam violent — the reason the fog of political correctness thickens around it — is that it does contain elements of violence. Western society falls silent lest its criticism of Islam result in an explosion of anger validating the criticism."'

Here is some sanity that is a bit more proper; speak with the checkbook - '"Meanwhile, Saudi supermarkets are banning Danish products. Arla Foods, a Danish company, told the Washington Post that its sales have come to a "standstill." But will Islamic fury at these cartoons mean that Muslim immigration into Scandinavia may come to a standstill? Whether or not radical Muslims are that upset remains to be seen."'

Whether or not the religion is being highjacked; everyday peaceful moderate moslems need to step up and denounce the violence of the protests. But we may be waiting awhile as they still haven't stepped up to the plate in their denouncing extremist violence that is part and parcel of the war on terrorism.