Seems to be the passtime for the moment. I dunno, things seem to be out of hand... But do you think the Danish should formally apologise somehow, even if it was a cartoon written by a newspaper? Seems to me this thing isn't going to die down overnight like your regular dispute.

What I hate is how this is perceived as an attack against Muslim religion from the whole of Europe. Eh? I don't get that part. So what happens to European/European-lookalike people living in Muslim majority countries, will their houses get torched too, themselves being kicked and punished in the name of a prophet?

IMO the cartoons were in bad taste. But I think burning the Danish flag and such is not the right way to respond.

And on a semi-related note, I really despise the terms "Westerner" and "Asian", not because it's insulting in any way, but it describes an entire chunk of the world, and then it's assumed that particular chunk of the world is all on the same side - At least, to the regular idiot. Not to people like those who post in these forums and other such places - We have brains.

Hmm I dunno... I think the media is to blame for nearly everything, they are the s###-stirring mofos, so to speak.

Err, what happened for those of us on the other side of the globe...?

Formal apologies by the government over what was published in a privately owned newspaper is not only stupid, it's on the road to government censorship.

Err, what happened for those of us on the other side of the globe...?

Several European Newspapers printed cartoons featuring various religious firureheads including the prophet Mohammed. Apparantly, any drawing or image of living things is offensive to muslims, especially the prophet.
So the hardliners started marching with banners like "Europe you're 9/11 will come, Death to Democracy, etc".

The irony that the only reason they can protest is the same reason the images could be printed appears to be lost on the hardliners.

See Maeg's thread on HLP (something like "yes! Go France")

f### knows why they marched in London, the BBC only recently showed partl censored images. Does seem like an over reaction though.

They're hypocrites and they don't deserve an apology.

They're hypocrites and they don't deserve an apology.

Exactly.

Especially as they're too stupid to tell the difference between the Norweigan and Danish embassies...........

Just need to bear in mind these people are overwhelmingly fundies looking for an excuse.

Just read an article about it.

Aye to the hypocrites reaction.

There's been heaps of cartoons taking the piss out of many other religeons over the years. Yet there wasn't a need for mass murder etc.

Democracy I don't think works for certain groups, especially when their religeon has many contradictions to the basic fundamentals of freedom and equal rights.

Just read an article about it.

Aye to the hypocrites reaction.

There's been heaps of cartoons taking the piss out of many other religeons over the years. Yet there wasn't a need for mass murder etc.

Democracy I don't think works for certain groups, especially when their religeon has many contradictions to the basic fundamentals of freedom and equal rights.

I don't think it's their religion so much as the abuse of it (by leaders, clerics, whatever) to gain power. Let's not forget there are people out in Uganda who are kidnapping/enslaving children as long massacring and raping civillians in the name of Christianity, for example.

True.

Yet still, these are meant to be the civilized people of certain groups and still...

When it comes down to it I still firmly believe all religeon is warped and mistreated by human hands in one way or another.

It's instructive to consider how much (critically acclaimed, no less) art has been less the kind to Christianity.

It's almost as if there is a fundemental immaturity about Islam, that it can be roused to violence so quickly...

It's instructive to consider how much (critically acclaimed, no less) art has been less the kind to Christianity.

It's almost as if there is a fundemental immaturity about Islam, that it can be roused to violence so quickly...

I think you'll find any people can be roused to violence quickly, given the right type of prodding.

I think it's got more to do with the nature of islamic fundamentalism. It's easier to pull violence out of the Koran than it is the bible. Same number of fundies, same stupid reactions, but while the muslims burn embasdsies and fly planes into skyscrapers, the Catholics sabotague afrtican condoms, and the protestants Invade middle eastern nations at whim.

I think it's got more to do with the nature of islamic fundamentalism. It's easier to pull violence out of the Koran than it is the bible. Same number of fundies, same stupid reactions, but while the muslims burn embasdsies and fly planes into skyscrapers, the Catholics sabotague afrtican condoms, and the protestants Invade middle eastern nations at whim.

Perhaps, but you also have to look at which religion holds the most international/geopolitical power. Fundamentalism in any form is a vicious, evil thing; but it is IMO a lot easier to raise it in a region that has a history of being somewhat beaten down by foreign nations.

Seriously, torching an embassy seems to me like an act of war, even if it's the civilians that are doing it. If I where Denmark, I wouldn't be appolagising, I'd be kicking ambassadors out of my own country. Seriously, the embassy burning thing seems like a huge escalation.

And I agree with Aldo btw, nothing specific to do with the Koran, just a bunch of fuckheads who happen to be in power. Someone of an international muslim organisation mentioned something along the lines of 'those people are as much representative of us, as the BNP is of the general UK public'.

Seriously, torching an embassy seems to me like an act of war, even if it's the civilians that are doing it. If I where Denmark, I wouldn't be appolagising, I'd be kicking ambassadors out of my own country. Seriously, the embassy burning thing seems like a huge escalation.

It is, but it's nice to see the various European countries noth having some degree of conviction in freedom of speech, and also in not stooping to the protestors level.