I've been trying to get my head around the riots over the cartoons appearing in different papers around the world.
I can understand the depth of some peoples convictions when it comes to their faith - but when people promote bombings in retaliation for newspapers publishing these cartoons, I lose my patience. If you are insecure in you faith enough to destroy innocent people over this issue, perhaps you shouldn't be a part of the society you live in.
There's a lot of things I don't like about the society I live in, but I know the alternatives are much worse, so I'm prepared to make the most of where I am, and try to make it better. In this respect I have absolutely no problem with the local Muslim community protesting over the cartoons, as when the Catholics protested over the "Virgin Mary in a condom" incident. The right to protest, and free speech is an important method to sway public opinion - for the better or worse. Violent protest never accomplished anything. A great example of the power of peaceful protest was the Civil Rights movement in the United States. With peaceful protest they have accomplished more than any attempt by any other group who insist on violence.
Perhaps Islam, in it's current form, has no place in the western world - when the rules that apply to all other religions in the western world cant apply to it. A society has to benefit the people that live in it, or else what is the point of having a society? I cant help but think this entire problem has its root in oil supply - and I hope when we move from fossil fuels to an alternative, the reasons for many of these conflicts will change - hopefully not to be replaced by new ones.
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