Islam: February 2006 Archives
Many in the Muslim world continue to validate the stereotypes depicted in the forbidden cartoons today. Yesterday it was embassies in Syria, today the Danish Embassy in Lebanon gets treated to modern Islam's version of peaceful protest:
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Muslims protesting caricatures of Islam's prophet set fire Sunday to a building housing the Danish Embassy in Lebanon as security forces fired tear gas in an attempt to stop the protesters.
Thousands of protesters took part in the protest but only a small group of Islamic extremists tried to break the security barrier, prompting troops to fire tear gas and water cannons to disperse them, said the official.
Troops also fired bullets into the air and over the protesters' heads. Demonstrators attacked policemen with stones and set fire to several fire engines, witnesses said. Black smoke was seen billowing from the area. They also burned Danish flags.
Here's some pics of folks peacefully expressing their disagreement with some editorial cartoons:
To be fair, there are a few voices urging calm:
Lebanese Grand Mufti Mohammed Rashid Kabbani denounced the violence, saying there were infiltrators among the protesters trying to "harm the stability of Lebanon." Speaking on Future TV, he appealed for calm and said there were some who were trying to exploit the protests to cause trouble and "distort the image of Islam."
One can only hope that he's referring to the unpublished images widely distributed in Muslim countries for the express purpose of getting just the reaction we're seeing today.
Others in the region engage in denial as to the nature and scope of the protests. For instance, Lebanon's Prime Minister Fuad Saniora:
"Those who are committing these acts have nothing to do with Islam or with Lebanon," said Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. "This is absolutely not the way we express our opinions."
He probably doesn't have cable TV, which has been showing massive crowds engaged in "committing these acts". As for his view that it has nothing with Islam, I suggest he take a closer look at the sign, flags, and garments in the news coverage. Here's a photo of one of the protesters. Three guesses what he's holding, and the first two don't count:
Here's another from other protests in Lebanon today:
Lebanon isn't the only location for protests today. This is the scene in Turkey - the first photo shows Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen being burned in effigy, the second shows a sign that reads "May the hands that reach out against our Prophet be destroyed", the third is a separate effigy burning:
And more burning in effigy in Pakistan - check the size of the crowds:
But of course, it's only a handful of folks who have nothing to do with Islam.
The shameful and inevitable capitulation of governments in Europe to this kind of behavior will serve to spur even more violence in the future - because it works.
For those that dismiss these events as just childish emotional venting, I remind them that the above photos aren't of a kindergarden class - these are large numbers of adults who take to the streets and cheer every time some brainwashed robot takes his own life (along with women and children's lives) in the name of Allah. These are adults who encourage their children to violently hate the part of the world that does not follow Islam. These are the same adults who would welcome the destruction of Israel and the slaughter of each and every one of it's citizens.
Yes, these are sweeping generalizations. But in the absence of proof to the contrary being offered by Muslim leaders, how do they expect the world to see them?
When I see a protest of this size denouncing Islamic violence, I'll change my tune.
When the Palestinian's elected leaders changes it's charter, I'll change my tune.
When Iran's leaders, blessed by high-level Islamic clergy, stops calling for genocide, I'll change my tune.
No matter how offensive the cartoon are (and I agree that they are) nothing excuses the tidal wave of violent behavior we're witnessing today. And you can't blame Europe, either. This is the fault of Islam in general.
Time and time again since 9/11 there have calls to the Muslim community to police it's own. The response has never been more than tepid at best. It's time for the call to go out yet again - can Muslim leaders actually lead?
It's time for the Muslim leaders to show the world what Islam really stands for - are the cartoonists right?
The protest will probably die down in the next week or so. But it should serve as an eye-opener to a Europe that desperately needs it. Are they going to pay attention?
