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Death and destruction over cartoons is ludicrous.
The Islamic fundamentalists may have had the world's ear when they were simply shooting guns and voicing threats of decapitation and amputation, but now people have died. The militant Muslims are no longer the victims. A political cartoonist's freedom of speech is to expose absurdities in the world culture, yet the Islamic fundamentalist freedom of speech is to kill those who don't believe in their beliefs?
Director van Gogh was left with a message knifed to his chest. A French editor was fired. Dutch politician Hirsi Ali is on a Muslim most-wanted list.
The Islamic fundamentalists are merely reinforcing their own stereotypes. Perhaps a mediated discussion between all parties would help? Or maybe not: Zealotry is generally void of reason, let alone humor.
