I would wholeheartedly agree that the vast majority of Muslims have no interested in terrorism or in absurd protests and have no doubt whatsoever that these protests are being fueled by exactly the same type of nasty little religious creeps in the Muslim world as we see represented here in our Christian world by people like Pat Robertson or Jerry Vines (Baptist preacher who notoriously and unrepentantly described Mohammed as a pedophile a few years ago.)

One of the cartoons, which I find hiliously funny, depicts a bearded mullah flanked by two women who are all in black wearing the burkah, with only their eyes uncovered. The Mullah figure is in white with only a black rectangle covering his eyes. This is pretty funny, but if you were a Muslim Pat Robertson analog, wouldn't you find this a threat to your authority and a wonderful excuse for stirring up shite?

The whole world needs to stand together against these bullies--of whatever religion--and deflate their pompous egos.

I got curious about the cartoons and went looking for them. Along the way, I found an Islamic cartoon site called something like "radioislam.org." It features cartoons showing stereotypical hook-nosed Jews manipulating the United States and controlling the media. One, for example, shows a Jew (with the obligatory hook nose) and a yarmulke leaning out of a TV screen and vomiting on the floor. How charming.

NOW: Should we hold our breath waiting for any Muslims to say those cartoons were offensive? Heck, they weren't even funny. At least the Danish cartoon about Allah turning back suicide bombers from heaven ("Stop! We've run out of virgins!") was funny!

This is one more display of religious hysteria. We've had similar displays in the United States, such as the Scopes monkey trial, the occasional lynching of Jews in the South as well as black people, and the hysteria a few years ago over Martin Scorsese's "Last Temptation of Christ." But the displays in the Muslim world vastly dwarf such displays of American goofiness. It was only a few years ago that millions of illiterate Muslims paraded and protested and threatened and blustered over Salman Rushdie's book - a book none of them could read and that they had only hearsay knowledge of.

(By the way, when Muslims think that suicide bombers will be treated to 72 virgins each, they don't stop to think that there aren't any virgins in Paradise -- the U.S. soldiers from World War II all got there first)

In Saudi Arabia they point to our censorship moral authority to censor their own citzens and proclaim it only they who can 'save' Islam. Does anyone remember Salman Rushdie?

This is partly a reply to Sum Guy. He says that the reason these cartoons are declared "offensive" by Muslims is because no depictions of the prophet are allowed in Islam.

But wait a second! Why should I be bound by such ridiculous laws when I'm not even a Muslim, don't believe in any organized religion, and think that Islam and other organized religions are complete B.S., systems of controlling people? Why should I be forced to believe something I don't want to and be controlled by Islam when I'm not even a Muslim? This is the real reason that the cartoons are being reprinted. In western societies we are not bound by Muslim religion and law and we have the right to free speech. We are not subject to arbitrary rule according to strange laws written thousands of years ago. Why should I be made subject to these laws? So that I don't offend someone I have to let myself be controlled by nonsense?

Muslims who have a problem with this should really look at themselves. What is it about themselves and their own faith that makes them so insecure and scared of these cartoons that they have to lash out against them? Why is it that they expect others to live by their rules and laws? The problem is not the cartoons but the negative reaction of Muslims to them (for those who have a negative reaction to them).

Civilized people in the west do not try to impose their beliefs on Muslims, no matter how strong we feel about them (obviously we're not talking about Bush and uncivilized war supporters). We learn to accept things that we don't agree with. I don't agree with the way women are treated in Saudi Arabia but you don't see me and a bunch of my friends surrounding the Saudi embassy, burning its flag, and threatening to take the ambassador hostage!

This is insanity sparked by religious fanaticism. It happens with Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other religions and sects and it's a sickness--a mental sickness that leads to acts of violence, war, and death. Maybe some of those offended will really take a look at the underlying issues that caused them to be offended and start to think for themselves. Maybe they will learn to respect others and their beliefs. Maybe they will learn to let go of trying to control what others think and start trying to control what they think!... Now there's an idea!

Orbital, I agree with you one hundred percent. Non Islams are not bound by Islamic law and should not be forced to change their ways to placate Muslims. It is ridiculous. Not to mention the hypocrisy. Any rational person who was offended by the cartoons, at the very most may have supported a boycott, and they have the right to do so.

But the reaction was worse than the cartoon. Burning flags, using flags as a doormat, masked gunmen (cowards by the way; why didn't they show their faces huh?) storming European Union offices. Because it cannot be said enough, that is what gives Muslims a bad name. And yes I know it is not all Muslims, but when was the last time you saw a mass protest-against suicide bombers, or the treatment of women, or non muslims in a their society. Anyone, anyone at all.

The fact that the Muslim world frequently denigrates Jews, Christians, and Non-Muslims makes any protest moot.