The silent Islamic majority must be more vocal (slight rant)

As you will no doubt be aware, last week a Danish newspaper printed (rather foolishly, it turns out) a cartoon depicting the sacred Islamic prophet Mohammed as a terrorist.

Now, according to Muslims, there are two things wrong with this- the first, something we can all understand, is that Mohammed was shown as someone who would carry out atrocities such as 9/11 and 7/7. Obviously, very offensive.

Secondly, and this is news to me, apparently the pictorial representation of the prophet is offensive. I didn't know this. I'm not sure whether the newspaper which originally published the cartoon were aware of it or not. Either way, it was either deliberately offensive or very, very foolish of them to publish such an item.

An apology is required.

But, no matter how offensive to Muslim people this cartoon was, the way some of them reacted was completely over-the-top. Destroying the Danish Embassy and marching through Europe's capital cities with outrageously threatening placards is no way to show that you have been offended by having one of your most sacred religious figureheads shown as having violent tendencies. Threatening to 'Behead all who offend Islam' and putting a 'Jihad on those who disrespect Islam' is merely emphasizing the violence that these protesters were so offended by in the first place.

Muslim leaders are constantly on TV (particularly after 9/11 and 7/7) telling us what a peaceful religion Islam is. Then, the next thing we see are these threats of violence against people who, using their right of free speech, point out the parts of the Islamic faith they have disagreements with, or having failings.

That is not to say that the Holy Books of Judaism and Christianity (and probably most other religions) don?t denounce others. Of course they do. But it's been a damn long time since the other religions followed things like that quite so closely to the letter. So why do Muslims follow it so closely? And why do they appear to totally over-react in their quest for retribution, threatening beheadings, violent attacks and 'Holy Wars' on people who don't toe the line as far as the Islamic teachings are concerned?

And how are we non-Muslims supposed to see Islam as a peaceful religion when all we see of Muslim people on TV is them burning flags, detonating bombs and flying aeroplanes into skyscrapers?

Of course, these people are again, the minorities. The vast majority of Muslims are dealing with their offence by this cartoon in a dignified way. This is the same majority that denounced the terrorist attacks on New York, Madrid and London with such ferocity. The majority are decent people who quietly go on their way, sticking to their faith and practising it, yet are accepting of the rest of the world and their faiths and so forth.

But yet again, as happens so often in the Muslim world for some reason, the minority seem to the rest of us, to be representative of Muslim views and actions. That is why Muslims are often looked upon as extremists- because a vocal minority truly are.

And it's a real shame. The silent majority of Muslims should redress the balance and address the situation. They should not be letting these minorities (who seem to ruin every chance the Islamic World have of showing the rest of us what a peaceful and respectable lot they truly are) speak on their behalf, or on behalf of their religion. Enough is enough.

Sure, the image was offensive. It was distasteful and (whether intentionally or not), blasphemous. But instead of flag-burning, banner-waving and razing buildings to the ground, the situation should have been handled with a dignified calm and a sophisticated response. Sadly for Islam once again, the minorities ruined it.

I was reading in one of the Sunday newspapers, erm, on Sunday, that certain Muslim Scholars have called for an 'International Day of Anger' against this cartoon. What an international day of anger is, I'm not sure- but I believe my girlfriend has one once a month. A certain correspondent to this newspaper asked, quite intelligently in my opinion, where were the demands for this 'Day of Anger' after the atrocities of 9/11 were carried out in the name of Islam? Or were the many, many innocent lives so atrociously taken far less important than a cartoon which appeared in a newspaper in Denmark?

I agree that Muslims should be more vocal in their rejection of extremism. But do you know what that means? That means you as a moderate Muslim are putting yourself forward as target. In the "opponents" eyes you betray your faith, are blasphemous are somebody their religion would be better of with dead than alive.

Of course anyone can sit back and say "yeah well we have to stand up for freedom of speech". All very well but the people opposing freedom of speech are not like Nazi fascists who if you are white you can sit down and discuss things with. The people we are talking about are like animals, it doesn't matter if you are 99% like one of them or not. If that other 1% is missing and you offend them then they like to bite you.

Put it this way. When I saw those people rioting in London I would have liked to have driven down there and walked right in front of them with a Mohammed Cartoon T-shirt. But i didn't because even if the governments incitement to racial hatred laws did not exist I would still be putting myself in unjust danger. Also unlike normal people who would just mouth off at you (or at worst maybe even chuck an egg) these people would go Jihad. They would actually rip down the barricades and fight the police until they ether had their nails on you, or until there was no chance of doing so. In all probability people would have actually got KILLED. Hence I did not follow up the temptation of my T-shirt idea.

Deport those who do not tolerate freedom of expression is what I say. And yeah if that meant our own people then I would be glad too (only trouble is where to put them; North Sea anybody?).
I agree moderate Muslims should lead the population forward in dealing with Religious extremists. But how you get the numbers; and then once more, the numbers prepared to publicly distance themselves for what could be (for them) the fanatical family down the street is quite another thing.

Any Sugesstions Anybody?

[edit on 090705 by Liberal1984]