Thoughts on the Riots

My viewpoint can be summed up by this comment from Arminius over at Booman Tribune, which is a response to this diary by catnip, which I wholeheartedly endorse as my view.

I agree. I'm glad to see this posted here, saved me the trouble of writing something similar. It's not a "free speech" issue. What crap. I'm rabidly offended by "art" that directly seeks to defile Christian images and to provoke offense, and I feel exactly the same about "art" that directly seeks to offend other religious sensibilities. The newspapers and magazines that are continuing to add fuel to this fire (such as the French magazine that just put a Mohamad picture on its cover) are horribily irresponsible.

The governing principle is not the First Amendment.

It's the Golden Rule.

This whole farce is succeeding in its goal to whip up outrage from all directions. The muslim demostrators have had enough of the imperialistic policies of the West, while the fires of xenophobia gather in strength across Europe and United States.

It will lead to more war.

Which country will be the unlucky recipient of continued military force? Iran? Syria? Lebanon?

Rumi's right, we are all being Punk'd

[UPDATE] See what I mean?

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice accused Iran and Syria on Wednesday of instigating Muslim protests triggered by drawings of the Prophet Muhammad, and President Bush pleaded for an end to violence.

"I have no doubt that Iran and Syria have gone out of their way to inflame sentiments and have used this for their own purposes," Rice said. "The world ought to call them on it."

She did not offer specifics during a brief State Department news conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. The United States accuses Iran and Syria of funding terrorism and has tried to unite world opinion against both Middle Eastern nations.

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