Let's preface-rant a bit here before I really rant. I can't stand how the United States is handling it's foreign policy right now, particularly towards the middle east. Invading Iraq was wrong. A less heavy-handed approach needs to be taken towards Palestine and Israel. PBS recently did an interview with Lawrence Wilkerson that you all need to read. Lawrence B. Wilkerson was Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of State from August 2002 to January 2005. In the interview he said that the justification for war in Iraq was "a hoax on the American people, the international community and the United Nations Security Council". Strong words, and I agree. I have no love for this sort of policy.

Now that I've set that position, let me also express my extreme disgust for the kind of asshattery that is being perpetrated by certain Muslims around the world over a bunch of cartoons shown in a Danish newspaper months and months ago. People are dying now, because a bunch of conservative fundamentalists have sticks so far up their asses that they can't take a joke. Granted, broadcasters and media publishers have to show respect for other people's religious beliefs. But for GOD's sake, chill out: it's just a bunch of cartoons! Is it worth human life? When South Park or Family Guy portrayed Jesus as a regular guy with a bunch of cheap parlor tricks up his sleeve, did we see puritanical Christians burning down the Comedy Central or Fox Network headquarters? Or rioting in the streets? Or boycotting American products?

No, we did not. This kind of behavior is without precedent and not acceptable in a modern world community. If someone's bombing your house, or torturing your neighbors, or making a concerted effort to eradicate your culture, then I'm on your side; I've got a beef with what's being done to you. But if someone pokes fun at your spiritual or cultural leader, well, it's not polite, but that's life. Write the paper an angry letter, if enough people do the same, they'll apologize and retract. But don't blow things up, set things on fire, or do anything that costs human life. That's going WAY too far.

There seems to exist a climate in these conservative Arab countries of extreme religious fundamentalism which simply can't coexist with the rest of the world. Indeed, the president of Iran recently told a group of students that he would like to see Israel "wiped off the map". Hate is a powerful tool for driving a society, and even more powerful when it is coupled with religion. This isn't about Islam, and given that I'm dating someone of Arab heritage it CERTAINLY is not about race. This is about a culture of intolerance that exists in many countries. It is the culture of "our way is the right way". Really, I don't care how things are done in other cultures: I respect cultural diversity. What I do care about is that you approach the world with a respect for different points of view and a value of Human life.

Now an Iranian newspaper is holding a daily competition for best holocaust cartoon. It seems that in this climate lack of respect for human life (and indeed, human life itself) is a small price to pay to protect the sanctity of religion. That's something I'll never agree with. It's bullshit, and personally, I think God would be ashamed of it.

My favorite part of the whole situation is the thick irony. The Danish cartoons featured a theme which depicted Islam as a violent religion. Now conservative middle-eastern Muslims have responded through riot and arson.

Wow, you guys certainly proved them wrong.

P.S. - Read this.