A good friend of mine, an Iraqi girl living in New Zealand said something which really struck a chord with me today and to begin this post please read what she said:

"I don't enjoy seeing muslims with banners held up 'behead those who insulted islam'", and then go read her blog post(s) here (to understand better where she sits on this): http://iraqiblogger.blogspot.com

This friend (Z), pointed out this simple fact: the Quran (holy book) does not support these kinds of actions and is against striking out at those who insult you. It is against the spreading of vengefull words and accusations. This is not to say there are none who believe they are following the Quran when they undertake such actions, but those who do are acting against their faith(you know, like BREAKING THE LAW, like ANY OTHER MURDERER etc). For those of you who would not trust her word (for whatever reason), see it for yourself.

As a non-muslim (even if it is disrespectful to some for me to do so) I am going to interperate a couple of quotes from the Quran into plain, easily understood english. Here goes:

[16:126] And if you punish, you shall inflict an equivalent punishment ([olivebranch]: If you punish, you will punish yourself as well). But if you resort to patience instead of revenge, it would be better for the patient ones ([olivebranch]: It is more rewarding to remain patient, rathern than strike out in revenge).

[24:15,16] You fabricated it with your own tongues, and the rest of you repeated it with your mouths without proof. ([olivebranch]You told them lies and they followed blindly) You thought it was simple, when according to God,gross ([olivebranch] You thought it was simple, but according to God it was so wrong). when you heard it, you should have said,"we will not repeat this.Glory be to You.This is a gross falshood." ([olivebranch] When you hear lies you should know,and you should say "I will not repeat this it's bullshit")

ahh you will have to mind any religious/political incorrectnesses here, it was never my intent to cause any anger to anyone- In fact the idea was the opposite.

The recent Cartoon Drawings of the Prophet have enraged millions of people and fair enough I can understand how some of what was drawn was offensive. Not because the Prophet should not be drawn (*i couldn't care less about what people want to draw for their own purposes*) but because if you are drawing such an important figure, you should undrestand what you are drawing. (ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE FRICKEN NEWSPAPER)

When you are drawing "your interpretation of the Prophet" you are drawing (in the opinion of millions) your interpretation of Islamic culture as a whole. When you picture him as a suicide bomber, you are saying those who follow the Prophet are following a suicide bomber. That is insulting a whole religion suggesting a whole religious population support the indiscriminate killing of innocent(often civilian) targets.

The reality couldn't be further from the truth.

Freedom of speech & all that Jazz- sure. Freedom to humiliate millions and increase the cultural divide already existing between the West and Islam? At your own fucking risk, not mine. If you want to draw a derogatory picture of the Prophet to show to your mates for a little joke, I guess you can go ahead. But if you are going to wave it in the face of already isolated, probably edgy Muslim teenagers, you better expect a backlash.

It's like walking through New York city holding a fake ignition switch in your hand, with a chord leading to your belt. You have to expect fire when there's a spark on a hot day in the bush.

I call for a calm, intelligent legal persuite on the basis of racism//prejudism by religion of ALL the newspapers publishing these cartoons. Under Australian "sedition laws" their publication in Australia could make you liable for any possible compromise of our nations security.

I call for an end to the violent destruction the kind those idiots who have the tenacity to display these pictures in papers across the globe prefer, or the equally stupid idiots calling for the "execution of those who drew the cartoons", or those holding signs "Freedom go to Hell", "Europe is the Cancer, Islam is the answer".

This just positions you against whole races, nations(continents!!!) of people indiscriminantly. It is the same kind of ignorant, reactionary thinking as those who displayed the cartoons in the first place; there is no difference. If you are not one of us you are one of them. You are the problem we have the answer. Selfishness, stupidity, ignorance whatever your chosen word; it's all the same.

- Can you think of a whole race, religion or nation who truely thinks this way about you & yours?

If you can you really should look at yourself and say "Is my logic a little like swiss cheese???"