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September 25, 2006
Cliff May: Submit Or Die
Exerpted at Little Green Footballs.
Many commentators have pointed out the apparent hypocrisy: Muslims are outraged by cartoons satirizing Islamic extremism while in Muslim countries Christianity and Judaism are attacked viciously and routinely.
Many commentators are missing the point: These protesters — and those who incite them — are not asking for mutual respect and equality. They are not saying: “It’s wrong to speak ill of a religion.” They are saying: “It’s wrong to speak ill of our religion.” They are not standing up for a principle. They are laying down the law. They are making it as clear as they can that they will not tolerate “infidels” criticizing Muslims. They also are making it clear that infidels should expect criticism — and much worse — from Muslims.
I had exactly this thought last night. Many have observed the absurd contradiction in the implicit statement from the Islamists: "Do not call us violent, or we will kill you."
Actually, it's not a contradiction. At least not how they mean it. They're not actually taking issue with being called "violent." They are violent, as they're all to willing to declare, and demonstrate by shooting nuns and burning down churches.
What they're really saying is, "We are the Masters of the Earth, and we are violent, and we will abide no criticism whatsoever, no matter how truthful. You are dhimmis, and must accept your inferior station, or we will kill you."
The argument is not over whether what the Pope said was true or not. Truth doesn't enter into it. The argument is really about whether or not we have the right to criticize at all those who Allah decreed are the Rulers of the Earth.
They say we don't, and we'd better get comfortable with our dhimmis status posthaste or there will be... problems.