This is exactly the difference in religious extremism that seperates us from the Muslim world. We poke fun at Jesus/God all the time, it's become accepted in our mainstream society. We use the Lord's name in vain, etc. But their version of Jesus is somehow different??? Please.... these guys should all go and take a chill pill....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,183551,00.html

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To whom will the EU surrender freedom of the press? Syria? Iran?

Agreed. These people are just ridiculous.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

And why are the Europeans bowing down to them so easily and eagerly? The last ones I expected to express regret are the Austrians. In parts of Prussia, like Germany for example, Islam is not even an official religion. (That is, it's not tax deductable like any form of Christianity or Judaism). So what's with the fuss??

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That's far from the truth. Notice that newspapers in other EU countries have published the same cartoon as a show of solidarity. However, no one in Europe probably expected such outrage and so many threats from the Islamic world. The Austrian leadership, currently leading the EU, seems to have decided it's time to try to diffuse the situation. I wouldn't exactly call that bowing to them, just a wise, diplomatic gesture.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Not surrendering to their demands, merely appeasing them.

B

PS Here is one offending cartoon. I feel I must kill a cartoonist. It is the will of God.

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sacred cows(pardon the asimile) and untouchables but that all vanished in the 60's and 70's. i can't think of a subject off limits to satire or a free press and therein lies the difference. the arab world does not have a free press. the arab world does not have democracy. the arab world evodently does not have satire. the arab world has hardlines that cannot be budged and in some countries, like saudia arabia or friends(?), they have islam as the religion of law not preference.

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currently
[1981 300 td tdidi 165500 dark brown/palamino-Brownie-mine-3k miles of ownership
1983 240d 162+++ Anthricite grey w/ henna red interior and hella lights-wifes car-Red

the above two cars are for sale
and can be seen on the cars for sale thread here. pix also available.


240d-144+ Manilla Yellow w/ palmino interior-greasecar kit-Blondie-the college kids car

23" gt 21 speed still on original tires-still got the nubs
21" khs tandem

It's a variation on the Salman Rushdie affair, minus the fact that the author was a Muslim. Do Muslims expect that in multi-cultural democracies there should be rules governing who can make fun of whom? Is there any substantial difference between that cartoon and a claim by a religious critic who says all religion is a deceptive means of social control?
I watched the exchange on News Hour tonight and couldn't really make complete sense of the Muslim representative. He referred to a genocide of Muslims in Europe ten years ago. What was that?
It's comparable to the Piss-Christ controversy a few years ago.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Since you've clearly shown to be the expert in handling Islam threats by now, what exactly do you suggest is the wisest approach here? Let me guess: send out the bombers...? Invade some lame third world desert country for phoney WMD reasons...? Hey, maybe even revamp some of our ol' concentration camps to put 'enemy combatants' away without trial.... (and make sure the guards don't have digital cameras of course)?

Please help out an ally in need.

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2011 Prius

You could just capitulate, give in to any and all demands, repeal any and all rights that might offend the Muslims world. In the future you could, prior to publication, submit every newspaper to the local Imman to make sure no Muslim sensibilities are disturbed. Let us know how it works out for you.

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I'm sick of .sig files

This is just pure silliness. I didn't see any christians in the West rising up chanting death to the Arabs when a church gets blown up in Pakistan which happens quite often and needless to say is a much greater offense than some silly cartoon. I wonder how many Muslims are this crazy or if it's just a few extremists causing all the noise.

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2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

Thanks. Maybe we'll give that a try. Funny really, how the Muslims in the world are so sensitive these days. I mean, they've been around for a quite while and never gave any probs, ....until recently. Something must have disturbed them. Got any clues as to why they've become so upset??

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2011 Prius

You know your absolutly right, those Muslims have just been a fun loving happy go lucky group up to now. Maybe their upset about the 1972 Munich olympic attacks, no wait wasa minute that Muslims carrying out a violent act. Well maybe their upset about the attack on the Achille Lauro cruise liner, you remember that one don't you? Thats the on where the 79 year old wheel chair bound man got pushed overboard so he could drown. No wait a second that Muslims carrying out an act of violence. Maybe their upset about first bombing on the World Trade center that killed about 30 people, whoops sorry that was Muslims carrying out an act of violence. Maybe their upset about the day that fun loving guy stood outside CIA headquarters and machined gunned people as they came to work, no that was a Muslim again carrying out another act of violence. Perhaps their upset about the twin embassy bombings, USS Cole attack, Khobar towers attack in Saudi Arabia, oops sorry those were all acts of Muslim violence too. You know, your absolutey right those Muslims have been so peaceful up to now I just cannot imagine what would set them off now! Well, you just capitulate to them and kiss their peaceful little rear ends, let us know how it works out for you.

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I'm sick of .sig files

Don't explain, don't apologize. Stand to your belief in a free press. If you still believe in a free press.

B

Munich and A'Lauro were PLO attack's: they're not Islamist, remember, completely different issues. Or you might just aswell conveniently include McVeigh, Lockerbie, the IRA in your list aswell.
Regarding the attacks on WTC e.a.: didn't that happen after you yourself put OBL on steroids in Afghanistan to create your own Islamic Frankenstein and chase the infidel Russian's there out, after which he turned against you -his master- for the very same reasons in Saudi Arabia??

Seems to me it's you who disturbed this Islamic hornet nest, which the ROW is now facing to calm down.

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2011 Prius