Of Cartoons and Riots - an Act of War?

Again and again I've read of the protests, riots, burning buildings and death that surrounds the publishing of a cartoon that derogatorilly depicts the Prophet Mohammed. Now, while I think the cartoon was in extremely bad taste, and would certainly take offence if I were Islamic . . . riots, burnings, killings. . . NO!

For some reason, many Muslims feel that their belief in Islam makes anything concerning their religion sacrosanct. They seem unable to comprehend the idea of a free press, that governments in democracy's do not censor political cartoons in newspapers or other places, and that burning an embassy, rioting and killing people will not change that. If we can publish cartoons of Jesus, Moses, or anyone else, why not Mohammed? When Christians, Jews, Hindus, and most other religious people protest, they do it with their dollars and their patronage. Don't buy the paper. Buy ads protesting the cartoon and presenting your own point of view. Write an "Op Ed" piece and get it published in the same newspaper. Draw your own cartoon about anyone you want, and submit it for publication.

If Islam is a peaceful religion, as most of its supporters claim, then those who are violent in its name are guilty of sacrilege and should be properly punished under Islamic law. If it condones violence against innocent people in its name, then the cartoon is accurate and need not be protested. Neither situation involves violence and those who perpetrate it are not religious zealots but mere criminals whose actions need to be accounted for.

As with the taking of the American Embassy in Teheran, if the government in power does nothing to protect the embassy (sovereign territory under international law), knowingly allows such violence or worse, sponsors or encourages it, it should be viewed by the countries whose embassies are being attacked as an Act of War, and dealt with accordingly.