The Big Event is here and gone. The bad actors (like the government of Pakistan) behaved as one could expect, but I hope the larger point got across: Islmofacists won't be able to scare the common American into silence with their threats... or, it would seem, the common Westerner in general.
This thing turned out to be a whole lot bigger than I would have thought. I really did think it would peter out rather than build and build toward May 20. I guess I'm not the only one who is pissed off at the say a handful of twisted morons can make governments and corprations snap to because they make threats.
There has been a lot of talk about the "good Muslim" and the "peaceloving Muslim" and the "moderate Muslim" who was offended by these cartoons. Well, I hope that Muslim got the message that I am equally offended by his allowing those who associte with him to bully and intimidate the people they don't agree with.
I still question the notion that the "good Muslim" and the "peaceloving Muslim" and the "moderate Muslim" have any influence whatsover where it counts in Islam, however. And my conclusion is strenghtened by this flim clip. It is the full film from the fantatics disrupting Lars Vilks lecture. (I agree that the film clip he present3ed was offensive. *I* was offended, and I have only slightly more respect for Mohammed than I have for Adolf Hitler. It wasn't pornographic--that's more of the usual Muslim exaggerations and lies--but it was a bit much.)
However, I think I did spot a couple of those "good" and "peaceloving Muslims" is the crowd of "protesters," and that's why I'm posting this clip. There's one guy in a white shirt and cap who looks very uncomfortable as his fellow "protesters" go ape-shit around him. He can even be seen shaking his head and looking disgusted at more than one occassion. Then there's the guy who talks a couple of his stupider cohorts to refrain from provoking and attacking the police.
If those two had been the majority of the "protesters," I doubt I would have felt the need to take part in "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day," because there wouldn't even have been a need for such an event.
But, until such time as the Muslims grow up and/or stop behaving like it's 1934 and they're members of the Nazi Party, then there will be more such events by those who refuse to be cowed by their threats and outbursts. Because every educated person knows exactly where we'll end up if we do.