The Muslim riots currently spreading throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East should not be blamed on the newspapers that ran the cartoons eliciting the negative reaction. Blame lies squarely at the feet of Islamic fundamentalists leadership who turned outrage into violence, inciting a population whose inability for productive self-analysis intensifies the situation.
Thousands of angry Muslims have taken to the streets in protest of the perceived slight of their prophet, Muhammad. The cartoons, one of which depicted the prophet as a terrorist, were originally published in September in a misguided and ill-conceived newspaper "experiment." The cartoons were designed to provoke response and have unquestionably succeeded in that regard. However, the response of fundamentalist Islamic clerics is to blame for the widespread violence, not the drawings themselves.
Muhammad's likeness is not depicted in Muslim culture for religious purposes, but the editorial cartoons were never meant for worship. They were nothing more than culturally insensitive doodlings that are being used by extremists for their own preexisting political agenda. When Pat Robertson calls for the assassination of foreign leaders, the Christian right doesn't flock to the streets in response. The fundamentalist wing of their religion is misleading Islam's most vulnerable followers, the poor and oppressed of the Middle East, much to their own detriment.
Those spreading mayhem on the streets lack the introspection shown from the segment within their own society refraining from the rioting. Some are looking for another way, but are drowned out by those not looking within themselves self-critically for understanding. Maybe the depiction of Muhammad was tasteless, but the criticism is based on at least a modicum of truth, and rioting Muslims are merely living up to that caricature.
Bush to Buffalo: drop dead
Federal courthouse's move to backburner an affront to region
President Bush's $3.74 trillion budget proposal for 2007 is heavy on military spending and light on governmental programs. And Buffalo gets screwed as a result.
There is no money in Bush's budget for the new downtown federal courthouse that is planned for Niagara Square, even though the federal government has already purchased four buildings on the spot and scheduled their demolition. This shouldn't come as a surprise; the Bush administration has shown real talent in blowing things up, it's the rebuilding they can't get right.
By not funding the federal courthouse, which has local and national bi-partisan support, Bush is guaranteeing another undeveloped eyesore in prime real estate land for the Nickel City. A majestic section that was once the home of Millard Fillmore is destined to become another example of urban blight. Bush can't fund the $93.7 million courthouse because of the deficit he created, but still pushes for permanent tax cuts. This is a logical fallacy, and Buffalo suffers as a result.
If worse comes to worst, Buffalo can always follow New Orleans' unique response to Bush's budgetary shortcomings. Though the White House pledged millions to rebuild New Orleans, it still lies mostly destroyed, so Mayor Ray Nagin is looking towards international aid to help rebuild. Hopefully, Congress will demand the federal courthouse project's funding through completion. If not, there's always asking Canada.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
