The gauntlet has been thrown down

Submitted by Rebecca Moulds (United States), Jan 27, 2008 at 14:01

Geert Wilders is not a fool, but I wonder if he has a death wish? For the past week I have been waiting for something to turn up on YouTube and finally yesterday saw a two-part interview with him. Very enlightening and extremely brave of him to state that "Islam is retarded." Those are fightin' words in the Muslim world, and even knowing that his life is in danger having produced the ten-minute anti-Islam film, Mr. Wilders continues to pursue his path of single-minded antipathy towards Islam and all in entails.

Dr. Pipes asks " of what value or interest is freedom of expression?" Perhaps we in the West have deluded ourselves to believe that freedom of expression really exists, otherwise we would all use our own names, throwing caution to the winds, on such sights as YouTube and others where comments are welcomed. My own Judeo-Christian heritage is often attacked and I have never felt the desire to murder anyone because they may hate me or my beliefs.

I may get offended, but know that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and opinions. There is something inherently wrong with Islam that it produces the violent reactions we see on a regular basis. I hope that Mr. Wilders realises that he may have to hide out for the rest of his life, as Salman Rushdie has had to do. As for me, I am waiting to see this ten-minute film, but am very sad about any future consequences that Geert Wilders may have to endure.

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