The blogosphere is filled with pictures of demonstrations against the cartoons, and the all-too-often repellent slogans that have accompanied them, but Charles Moore (writing in the Daily Telegraph) makes this important (and frequently neglected) point:

“It is assumed that Muslims have a common, almost always bristling, view about their faith, which must be respected. Of course it is right that people’s deeply held beliefs should be treated courteously, but it is a great mistake – made out of ignorance – to assume that those who shout the loudest are the most representative. This was the error in the case in Luton, where a schoolgirl’s desire to wear the jilbab was upheld in the erroneous belief that this is what Islam demands. In fact, the girl was backed by an extremist group, and most of the other Muslims at the school showed no inclination to dress in full-length gowns like her. It’s as if the Muslim world decided that the views of the Rev Ian Paisley represented the whole of authentic Christianity. There is no reason to doubt that Muslims worry very much about depictions of Mohammed. Like many, chiefly Protestant, Christians, they fear idolatry. But, as I write, I have beside me a learned book about Islamic art and architecture which shows numerous Muslim paintings from Turkey, Persia, Arabia and so on. These depict the Prophet preaching, having visions, being fed by his wet nurse, going on his Night-Journey to heaven, etc. The truth is that in Islam, as in Christianity, not everyone agrees about what is permissible. “

The whole piece is well worth reading, his conclusion too:

“There is a great deal of talk about responsible journalism, gratuitous offence, multicultural sensitivities and so on. Jack Straw gibbers about the irresponsibility of the cartoons, but says nothing against the Muslims threatening death in response to them. I wish someone would mention the word that dominates Western culture in the face of militant Islam – fear. And then I wish someone would face it down.”