Claus Christian Malzahn writing in Der Spiegel Online:

The attacks against the pope are especially grotesque. The severe criticism — often coupled with threats of violence — directed at the speech held last Tuesday by Benedict XVI is not just an attack on the head of the Catholic Church. The malicious twisting of the pope’s words and the absurd allegations made by representatives of Islam represent a frontal attack on open religious and philosophical dialogue. That so many in the Muslim world joined the protests against the pope merely show just how influential Islamist extremist groups have become. The political goal of the Islamists is clear: any dispute between Christianity and Islam must obey the rules handed down by political Islamism… The response needs to be firm. Freedom of speech, after all, is a vital value and needs to be defended. Any attempt to make political speech hostage to some imagined will of God must be resisted.

Read the whole thing.