i totally agree with kester’s sentiments on his blog today. the irony of the current furore surrounding the pope’s comments is truly astonishing. as kester bluntly puts it it is like saying
You say I’m violent once more, and I swear I’ll smack your head in
Irony is lost on those who oppose with violence the right to speak freely. However words can cause as much damage as graffit, fists or bombs. Bendict XVI needs a severe sense transplant if he thought for a minute his quotation would not elicit a violent repsonse from aspects of Islam. The sayin, “It ain’t what you say its the way that you say it!” doesn’t hold water here. What he said, despite the intention of peace, meant that the offence created a violent response. Violence is never excusable in my book (you know which one that is :-)) but it is an understandable reaction from those for whom the Prophet Mohammed only brought true religion. At the very least he should have expected them to be offended by the quotation which could have been avoided and, imho, should have been avoided.