[BigV]

Can you blaspheme in someone else's language/religious tradition?

I do see it as blasphemous. The writing is pretty clear that depictions of the Prophet are viewed as idolatry. It is also clear that it is very insulting. That's an incindiary combination.

However--it is the reaction to such provocations that counts more than anything.

Righteous indignation? Perfectly justified. Killing and burning, wreaking havoc against uninvolved third parties? Perfectly hypocritical. "Justifying" by inventing some causal relationship between a dairy conglomerate and the author of the cartoon based on nationality? An excuse for hooliganism.

There is some level of insult to me or those dear to me at which I will respond. Depending on the insult and how stirred up I am at the time, I can easily envision a violent reaction. Who here could not? In these times, the Muslim world it very stirred up--the air is saturated with an attitude of persecution. And this is a very grave insult. The reactions are predictable.

But it is a cartoon. It is not a crime against a person. It is pictures and words. It is not violence. It is an invitation to a fight, but it doesn't have to be an excuse for a fight.

It is evidence of intolerance and hypocrisy. And both sides are showing their intolerance and hypocrisy to maximum effect.