[Griff]

I've been thinking about my and others' reaction to this whole thing. My view of Islam and its adherents is complicated. Having been inside, I have little love for organized religion. Like any ideology, be it fascism, progressivism, conservatism, liberalism, or libertarianism taken and embraced it gives a false clarity to the workings of the world. The blind spots created are defended relentlessly.

My own blind spot is in the department of perpetual war. I can't see the value in helping to topple dictators when the most obvious power to fill the vacuum is the religious nutter who will be even more oppressive than someone not speaking for god. I'm glad a more moderate Libya is standing up, but I'd be lying if I said I expected good government types to have the staying power of religious nuts.

As far as Moslems in the West are concerned, they must be more open as people to choose emigration. Those I've worked with basically match the other religious in the US, who interestingly, are condemned for their beliefs by militant liberalism at about the same level as Islam is defended by the same. The bottom line to me is that organized religion, which seeks to alter society rather than the individual is a great enemy of liberty and should be acknowledged as such.