Short answer: No. Not in the least. If you think I do, I ask you to produce proof.

Long answer:

Ace has a post up about an op-ed in the Toronto Star by Antonia Zerbisias that does make the claim that the evil Right wing hates Muslims.

Her proof?

That everyone who has decided to post the Mohammed cartoons has done so because they hate Muslims. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look.

Follow their politics and you’ll understand why they’re on this particular blogwagon: they hate Muslims. In fact, if they were to write about Jews the way they sometimes do about followers of the Prophet Muhammad, they’d be denounced as anti-Semites or Holocaust deniers.

So it isn’t surprising that some of their more eager acolytes have gone far beyond denigrating the fanatical rioting, which has, at deadline, claimed six lives and left hundreds of wounded.

No doubt, the Kartoon Karnage Kapers are inexcusable, and threaten to escalate into even more senseless death and destruction. That’s why the absolute glee with which this has been received by the online cons strikes me as so puzzling. Do they enjoy the blood sport of watching out-of-control Muslim mobs in the streets?

Hmmm. Ok. Let me explain why I chose to blog on these cartoons. Since Ms. Zerbisias accuses the Right of making sweeping pronouncements equating all Muslims to the rioters, while in the same breath herself making sweeping pronouncements that she can divine the intent of my post, allow me to defend myself.

For historical purposes, it is helpful to remember that these cartoons were first printed in the fall of 2005. Why they are just now beginning to cause an uproar is beyond me. Also, as has been covered elsewhere, you would almost think this “spontaneous” uproar was planned in advance with prominant Imams distributing fake cartoons to the masses.

I vaguely remember when this story first broke in 2005. About a week ago when all the action started, I noted it, but was not going to blog on the subject. Frankly, I have grown tired of the militant Islamic movement screaming EVERY TIME they see or hear something they don’t want to see or hear. Especially since when they scream, violence usually follows. Did I say that because I hate Muslims? No. I said it because it is true. Don’t believe me? The Koran is rumored to have been desecrated, riots and deaths follow. A movie is made that challenges Islam’s treatment of women, a Dutch filmmaker is killed. The presence of Ariel Sharon at a Jewish shrine near the Temple Mount sets off the Second Intifada.

But.

When I heard the radical imams and clerics begin to threaten violence and say things like, “Well, we ourselves would not do such things, but we can’t always control the masses”, that is when my backbone straightened and I said no more. I decided to post the cartoons in defiance to the threats and to show solidarity. I may not like Europe and many times they act in ways to purposely frustrate the U.S., but we do have one thing in common: a Western liberal form of government. Free speech means something to me. Does that mean that I am happy when my religion is defamed, and it is almost constantly? No I am not. But the tenets of free speech are what I hold onto. So when another government is threatened with violence and actual violence begins to break out because radical Islam is upset because a CARTOON is published, I stand up and take note and stand with them. I will not be pushed around by a ruthless mob.

Her statement: “Do they enjoy the blood sport of watching out-of-control Muslim mobs in the streets?” is just plain stupid. No I do not “enjoy the blood sport”. But I will say that the current riots, murders and threats of more violence should serve as a wake up call to the Left here and in Europe. If we cave in and begin giving up our freedoms and the sacred tenets of our society for the sake of political correctness and multiculturalism, then we will lose this war. Make no mistake, we are at war with Radical Islam. We are at war because THEY chose to start a war. Why? The Left would have you believe that it was because of root causes like poverty and past actions, but the real reason is because Radical Islam is incompatible with Western liberal societies. The very things that we cherish are anathema to them. Here is a short list of reasons why they hate us:

1. Women have equal standing with men before the law
2. Homosexual rights - you think the Right is intolerant. Just wait for the return of the Caliphate
3. Sexuality of any kind - public displays, not the 72 virgins the martyrs are expecting.
4. Freedom of religion - just try to convert FROM Islam or read a Bible in Saudi Arabia
5. Freedom of press - this goes along with freedom of religion. They may hear or see something that offends them or helps women
6. Secular government.

Now tell me, which of those freedoms/tenets of our society are we willing to give up in order to appease Radical Islam? I say none. Also, the Left does not understand that the very things they themselves believe are what angers Radical Islam. Think of all the things that you believe in that make you a proud little progressive. Got them all in your head? Well guess what? EVERY single one of those things that makes you a good little progressive makes Radical Islam hate you. It is as simple as that. So if this most recent spat of violence helps the Left understand who we are fighting, then maybe we can begin to fight to win.

I hate that I even have to type it, but here we go AGAIN. I understand that not all Muslims adhere to Radical Islam. I do not hate Muslims. But I do have a BIG problem with Radical Islam.

This Photoshop is the best example of the mindset of our enemy:

Also, I highly recommend two great essays by Rusty over at The Jawa Report:

Marx, Communism, Totalitarianism; Muhammed, Islam, Terrorism

and

No, Islam is Not Just Like Buddhism