Satire and the Muslim World

Some of you may have been wondering about the cartoon riots in Pakistan. I haven't been commenting on them because a) so much has already been said; and b) I haven't personally encountered any. People in Pakistan treat me the same as they ever have -- mostly well. I have had a few watercooler discussions with my Pakistani colleagues over the riots (when people start setting things on fire, they're rioting, not protesting, dammit!). My colleagues are uniformly unhappy with the cartoons but disgusted by the violence. I think/hope this is the silent majority, though it's unfortunate they remain silent. In the face of fundamentalist rage, however, I can't entirely blame them.

In the meantime, I'm keeping my head down and am soon leaving Pakistan for... Morocco.