Gibbons Released, Gulf Remains

In the release of Mohammed teddy bear teacher Gillian Gibson, British Muslims acted as one would hope they would -- as Britons, not Islamists -- with demonstrations in support, and two Muslim MPs flying to Khartoum to intervene directly on her behalf.

I'm not going to nitpick too much because this is a welcomed move in the right direction (even if it reflects just increased PR savvy and not decreased militancy), but I do hae a bone to pick with MP Nazir Ahmed's statement, as quoted in WaPo today:

This is a case which is unfortunate, unintentional, innocent misunderstanding.

I'm with him through "unfortunate,"' but the case is ultimately not about what Gibbons did -- that's what Ahmed is referring to when he says "unintentional, innocent misunderstanding" -- but about how Islam reacted. There is nothing unintentional or innocent about that.

Islamic clerics first demand 200 lashes for the teacher, and screaming mobs with swords demanded Gibbons' head, showing the world how far Islam is from wanting to be a part of the rest of the world.

Ahmed didn't talk about that, focusing not on Islam's beliefs but on Gibbons' actions. Until Islams looks at itself and decides it hates what it sees, there will be more teddy bear incidents -- many of which will not turn out as well as this one did.

hat-tip: memeorandum