Also sorry I missed that inspiring demo.

Several thousand Muslims turned out today to demonstrate against the controversial cartoons of the prophet Muhammad – but the numbers were far lower than the 30,000 the organisers hoped would take part. They gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square holding banners proclaiming: “United Against Incitement And Islamophobia.”

Good about the numbers. Bad about the moral blackmail.

A series of speakers gathered to offer their support to the Muslim community but also to voice their opposition to the ongoing conflict in Iraq. Jeremy Corbyn MP, a long-term protester against the war in Iraq, said: “The only way our community can survive is by showing mutual respect to each other. We demand that people show respect for each other’s community, each other’s faith and each other’s religion.”

As usual – ‘the’ Muslim community, as if every single Muslim thinks the same thought and breathes the same breath. And then the outrageous demand that we all show respect for all ‘faiths’ and religions. Do I have to respect the Raelians? The Branch Davidians? The late inhabitants of Jonestown? The Heaven’s Gate community? Is there any leeway at all for me to say ‘yes but this is all a load of codswallop and I don’t respect it in the least’?