From a Western perspective one of the most frustrating aspects of battling Islamic extremists is that the “Muslim Street”–as well as government-controlled media and influential, high-profile spokesmen–don’t react to barbaric acts as demonstrably as they do to cultural insults. Mohammed-parodying cartoons and rank-amateur, anti-Islamic videos are an outrage; suicide sorties and “adultery” stonings seemingly another day at the office.
However, we now have serious rallies in Pakistan over the Taliban’s targeted shooting of a 14-year-old girl, Malala Yousafzai, whose transgression was speaking out for girls’ education. This arguably is progress, although it’s a sad commentary that rallying against the reprehensible has to be lauded.
Here’s hoping these morally-perverted assassins are soon captured. And maybe we in the West can then broaden our perspective. Perhaps there is a place for execution-by-stoning, after all.