Once again adherents of Islam are about to find themselves in a quandary over how to respond to the cinematic ranting of the Dutch right-wing politician Geert Wilders, whose last film, Fitna, was a tirade against Islam that pretty much did nothing but rile a lot of people in this part of the world. Wilders has announced that he is preparing a follow up Fitna and it would behoove the Muslim world to pay as little attention to the new movie as possible. There is little doubt that Wilders is a wildly unpopular figure not only in Dutch politics but across the world. Only the most despicable people found anything to praise in Fitna and the film and its maker was criticized the world over for the small-minded attempt to exacerbate tensions stemming from the increasing number of Muslims moving to the Netherlands. Most Muslims who have made their homes there, of course, mind their own business, go to their jobs and worship for the good of their families and themselves. Others, such as those who killed filmmaker Theo van Gogh, for presenting what they determined was an unflattering picture of Islam and women, however, have offered the news media the opportunity to splash lurid headlines in front of the public. The fact is that Wilders' sentiments are about as common in the West as are the sentiments of Muslims who are moved to kill filmmakers because they don't like their ideas. Fanatics are always a small number with the capacity of committing extreme acts that reflect horribly on the causes they supposedly support. Concern should absolutely be expressed about Wilders' continuing harassment of Islam but Wilders and his work should not be blown out of proportion. It is not likely to have an effect on anyone who is not already steeped in misinformation about Islam and Muslims. While it is our obligation to spread the truth about Islam, it must be done with the deepest understanding that a religion as great as Islam is not going to be taken down by the small-mindedness of a racist legislator in the Netherlands. Granting him too much attention only serves to draw attention to ideas that are condemned by the vast majority of the human race. __
