Cartoonist Molly Norris of  Seattle has been given a new identity by the FBI in the wake of threats on her life. She was a promoter of the protest, Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, on the heels of Comedy Central’s censorship of South Park episode 201.  Fears about Norris’ life, based on threats (a fatwa, in Islamist parlance) made against her, caused the FBI to act in support of her safety.

The threats are of course offensive, and represent a vile attempt to suppress speech in the U.S. But at least a group of American and Canadian Muslims has spoken up about the disgusting behavior of violent Islamists: 

http://www.theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/a_defense_of_free_speech_by_american_and_canadian_muslims/0018241

This letter in support of free speech is signed by many scholars, professors, interfaith leaders and experts. It is a bold and meaningful attempt to say that the principles of Muslim do NOT require threats, hate and violence, and that such actually desecreate the intentions of the Koran.

We and others have said for a long time that the most effective voices against radical Islamism will come from within the Muslim community.  The brave authors of this letter have validated that assertion. The more letters and protests against the uncivilized barbarism of Islamism, the sooner the voices of intolerance will be quieted.