why extremism pays

extremism does pay. this is fact. look at publishing: what do you reckon the odds are of gettiong a publisher to print a book lambasting mohammed as a hoodlum/bandit/kiddie-fiddler? (not that he was any of these things, oh no!). i'll tell you. none, zilch, zero. why? coz the last time someone tried it (not that he did, the text in question was remarkably tame i thought) he had to put up with death-threats, safe-houses & MI5 protection. other people that attempted to translate the work didn't get any protection at all and, as a result, were killed. why? the extreme tactics of a (probably) fairly small group of islamists backed by the iranian state. you see: they threaten everyone who tries anything with the ultimate punishment and what happens? no more quran questioning. that's what.

take, as further pointing, the current israeli crisis. one side (there are more than two, by the way) the jewish religionists we shall dub them want but one thing. the entire holy land in jewish hands. this is for religious reasons, i believe, but that's not important. what is important is they are asking for all of it. not a bit, not a section, all. your palestinians, on the other hand, are mostly just asking for smewhere to live (i realize that some palestians call for israel to be "pushed into the sea" but they only just thought of that, too late, some would say) suffice to say those asking for more, tend to get it.

this is my point. if you ask for the whole cake you are likely to get a bigger slice, ask for one bite only and you'll get but crumbs. this is an essential point that any protest group ignores at its peril. always, always ask big. way, way bigger than actually need or want. you see, if you ask for the world it makes getting a country seem like a good deal. the budget option as it were. and what have we learnt about the 'powers that be'? 

they're fucking cheap. that's what.