Actually, having thought about it more, what irks me about the cartoon thing is the way in which both sides seem to be playing roles in their clash of civilisations fantasy. Having knocked out Christianity, the Enlightenment warriers are now looking to take out Islam. Likewise, the extreme response suggests there are plenty of Muslims ready to take up the challenge. Now if they were to keep their role-playing to themselves that would be one thing. But all of the more reasonable, and reasoned, people caught in between are cajolled into taking sides. This sort of things stiffles dialogue, and that is what is intended by ideologues on both sides.