You can’t start the New Year without a religious nutjob trying to murder someone they perceive as a threat to their way of life. Remember back in 2005 when the Muslim world was freaking out about a bunch of stupid cartoons depicting Muhammad as a terrorist? Turns out Kurt Westergaard, arguably the most high profile cartoonist involved, was attacked in his home yesterday by a radical Somali Muslim.

Kurt is thankfully alive, since he managed to flee inside his panic room and set off the alarm (guess he planned ahead). His axe wielding assailant (interesting choice of weapons I suppose) tried to then escape, attacking a police squad that later shot him in the shoulder and knee to bring him down.

I imagine Islamic apologists will say Kurt brought this kind of thing on himself by “insulting” their precious religion. Moderates may try and condemn the attack, but they still claim the cartoons are sacrilegious. It’s like an open invitation the more radical segment of their own faith to take drastic and murderous action against “offenders”; think of it as a bullshit “bad cop, good cop” routine where one guy beats the shit out of you while his partner begs you to confess for your own safety.

Westergaard was taken to a secret location while things cool off, but his defiance in light of threats on his life leads me to believe it’s only a matter of time before he gets iced by some radical Islamic madman for the crime of blasphemy. Isn’t religion grand?