The overwhelming size of the demonstration by Sri Lankan Muslims

There was an incredibly massive demonstration today, 24^th of September 2012 morning in Kollupitiya on Galle Road towards the US Embassy in protest about the trailer for a movie, portraying Islam in bad light. The sheer numbers of Muslims, in their white caps, sarongs and white shirts looked almost like a well organized and disciplined army of people marching against this affront to their religion.

I presume, it was planned over the weekend with the initial Friday prayers, where they would have been asked to participate from all parts of the Country. There were at least 100 buses parked along the Marine Drive as far down as Bambalapitiya, Wellawatte area. It is a clear indication to all those aware of the strength of the Muslim Community in Sri Lanka to gather, and organize at a moment’s notice, when they feel their religion has been really or supposedly attacked.

I was searching on the web to see if Muslims in the Arab world flocked or demonstrated in such numbers and failed to see any except those that were more organized by fringe groups to cause violence as was the case of the murder of the US Ambassador to Libya. If any of the readers can correct my assumption, please feel free to enlighten me with the appropriate internet link.

The legal protections of the First Amendment are some of the broadest of any industrialized nation, and remain a critical, and occasionally controversial, component of American Jurisprudence. So the question is if this slander against Islam is protected or not and would defer to the US Supreme Court to rule on it, and prosecute the alleged perpetrator according to their laws.

I hope there not a sinister motive amongst the Muslim leadership in this protest as it is rather late, over a week late in fact, and therefore implies something more subtle as if it is really to give a message to the people of Sri Lanka as the US Govt. does not care a rats ass what anyone here in Sri Lanka thinks about them their freedoms or whether they wish to protest!

We must desist from making statements by such action, which can be misconstrued. In the long run it only damages the unity of our nation. Sense must prevail. I trust the Muslim leadership do not play with religion.