@Saladin

Yes, and of course I’m completely against anyone actually harming them–or threatening, menacing, or harassing them. I’m against it because I’m always against such behavior, which is just wrong, but also because it plays into their hands, as you suggested.

When Irshad was talking in the video I saw recently of her accepting the award from Fatah, they showed some people, who appeared to be Muslims (and I wouldn’t put it past them to stage it, though sadly, I can certainly believe it was real too), counter demonstrating. They were very loud and rowdy, and of course, they were caught on camera, a few masked in wrapped scarves, and most of them shouting.

Why do they have to do this? If they had simply protested her appearance peacefully, or better yet, used the question and answer session to challenge her with tough questions, I think that would be better.

I did see, in another video, a polite Iraqi man wait his turn and challenge Noni Darwish with his questions and statements, and it made her look pretty bad. She couldn’t justify her position, and he was being very sincere with her, not even raising his voice. It was an awesome thing to see.

In any case, I do think some of them make a big production of threats against them, real or manufactured, and it’s part of their gimmick.

@Saladin

I agree, those two should be added, and your additions made me think of another:

“You might be a faux “progressive Muslim” if…”
(9) You like to play the victim–a noble but embattled reformer facing down mean, scary extremists–where “extremist” is defined as “any Muslim who isn’t also a fawning lapdog.”