Although the film has not been shown on Dutch TV yet, word is it will sometime next month. The Dutch brand of democracy, much like the Danish brand, apparently allows for such deliberate hate-mongering and rabble-rousing in the name of freedom of speech. Wilders seeks to prove that the Qur’an is a "source of inspiration for intolerance, murder and terror." He even sought to have the Qur’an banned from the Netherlands and went as far as comparing it to Hitler’s "Mein Kampf."

Wilders also unabashedly suggested that if Muslims wanted to stay in "his" country, they "should tear out half of the Qu’ran and throw it out."

This political grand-standing and pointless saber-rattling comes on the heels of the controversy sparked by the Danish cartoons two years ago in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was depicted as a terrorist and other despicable, derogatory images.

The Islam-bashing-in-the-name-of-free-speech campaign caused much damage to Denmark’s economy and image in the eyes of the Muslim world that is still felt today. It also resulted in the death of innocent people and enormous property damage.

Certainly, Wilders is well aware of the possible consequences of offending the most sacred beliefs of a people. Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh paid the ultimate price when he made a similar controversial short film attacking Muslim sensibilities.

Now Wilders seems to think he can outdo his predecessor by attracting unwanted attention to himself and by being even more hateful and more offensive.

Writing in Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, Wilders said the "panic" over the film would not have happened if he had criticized the Bible. Wilders does not seem to remember the storm of Christian wrath over the film "The Last Temptation of Christ" in the late 1980s and later over the controversial depiction of the Virgin Mary in an exhibit at a New York art gallery.

Currently, the Catholic Church is incensed by a new musical called "The Jerry Springer Opera", in which Christian beliefs are mocked. Christian groups are calling for the show, scheduled to open at Carnegie Hall, to be canceled.

The real question in this polemic is not really about freedom of speech as it is about respecting deeply held religious beliefs. The truth is, politicians like Wilders and his ilk seem to be intent on being intentionally abrasive in order to win votes, much like Jean Marie Le Pen did in France or like Rudy Guiliani is doing in this country.

Post 9/11, it has become fashionable to score political points and draw attention one would otherwise not get on one’s own merit by bashing Islam and Muslims.

The cycle goes something like this: fringe groups like al-Qaida commit acts of terrorism, certain right wing elements in the media – and I won’t cite Fox News as an example –

stoke the fire of intolerance, public opinion is polarized, and then opportunist and demagogue politicians with no political merit of their own step into the limelight and cater to this polarized public by playing up the religion card. And, of course, all this is done under the pretext of freedom of speech.

In Europe, denying the Holocaust is a crime punishable by law. British historian David Irving learned that the hard way when he was arrested and sentenced to three years in jail in Austria in 2005 after he went to address a rightwing group.

Irving had made a comment in 1989 denying the existence of gas chambers in Auschwitz. Even though he acknowledged the death of millions of Jews at the hands of the Nazis at his trial, he was still found guilty for a comment he made 17 years prior.

The question is, would those Danish cartoonists and the likes of Wilders dare deny the Holocaust in the name of freedom of speech? Would they dare express their enlightened opinions in their so-called civilized societies and offend the memory of millions of Jews brutally massacred by a fellow European country? Then why is it open season on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Islam’s holy book?

The very book that Wilders seeks to tear up is the very pioneer of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Long before the U.S. Constitution and the European Renaissance, the Qur’an stated "Let there be no compulsion in religion." (2:256), and said, "Say: O you who reject (Islamic) faith, I do not worship what you worship nor do you worship what I worship ... you have your faith and I have mine," (109).

When Muslims conquered Jerusalem, Muslim Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab refused to pray in the Church of Holy Sepulcher for fear that Muslim generations after him would take it as a sign to appropriate the church and turn it into a mosque. Such was Muslim tolerance toward non-Muslims, and it was all inspired by the book that Wilders seeks to destroy.

To prevent a repeat of the Danish cartoons controversy, Muslims around the world should respond peacefully. Although Wilders’ film should be strongly opposed and rebuked, emotions must be contained and violent acts strongly discouraged as they would be nothing but counterproductive and self-defeating.

Islam is a religion of peace; this motto should be preached and practiced. No death threats should be made against Wilders nor should there be any vengeful acts against the Netherlands in any shape or form.

Muslims must follow the example of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and take the moral high ground when dealing with petty attacks, for the offender is only as big as his offense.

Wilders’ invectives against the Qur’an will not diminish the holy book’s worth or greatness. There is another Arab proverb that seems to be custom-made for the likes of Wilders: "Dogs bark, the caravan passes."