Carol C,
   You state that this is not about religion, but you refer to the people in question as Muslim. Is not Muslim a religious term meaning a follower of Islam? I feel that every individual is entitled to believe as they choose, but it should be a personal decision. In so called Muslim countries people do not, in many cases worship freely. Women are often not treated as equal to men, and in some countries they are held in the home as virtual prisoners. For most of the history of Christianity the same would hold true, and it is only in the last century or two that things have changed for the better.
The perception of an insult may be as much to blame on an overly sensitive receiver as on the giver of the rudeness.
   There are indeed people in this world who do not share equally in it's benefits and there are complex reasons for this , including western greed, but that does not only apply to Muslims.
The freedom to choose beliefs and expression is far more important than a perceived insult. I do not like the cartoons in question one bit, and i would probably not subscribe to a publication that would print such trash, but I also would demand the freedom to make that choice for myself, rather than be dictated to by mullahs and fanatics!