Muslim or Mohammedan?

From the old Aladdin casino in Las Vegas.

There's an interesting debate in the comment sections over at Gates of Vienna about the phraseology used at the end of the manifesto accompanying the Danish torching of the Mohammed effigy. (for some reason I am having trouble with the embed code so we'll have to make do with a still photo and the linky. I apologize for the technical difficulties.)

The discussion focuses on the use of the phrase "A MOHAMMEDAN FREE DENMARK."

Evidently, Mohammedan is a term that is associated with the far right wingers of Denmark and is comparable to the use of the N word.

From commenter Mikael:

And that last salute was the nail that just blew my tire. In Denmark, Muhammadan is used by the Extreme Right. Kinda like the N-word would be used by the KKK in the States.It's stupid, it's perceived as racist, and I'll have nothing of it!

The Baron replies:

I didn't know that about the word "Muhammedaner". In English the word "Mohammedans" has no special connotation, except for being somewhat archaic (although not as archaic as "Mussulmen").

Mikella amplifies:

The Danish term "muhammedaner" certainly is generally percieved as a derogatory term in the Danish public debate. In itself it has no intrinsic derogatory meaning (it just means a follower of Mohammed, as Christian or Jesuit means a follower of Christ/Jesus...), but due to usage and the linguistic developments in Denmark (and much related to the usage of the term by a Danish politican named Mogens Glistrup) it has attained - deservedly or not - a negative connotation. In effect, it is probably somewhat comparable to the term "nigger" in English, though in my view "muhammedaner" has no direct racist connotations. It's indeed a derogatory term, but only related to the religion and not the skin-colour of the group referred to.

I'm tending to come down on the side of Whiskey_199

Seeing as how Muslims call us non-Muslims "kaffirs" which literally translates to "unclean" I have no problem calling Muslims "Mohammedans." Particularly since they object to it.Those who are truly offended of course have the traditional option of leaving for Muslim lands. Where no Christians or non-Muslims of any kind exist to trouble their egos in any way.

There's more at the link. Check it out. (From now on, I'm thinking of using Mohammedan and Mohammedaneer. What say you?)