Protests over anti-Islam film creates new clashes in Asia, Middle East
Protests over a film produced in America that mocks Islam continued this week in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Indonesia.
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- Pakistani riot policemen stand guard during a protest rally organised by the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) near the U.S. consulate against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 19, 2012. The Pakistan government has declared Friday a national holiday in honor of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and called for peaceful protests against a U.S.-made film deemed insulting to Islam. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) offer prayers near the US consulate during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 19, 2012. The Pakistan government has declared Friday a national holiday in honor of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and called for peaceful protests against a U.S.-made film deemed insulting to Islam. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) offer prayers near the US consulate during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 19, 2012. The Pakistan government has declared Friday a national holiday in honor of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and called for peaceful protests against a U.S.-made film deemed insulting to Islam. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) burn a US flag during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 19, 2012. The Pakistan government has declared Friday a national holiday in honor of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and called for peaceful protests against a U.S.-made film deemed insulting to Islam. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A masked Pakistani activist of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) marches during a protest against an anti-Islam movie near the US consulate in Lahore on September 19, 2012. The Pakistan government has declared Friday a national holiday in honor of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and called for peaceful protests against a US-made film deemed insulting to Islam. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani demonstrators shout anti-U.S. slogans during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Karachi on September 19, 2012. The Pakistan government has declared Friday a national holiday in honor of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and called for peaceful protests against a U.S.-made film deemed insulting to Islam. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani lawyers shout anti-U.S. slogans as they attempt to reach the U.S. embassy in the diplomatic enclave during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Islamabad on September 19, 2012. Up to 500 Pakistani lawyers managed to enter the heavily guarded diplomatic enclave in a fresh wave of protests that erupted across Pakistan to denounce an anti-Islam film. (Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Muslim youth from Prosperous Justice Party strikes an effigy of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the producer of a film considered blasphemous to Islam, during a protest outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta September 19, 2012.(Supri/Reuters)
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- An American flag with a picture of U.S. President Barrack Obama is burnt buy Indian muslims as they protest against an anti-Islam film made in the United States, on September 18, 2012 near the American consulate, in Chennai. About 5000 people from all over South India have gathered in front of USIS (United State Information Service) complex and burnt an American flag with a picture of U.S. President Barrack Obama. (Stringer/AFP/Getty Images)
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- An American flag with a picture of U.S. President Barrack Obama is burnt buy Indian muslims as they protest against an anti-Islam film made in the United States, on September 18, 2012 near the American consulate, in Chennai. (Stringer/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Kashmiri Muslim protester shouts slogans in front a burning American and Israeli flag, that have been joint together, during a strike in Srinagar September 18, 2012. (Fayaz Kabli/Reuters)
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- People burn an American flag as they protest against an anti-Islam film made in the United States, on September 18, 2012 near the American consulate, in Chennai. About 5000 people from all over South India have gathered in front of USIS (United State Information Service) complex and burnt an American flag with a picture of U.S. President Barrack Obama. (Stringer/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Kashmiri demonstrators shout slogans during an anti-U.S. protest against an anti-Islam film, in Srinagar September 18, 2012. (Danish Ismail/Reuters)
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- Kashmiri muslim protestors clash with Indian police during a protest and one day strike called by several religious and political organisations to protest an anti-Islam movie in Srinagar on September 18, 2012. (Rouf Bhat/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Kashmiri muslim protestors clash with Indian police during a protest and one day strike called by several religious and political organisations to protest an anti-Islam movie in Srinagar on September 18, 2012. (Rouf Bhat/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Kashmiri demonstrators throw stones amid tear gas smoke fired by police during an anti-U.S. protest against a film they consider blasphemous to Islam, in Srinagar September 18, 2012. (Danish Ismail/Reuters)
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- Firefighters attempt to extinguish the flames in an Indian police vehicle burning as protesters clash with police during a protest and one day strike called by several religious and political organisations to protest an anti-Islam movie in Srinagar on September 18, 2012. (Rouf Bhat/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Kashmiri Muslims shout anti-US and Israeli slogans during a protest and one day strike called by several religious and political organisations to protest an anti-Islam movie in Srinagar on September 18, 2012. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Kashmiri Muslims shout anti-U.S. and Israeli slogans during a protest and one day strike called by several religious and political organisations to protest an anti-Islam movie in Srinagar on September 18, 2012. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Kashmiri Muslims burn an effigy representing the US during a protest and one day strike called by several religious and political organisations to protest an anti-Islam movie in Srinagar on September 18, 2012. Protesters rallied in Kashmir over an anti-Islam film, taking to the streets and burning U.S. and Israeli flags and an effigy of U.S. President Barack Obama. (Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A masked youth attends a strike in Srinagar, September 18, 2012. According to locals, a call for all shops, business establishments, schools, colleges and government offices to be closed and public transport to remain off the roads throughout Kashmir was called on by several local groups. (Fayaz Kabli/Reuters)
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- Pakistani Sunni Muslims march during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. Police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of more than 2,000 protesters trying to reach the U.S. consulate in northwest Pakistan as fresh demonstrations erupted against an anti-Islam film. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani Sunni Muslims protesters beat an effigy of the U.S. President Barack Obama during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani Sunni Muslims march during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) dispurse after police fired tear gas during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. (A. Majeed/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) beat a protrait of US President Barack Obama during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. (A. Majeed/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) burn a US flag during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. Police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of more than 2,000 protesters trying to reach the U.S. consulate in northwest Pakistan as fresh demonstrations erupted against an anti-Islam film. (A. Majeed/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) burn an effigy of U.S. President Barack Obama during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. (A. Majeed/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) torch a US flag along with the portrait of US President Barack Obama and Florida pastor Terry Jones during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. (A. Majeed/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Pakistani activist of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) uses a sling shot to hurl stones at the police during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on September 18, 2012. (A. Majeed/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Muslim demonstrator holds up a sign during a protest in front of the U.S. embassy in Bangkok September 18, 2012. Demonstrators staged a peaceful protest against the anti-Islam film on Tuesday. Around 300 anti-American protesters holding Muslim flags and banners condemned America and chanted “Allahu Akbar”, which means God is great. (Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)
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- An Indonesian Muslim protester shouts slogans during a protest in front of the U.S. embassy in Jakarta September 17, 2012. Indonesia police used teargas and water cannon on Monday to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who massed outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta to protest against a film mocking the Prophet Mohammad. (Beawiharta/Reuters)
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- An Indonesian Muslim protester throws a Molotov cocktail towards the police during a protest in front of the U.S. embassy in Jakarta September 17, 2012. Indonesia police used teargas and water cannon on Monday to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who massed outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta to protest against a film mocking the Prophet Mohammad. (Beawiharta/Reuters)
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- An Indonesian Muslim protester shouts slogans during a protest against a low-budget film insulting to Muslims outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta on September 17, 2012. Protesters hurled petrol bombs and clashed with Indonesian police outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta on September 17, as demonstrations in the world’s most populous Muslim nation turned violent. (Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images)
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- An Indonesian protester hurls a molotov coctail towards the U.S. embassy during a protest against a low-budget film insulting to Muslims in Jakarta on September 17, 2012. (Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Indonesian protesters burn polices property during a protest against a low-budget film insulting to Muslims outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta on September 17, 2012. (Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Indonesian Muslim protesters burn a mock U.S. flag during a protest in front of the U.S. embassy in Jakarta September 17, 2012. (Beawiharta/Reuters)
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- Indonesian Muslim protesters disperse as anti-riot police launch tear-gas shots during a protest against a low-budget film insulting to Muslims outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta on September 17, 2012. (Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Muslim protesters shout “God is Great” during a clash with police in front of the U.S. embassy in Jakarta September 17, 2012. (Supri/Reuters)
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- A policeman shoots a tear gas canister towards Indonesian Muslim protesters during a demonstration in front of the U.S. embassy in Jakarta September 17, 2012. (Beawiharta/Reuters)
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- An Indonesian Muslim protester hurls a rock during a protest against a low-budget film insulting to Muslims outside the U.S. embassy in Jakarta on September 17, 2012. Protesters hurled petrol bombs and clashed with Indonesian police outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta on September 17, as demonstrations in the world’s most populous Muslim nation turned violent. (Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Philippine Muslims burn U.S. and Israeli flags attached to a tarpaulin during a protest against an anti-Islam film, in Marawi City, Lanao del sur province, in southern island of Mindanao on September 17, 2012. The low-budget movie, entitled “Innocence of Muslims”, has sparked fury across the Islamic world for mocking the Prophet Mohammed, and for portraying Muslims as immoral and gratuitously violent. (Richel Umel/AFP/Getty Images)-
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- Philippine Muslims raise clinched fists as they wave placards with anti-U.S. and Israeli slogans during a protest against an anti-Islam film, in Marawi City, Lanao del sur province, in southern island of Mindanao on September 17, 2012. (Richel Umel/AFP/Getty Images)
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- U.S. flag printed on paper is pictured after Indonesian protesters threw eggs onto it during a rally outside the U.S. diplomatic mission in Medan on September 17, 2012. About 50 students trampled on the American flag and threw eggs at a U.S. diplomatic mission in the city of Medan, capital of North Sumatra province, an AFP reporter at the scene said. (Atar Atar/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Shi’ite Muslim holds a placard during an anti-American rally organised by the Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) in Lahore September 17, 2012. Pakistani police fired in the air to disperse a crowd headed towards the U.S. consulate in the city of Karachi on Monday to protest against a film mocking the Prophet Mohammad. (Mohsin Raza/Reuters)
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- Afghan protesters shout slogans during a demonstration in Kabul September 17, 2012. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)
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- An Afghan policeman keeps watch during a demonstration in Kabul September 17, 2012. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)
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- Yasmeen Raja (C), the leader of Muslim Khawateen Markaz, a Kashmiri women’s separatist group, leads a protest against the “Innocence of Muslims”, a film they consider blasphemous to Islam, in Srinagar September 17, 2012. (Fayaz Kabli/Reuters)
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- An Afghan protester shouts slogans near burning tyres during a demonstration in Kabul September 17, 2012. (Omar Sobhani/Reuters)
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- Afghan firefighters extinguish a fire at a building set ablaze by protesters during a demonstration in Kabul September 17, 2012. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Afghan capital on Monday, setting fire to cars and shouting “death to America”, the latest in demonstrations that have swept the Muslim world against a film mocking the Prophet Mohammad. (Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)
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- Muslim demonstrators hold placards during an anti-U.S. protest against a film they consider blasphemous to Islam, in the southern Indian city of Chennai September 17, 2012. (Babu/Reuters)
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- Pakistani Sunni Muslims torch a U.S. flag during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani Shiite Muslims shout anti-U.S. slogans during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani policemen baton charge Shiite Muslims protesters in front of the U.S. consulate building during a rally against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani policemen baton charge Shiite Muslims protesters in front of the U.S. consulate building during a rally against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. Two protesters died in Pakistan as a violent backlash against a US film mocking Islam spread across the region and angry demonstrators clashed with police, hurled stones and shouted “Death to America.” (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani policemen baton charge Shiite Muslims protesters in front of the U.S. consulate building during a rally against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani policemen baton charge Shiite Muslims protesters in front of the U.S. consulate building during a rally against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani Shiite Muslims torch a U.S. flag in front of the U.S. consulate building during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani Shiite Muslims torch a US flag in front of the US consulate building during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani Shiite Muslims shout anti-US slogans during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Lahore on September 17, 2012. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani firefighters cool down burning government offices following a protest rally organised by Pakistani Muslims against an anti-Islam movie in the northwestern town of Warai, in Upper Dir district on September 17, 2012. Two protesters died in Pakistan as a violent backlash against a US film mocking Islam spread across the region and angry demonstrators clashed with police, hurled stones and shouted “Death to America.” (Ihsan Ullah/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani paramilitary soldiers stand near a burning police van during a protest rally organised by Pakistani Shiite Muslims against an American produced film mocking Islam on September 16, 2012 in Karachi. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Pakistani paramilitary soldiers stand near a burning police van during a protest rally organised by Pakistani Shiite Muslims against an American produced film mocking Islam on September 16, 2012 in Karachi. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A veiled Pakistani Muslim woman takes part an anti-US protest rally against an American produced film mocking Islam on September 16, 2012 in Karachi. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)
Muslim protesters rage at United States in Asia, Middle East
Mirwais Harooni | Reuters
1:03 p.m. EDT, September 17, 2012
KABUL (Reuters) – Protesters enraged by a film mocking the Prophet Mohammad battled with police in several Asian cities on Monday and vented their fury against the United States, blaming it for what they see as an attack on the Muslim religion.
Police fired in the air to break up a crowd marching on the U.S. consulate in the Pakistani city of Karachi while in Afghanistan and Indonesia people burnt U.S. flags and chanted “Death to America”.
Indonesian police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who massed outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, capital of the most populous Muslim nation.
In Kabul, protesters set fire to cars and shops and threw stones at police.
“We will defend our prophet until we have blood across our bodies. We will not let anyone insult him,” said one protester in the Afghan capital. “Americans will pay for their dishonor.”
Thousands also marched in Beirut, where a Hezbollah leader accused U.S. spy agencies of being behind events that have unleashed a wave of anti-Western sentiment in the Muslim and Arab world.
The demonstrations were the latest across the world ignited by a short film made with private funds in the United States and posted on the Internet that depicted the Prophet Mohammad as a fool, a womanizer and a homosexual.
The situation saddles U.S. President Barack Obama with an unexpected foreign policy headache as he campaigns for re-election in November, even though his administration has condemned the film as reprehensible and disgusting.
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snowy
Sep 19, 2012 @ 23:14:56
Islam is a religion of peace and love …….. and if you don’t believe us, we will kill you!
Pam
Sep 19, 2012 @ 09:29:32
I think the sad thing is, that the protesters are causing hurt to innocent people who had nothing to do with this movie. The hate needs to stop, they are never going to get the whole world to believe as they do and they are setting a poor example to the world of what a loving god they believe in is like.
snowy
Sep 18, 2012 @ 23:01:55
Aren’t we just sick and tired of hearing Muslim apologists calling for calm and understanding every time their fundamentalist brothers cut loose causing bloodshed, terror and despair throughout our world.
Supposedly responsible Islamic leaders are just so quick to distance themselves and their communities from these atrocities, however, they don’t seem to appreciate that they themselves subscribe to the same basic belief system as their extremist brothers and cousins.
The only difference is that of the extent that apologists will go to in order to proliferate their dogma compared to their fundamentalist counterparts. This then, by definition, labels them as moderates.
Many might think that the relationship stops there but it doesn’t.
As each atrocity is committed, the wider world is shocked. Moderate Muslim leaders and communities repeat their routines of distancing and denial and the cycle continues.
But understand this clearly!
The “forests of moderate Muslims” are the very forests in which the extremists are created, nurtured, and hide, awaiting their opportunities before planning and executing the atrocities that we witness daily throughout our troubled world.
As long as the apologists maintain and legitimise the nurseries of mosques stocked with hate filled Imams, this stream of poisoned minds in the form of terrorists, hijackers, suicide bombers and all forms of insane sub life, will roll off the production lines to service the needs of the Jihad.
Our world is now at the eleventh hour in confronting a problem which is vastly more threatening and sinister than climate change.
UBAID
Sep 19, 2012 @ 13:31:30
snowy , lets suppose that you are right “the Muslims are extremists” and further more they are creating and spreading the extremist .It means Muslims are very dangerous for all of you. why large number of Muslims are staying in USA without any problem? Why large number of Americans are becoming muslims and reading Quran. One more thing my dear if you guys have fear that Muslims are extremist or terrorist Why don’t your government make your country defense and security system strong so that no extremists can enter and hurt you guys rather to send the arm forces into Muslim countries and killing the innocent peoples just because of small group of extremist.You shouldn’t ignore my point and think why don’t you guys make your security extremely tight rather to waste a huge sum of money to send the arm forces in order to kill a small group of terrorist .
snowy
Sep 19, 2012 @ 16:32:16
UBAID, don’t cherry pick, read what I said and didn’t say. Read my text. I didn’t say “the Muslims are extremists”. I said that some Muslims are extremists and they are harboured amongst the moderates. You said “why large number of Muslims are staying in USA without any problem?” UBAID, have you been asleep since 9/11?
UBAID
Sep 20, 2012 @ 01:28:22
i don’t understand why you guys are keep on talking about the 9/11 matter . How many Americans passed away in 9 /11 ? After you check the statistics please do check how many people have been passed away due to war in Iraq , Afghanistan , Palestine etc . Muslims were also passed away in 9 /11 incident. Americans can’t justify their every single move against Muslim countries like attack on iraq , afghanistan by saying that its the result of 9 /11. you should work on your defense and security system rather to keep on attacking everywhere . This 9 /11 incident happened in 2001 .. now its 2012 . ALL i want to say is 9 /11 is past and muslims also died in world trade center So one shouldn’t ( NAUZBILLAH ) burn the Quran in the memory of 9 /11 or make such kind of videos to hurt muslims . What sort of revenge it is????
UBAID
Sep 18, 2012 @ 22:46:19
I’m a Muslim and i just wanna say that if anyone makes a movie on JESUS [Hazrat Essa(A.S)] or any other prophet of ALLAH… the reaction will be the same . Muslims are hurt too badly because we Love Hazrat Muhammad S.W so much and we love the Jesus [ Hazrat Essa A.s ] too. So even if you are saying that Muslims are killers which isn’t the fact and murdering the other religion peoples ..your american army is also doing the same thing back to muslims. But the point is why you guys are talking about the religion . religion and belief it self isn’t wrong .. may be some of the muslims are bad and same goes for some Christians who are extremist but it doesn’t mean the religion is wrong or religion is teaching them to be bad . FOR GOD sake try to keep the religion away from all this War and don’t try to judge the Islam byf the acts of small number of muslims who are a bit aggressive towards you . Sorry if my english is bad
Gibralter
Sep 18, 2012 @ 20:30:08
Safety in numbers. Even among fanatical, uneducated people such as the ones involved in these “Death To America” protests. It’s one thing to love your prophet, it’s another to act like a lunatic.
Reesie
Sep 18, 2012 @ 18:45:00
The guy who made this “film” is not only a criminal scamster, but a coward. Why did he have to lie to everyone involved in making this movie to get it made? Why didn’t he make this movie in Egypt (wheres he is originally from). Instead hes hiding behind American laws to protect his sorry butt. He knew exactly the uproar making such a blasphemous and lie-filled movie about Islam would cause and now wants to hide his face under his coat. smdh.
Btw, I’m not excusing those protesters who are killing and destroying things, but this guy has blood on his hands for sure.
dexter
Sep 17, 2012 @ 19:51:50
Let us be fair to all of us. We have different culture and religion so we must respect what we are believing for!
I hope this issue will be clean up soon. Let us be fair to anyone….
syed basit hasan
Sep 17, 2012 @ 17:03:31
whos the pplz make film to our prophet muhammad allah will see them all its not fair abt all great ppls who love ech othrs e1 muslim or not muslim we need to respect all religion and not make those kinda film again who sopoted those kinda film maker and pplz who talk bad to islam allah will naver ever forgive them ameen, la ilaha illallah muhammad rasulullah
Michael
Sep 17, 2012 @ 17:24:31
It’s tough to convince people to respect your religion when thousands of its practitioners are publicly murdering people and destroying property. We don’t respect people who do these things, syed. If you come out and say, with clarity, that it’s NOT okay to murder and destroy, then maybe people will say “okay, we’ll listen.” Until that time, you will find few sympathetic supporters. This is the dilemma faced by the many many Islamic people who would never kill or destroy, but at the same time tolerate those who do. If Islam wanted to change the face it presents to the world it could do so – most people are essentially tolerant and willing to listen until you start murdering people, then they turn their backs on you. Of course I realize I may as well be talking to the proverbial brick wall. Why do I continue to bother with these blogs? Note to self – you are wasting your time, all you get is accusations and mumbo jumbo.
Felicity Jones
Sep 26, 2012 @ 21:04:49
You do know that the Qur’an doesn’t respect other religions? It states that people who don’t believe in Islam will be tortured for eternity. If you approve of the all-powerful Islamic god, then you approve of the torture of millions of good people just because they didn’t believe – so that’s all the Hindus and Buddhists and atheists and people of tribal religions and agnostics – all selected by an all-powerful god to be tortured for eternity. That’s a very offensive thing to find written in a ‘holy’ book. So, if you really believe that we should stop disrespecting other religions, we would need to stop publishing the Qur’an and the Biblical Old Testament, for a start, as they are both extremely insulting and offensive to other faiths and to non-believers. Are you prepared to ban the Qur’an? If not, don’t expect other people to censor their opinions of Islam.
Michael
Sep 17, 2012 @ 16:42:50
Are we just as willing to fight for our freedom of speech as the fanatics are for their, well, fanaticism? I was taught in debate long ago that the “slippery slope” argument – “if this, then that” – was a logical fallacy. Maybe, but where WILL it end if we prohibit people from saying or doing or writing or drawing things that might offend? Yes, this debate is as old as the U.S. itself, and there have always been limits on free speech. But how far do we extend the “crowded theater” in which we can’t “yell fire?” Is the Internet now the crowded theater? The whole world? Even in the U.S. it’s almost impossible to engage in meaningful discussion e without offending someone – feminists, neo-Cons, the NAACP, you name it; everyone, right or left or black or white, has an agenda. You can spark outrage even saying totally innocuous things. In fact, I no longer engage in ANY conversation about race no matter what the situation; it’s just the proverbial lose-lose situation. I willingly but reluctantly gave up my right to free expression in this case because I’ve seen too much, seen people lose their jobs over innocent comments that got twisted into “racism,” and eventually realized there’s just no point. And religious fanatics of all stripes are much worse because they live in a sort of fantasy world, where words and even thoughts can still bring down the wrath of their particular Gods in the sky. All these articles talk about “The Muslim world,” and really, it does seem to be a different world at times. The U.S. has been culturally stuck in the 1950’s for 30 years, but “the Muslim world” seems stuck in the 1300’s. We see innocent people beheaded with daggers, women murdered by mob stonings as if it were medieval witch burnings, the religious destruction depicted in this stupid movie, screaming mobs of howling apes killing and destroying, and we wonder, what’s wrong with that part of the world? Of course there’s plenty of things wrong with our part of the world too, but this much is certain. We are not going to drag Islamic radicals kicking and screaming into the enlightenment. As long as religious fundamentalism rules, here or abroad, this state of ideological siege is going to be a constant state of affairs. We’d better get used to it, especially since our determination to spread U.S.-style Democracy in the region was immediately, predictably co-opted by extreme Islamists. Now the deposed Saddams and Mubareks are already being replaced with Islamic radicals.
Yaseen
Sep 17, 2012 @ 16:35:21
Thats called abusing your freedom of speech. And you as a Christian should stand up for Jesus, if a cartoon is made, not sit and watch…..It is a sad thing the man who directed the film is no where to be seen or heard of, but he wants “freedom of speech”
Michael
Sep 17, 2012 @ 16:51:19
Are you suggesting that if someone insults the Prince of Peace, we should respond with violence? Also, this chump who made the video is hiding for fear of his life or the lives of his family – after all, Islamic fanatics hounded Salman Rushdie into hiding for decades, and murdered a Scandinavian diplomat in revenge for cartoons. Listen, there’s lots and lots of flaws in Western cut-throat Capitalist culture, but we don’t kill and destroy people over cartoons. There is only one word for someone who would kill a human being over a cartoon – psychopath. If murder and destruction are okay with you, if that’s part of your world view, you can expect the vast majority of people in the world to soundly and justifiably reject you. That’s something nearly everyone can agree on, even in divided America. If you kill and destroy, you are an outcast, a criminal. PERIOD.
shabana
Sep 21, 2012 @ 09:23:43
Agreed with yaseen
Yvette
Sep 24, 2012 @ 10:36:15
A Christian would speak up- not blow things up. See how that’s different.
Will
Sep 17, 2012 @ 16:25:19
All of this Muslim hatred for America has nothing to do with a film on Youtube. They do not care what political party you are a part of they because they hate all of us equally and it is going to get a lot worse. Oh, by the way. Maybe we should keep an eye on China. It would be a great time for them to do something crazy while we are tied up with the middle east.
John Bark
Sep 17, 2012 @ 16:02:35
Failed foreign policy! Failed economic policy! Failed Jobs policy! No immigration policy! Democratic party in disarray! And now an effort to curtail free speech. This fella has really done a number on America.
And still, can you believe it, the left-wing media lapdogs continue to twist and distort the facts in the hopes their little boy wonder can somehow hold onto office.
However the Republican wave continues to move forward in a positive way as it builds momentum. And now even Romney’s likeability index has pulled even with BO. Those of us who believe in America’s future, and our pursuit of liberty, success and happiness look forward to November. This election is about jobs, the economy, our national debt, and a strong foreign policy.
Conclusion: BO is toast come Nov. 6!
BRYAN
Sep 17, 2012 @ 15:51:39
SERIOUSLY?? The Muslims can defend their Prophet by telling us “DEATH TO AMERICANS” AND GET AWAY WITH THAT?? AND THE FILMMAKER WHOM HAS FREEDOM OF SPEECH CANT MAKE A MOVIE?? ITS ALL ONE SIDED~ AND THEY WOULDNT GIVE A RATS ASS IF IT WAS A FILM MOCKING JESUS~ AND THE RED BLOODED AMERICANS ARE BEING CORRAL’D MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY WHILE THE AMERICA HATERS GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO TAKING AMERICA FROM THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS..SUIT UP ITS GOING TO GET UGLY..
Samuel
Sep 17, 2012 @ 17:51:01
well, there’s one problem. Actually, everybody has to be careful about their American “Freedom Of Speech”, it doesn’t mean anyone can offend somebody’s religion with hatred. If you ARE a christian, didn’t God tell you to love your enemy? and do good to those who hate you? instead you come up with a HYPOCRITICAL speech. but did islam EVER mocked Jesus, and all those prophets before him (though i find it quite sad that islam never believed that Jesus was God’s son.)… no!
shabana
Sep 21, 2012 @ 09:21:17
Sorry to say but i feel pitty at ur thinkin… we muslims respect all religions beliefs! we never eva made fun o jesus and mother marry coz our religion doesnt allow us to hurt others religion
islam is religion of morality…. doen immoral acts n callin it freedom o speech is pathetic….