Enraged Muslims, angry over a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb as a turban in Danish and Norwegian newspapers, protested in the streets in the past few weeks. However, as the smoke cleared from the "infidel" embassies in Damascus and Beirut, we did not hear calls for faithfulness to our democratic values of free speech, but rather the world community's cries to appease the most evil of forces.
Now, I want to clarify that I do sympathize with Muslims in this matter. I understand that depictions of God and Muhammad are blasphemous under Islam, and I understand the angst many people have when they see their religion besmirched in the press, as I do on a frequent basis. But this does not give them the right to attack people and destroy property.
There are legitimate and peaceful ways of getting points across.
We also do not need international bureaucrats telling us the west needs to be more "tolerant." Take Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations, for example. Instead of condemning violent extremism and combating its spread throughout the world, Annan seems more worried about how insensitive European cartoons have hurt Muslims' feelings.
As a result, he is seriously considering inserting language into the new U.N. human rights council, backed by 57 Islamic countries, which would "prevent instances of intolerance, discrimination, incitement of hatred and violence arising from any actions against religions, prophets and beliefs which threaten the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms."
Annan said that "defamation of religions and prophets is inconsistent with the right to freedom of expression," and he emphasized that states, organizations and the media have a "responsibility in promoting tolerance and respect for religious and cultural values."
I have no clue as to how any of this would be established or enforced, save a nightmarist 1984 regime. So if he is serious, it appears that Annan and any supporting countries would want the authors of these cartoons tried for human rights violations! Please take note, my friends, that to mock someone's religion could be considered a crime against humanity!
To the comment that defamations of religion are inconsistent with freedom of speech, I wholeheartedly disagree. Freedom of speech means just that: you can say or write whatever you want, provided you cause no one physical harm. Some might argue that in the case of the cartoonists, the "shouting fire in a crowded auditorium" premise applies, but in reality it does not. People do not just leave their homes in unison and march on foreign embassies in distant cities; they are organized and riled up by leaders.
This is precisely what happened in the Middle East. These cartoons that insult Islam were published in September 2005 - almost five months ago. They elicited no immediate outrage and were forgotten. Enter the Islamo-fascists who distributed the cartoons, rallied the faithful to their call and whipped them into a destructive frenzy. And what does the United Nations do? It sits around and creates a few politically correct commissions.
If the United Nations wants to charge people for insulting other religions, I have a few suggestions. I recommend the arrest of artist Andres Serrano, who submerged a crucifix in a vat of urine. I recommend the arrest of Chris Ofili, who smeared a painting of the Virgin Mary with elephant dung.
Bring these two up on charges of human rights violations! While we're at it, let's arrest the authors of Islamic newspapers across the Middle East who frequently mock Jews and Christians.
I do not expect Islamic radicals or U.N. terrorist sympathizers to cry for tolerance toward Christians or especially Jews.
Like many others in this country, they only enjoy tolerance when it benefits them.
Information from - frontpagemag.com
