Tuesday, September 25, 2012

OBAMA DEFENDS FREE SPEECH AT THE U.N., REJECTS CALL TO MAKE MOCKERY OF PROPHET A CRIME

At last Pres. Barack Obama has come out with a strong defense of free speech.  In his speech today at the meeting of the General Assembly of the U.N. in New York, Obama rejected the call from some Islamic leaders that the U.S. establish a law to punish those who mock the Prophet Mohammad or Islam.

Helene Cooper reports for the on-line The New York Times on Obama's speech.  Writes Cooper:

"While condemning the “crude and disgusting” video that prompted the protests in Libya and throughout the Muslim world, the president worked to explain — before a sometimes skeptical audience that has never completely bought into the American idea that even hateful speech is protected — why the United States values so highly its First Amendment.

"“We do so because in a diverse society, efforts to restrict speech can become a tool to silence critics, or oppress minorities,” Mr. Obama said. “We do so because given the power of faith in our lives, and the passion that religious differences can inflame, the strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech — the voices of tolerance that rally against bigotry and blasphemy, and lift up the values of understanding and mutual respect.”

"Americans, he said, “have fought and died around the globe to protect the right of all people to express their view.”

"And he said pointedly that “there is no speech that justifies mindless violence.”

“"There are no words that excuse the killing of innocents,” Mr. Obama said. “There is no video that justifies an attack on an embassy. There is no slander that provides an excuse for people to burn a restaurant in Lebanon, or destroy a school in Tunis, or cause death and destruction in Pakistan.” "

No comments:

Post a Comment