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.” "
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