Well, obviously, to any right-minded person the answer is to speak out against bigoted religions regardless of who gets offended. Fuck censorship, and fuck islamic fundamentalists. There are a ton of muslims who hate the extreme islamic extremists as much as us atheists, agnostics, and any other person with an ability to think for themselves.
Intelligence and freedom requires the willingness to be offended, and the freedom to offend. As anti-American violence across the Middle East and beyond shows, that willingness is something the Arab world, the heartland of Islam, still lacks. It’s a world-wide problem, but the news is understandably US-centric this week. The attacks by Islamic protesters this week would fill more pages than this blog would allow, and if you’re reading this then you already know about them.
President Barack Obama said Washington would “stand fast” against attacks on U.S. embassies around the world. He spoke at a somber ceremony paying tribute to four Americans — including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens — killed earlier this week when the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was stormed by militants who may have used protests of the anti-Muslim film to stage an assault on the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Never give in to terrorism. Ever.
Never afford more rights to one group of believers over another.
Never do anything except what is right, fair, and equal.
Standing firm on these issues is fundamental to humanism, fundamental to human rights, and fundamental to eventually stamping out the disgusting violent virus of violent extremism. My thoughts are with those affected, and my time/money/efforts are with those who fight this evil, whatever shape it takes.
Muslims dragged the dead body of US Ambassador Christopher Stevens from the embassy after he was murdered.
One Comment
I would suggest the matter of only doing what is fair should be seized upon by Western governments. Sometimes they wage their own terrorism upon equally innocent people.