Posted on 04/02/2011 9:09:38 PM PDT by kevinaw2
So, Terry Jones burns a Koran in Florida. A willful,deliberate act designed to be provocative and inflame passions. But, Mr. Jones, like his buddies at Westboro Baptist lives not only in a free country, but in a nation that holds firm that his freedom is natural to his humanity as endowed by our creator. A free man may reject and ridicule those with whom he disagrees or finds disagreeable. Our Republic has effectively codified the oft cited but often ignored precept by Voltaire: "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
We have for quite a while now been libeled "Islamophobic" if we dare to point out the professed faith of those who have murdered and maimed in praise or defense of "Allah". The Fort Hood shooter yells "Allah Akbar", the gunman in Germany does the same. It is virtually ignored and of course it's never labeled terrorism. It's never pointed out in mainstream outlets that they took lives in the name of God. Denial is a bitch if you're afraid to be labeled "intolerant", or a "bigot" or an "Islamophobe". So we treat it as random violence, rather than an altogether demonic act of terror.
At this moment the numbers are all over the place, but at least twelve people have died and two beheaded in Afghanistan in a demonstration protesting Mr. Jones's Koran burning. It has been roundly condemned. What about bringing the perpetrators to justice? This is the same country we liberated where missionaries were killed just for possessing a "Holy Bible". It sure is comforting to know that one will be killed for either defacing a Koran and possessing a Bible. It need not be uttered, but to shed blood in the name of God is an act of barbarism.
The matter at hand as regarding the burning of the Koran does not rise to the attention of the President and does not for diplomatic purposes warrant an official response. Mr. Jones actions are reprehensible as an act of provocation, but is an action grounded in the deepest roots of American life and values. His actions did not necessitate a murderous rampage. But it did, or at least it was the pretext to justify murder.
I'm tired of placating thugs by ignoring their actions as a defense of faith. I'm tired of moral relativism as an excuse to coddle and appease savage theocratic ideologues. I'm tired of our most shameful chapters in history as a justification for moral relativity. As a nation we have struggled with our demons, but those spirits were confronted by a good people compelled to fight injustice in furtherance of American ideals. What made this nation great is not that we are free of sin or shame, but that we had the courage of greater convictions. Those who murder in the name of God do not identify their actions as sin or shame for they in their mind's eye are the servant of God, avenging his honor. That is the fundamental distinction between those who burn books and those who would kill innocent people in mourning the fate of printed type.
It's time that we proudly asserted our values, for those principles in our Constitution are not merely the province of Americans, but the natural human order. It is the clearest expression of human dignity and our inherent,natural rights. Free speech can be abrasive and hateful, but we don't kill for being offended. We protect it. As we should. If God gave us free will, then we are free to reject him and the faithful certainly have no fear for the future because one chooses to bite the apple.
As Americans we must reject calls to sanction or incarcerate Mr. Jones for his behavior. We must defend his right as disruptive as it is. To abandon a noble defense of our inalienable rights as an individual free man or woman sends a clear message that we may be intimidated into abandoning our most cherished principles. The United Nations has at the behest of Muslim member nations sought to pass a resolution or reach an agreement called "blasphemy laws". This is an attempt to define criticism of faith or religion as a human rights violation. It is an effort to deny our most precious right of free speech. It is an attitude that tries to kill Danish cartoonists, an effort that justifies killing Dutch film makers and driving a young American woman into hiding for suggesting "Everyone Draw Muhammad Day".
Are we failing our republican principles out of fear for losing Saudi oil that finances wahabist madrases? Are we so fearful of attack that we would rather live obediently than stand at the watchtower of democracy? Are we too timid to do as Voltaire and die defending the right to speak freely? Are we so offended by others that we fail to recognize an effort at the erosion of our natural rights?
There are many things that are antithetical to a free society and people. In a free country we reject the very notion, the concept of heresy,apostasy,blasphemy and sacrilege. In a free society nothing and no one is sacred,not even God. If he had meant anyone to avenge his name he would've given them wings. In the meantime, we must publicly reinforce our dedication to defend our core principles. The founders in the Declaration of Independence pledged their lives,their fortunes and their most sacred honor. We are obligated to perpetuate their sacrifice. It may leave a bad taste in our mouths but we must defend Terry Jones. It's the right thing to do. It's the American Way. We'll leave his final judgement on the matter to a higher authority, but we must stand guard against those who imagine they have wings and do the will of God.
The Islamists are apparently not smart enough to know that they are proving the point over and over again.
They aren’t human - they are little more than animals. Alas, even a sow will protect it’s young; and Islamists will gladly strap a bomb on their children, to do what they themselves are too cowardly to do.
Left comes out in full support of flag burners. Burn a Koran and now they are worried about... hurt feelings?
How about FREE SPEECH as a Constitutionally guaranteed right, regardless of how obnoxious and offensive that is.
The South Park guys have a Broadway musical out now ridiculing Mormonism. Not a peep out of the left decrying this insult to a religion.
Selective outrage.
They aren’t human - they are little more than animals. Alas, even a sow will protect it’s young; and Islamists will gladly strap a bomb on their children, to do what they themselves are too cowardly to do."
Pardon me, sir, for copying what you wrote, but it so perfectly captured what I meant to say that I felt it bore repeating.
Except that I prefer to call them "muzzies."
Not just madrases, unless you're referring to the most prominent universities in the United States by that name.
The Saudi's have little or no money for disasters around the world, such as Japan, but are shelling out muti-millions to U.S. universities for "Middle Eastern Studies" programs that indoctrinate American students with a distorted view of Islam, Israel and the United States.
the koran is evil and comes from the pits of hell.
That is what the Bible says!
Welcome to Free Republic. I appreciate your article and agree with you about how our once great America has been cowed by a murderous, dark ages cult. They have ALWAYS ruled by intimidation and force. What makes us think anything has or will ever change? It is ingrained in them since birth and we must NOT allow them to defeat us either militarily - which they cannot - or emotionally - which is their other tactic.
I am sick of the PC rules that have done nothing to make us safer. The entire intent of Islam is global dominance for “Allah” who is not the true God at all. Once this sinks in, perhaps there will be enough left of us to defeat the forces of evil residing within this alleged “religion”.
WAKE UP AMERICANS!!! WAKE UP WORLD!!! THIS IS NOT A DREAM!
Time for Rep. Peter King to give his official opinion about Islam.
Do you know for a fact that Mr. Jones is "buddies" with Fred Phelps and the rest of his hate-crazed family, or is that simply a cheap-shot meant to equate what he did with what the Westboro creeps have been perpetrating for years?
I assume you wanted to distance yourself from what Mr. Jones did by such characterization to enhance your own credibility and objectivity, but IMO, you accomplished the opposite effect.
Having read Mr. Jones' own account, I see little reason to assume it means he hangs out with the likes of Fred Phelps.
Sure, it was provocative, but it's not even in the same universe as Phelps.
To judge the Koran as the Devil's Bible, which is essentially what Jones did, is something that would be done routinely in the media, schools, churches...everywhere sanity reigns...if not for the very real likelihood of mindlessly maniacal reactions and condemnation of the judge for inciting the insanity, rather than blaming those doing or threatening insane things over a stupid book.
So instead we continue to foolishly condemn anyone who dares point out the obvious.
Whether you think it appropriate for a pastor to be doing these things or not, it's long past time SOMEONE had the guts to call a spade a spade publicly...we all know our complicit girly-man President will do nothing but continue to enable and give advantage to the encroachment of Islam in it's drive to destroy Western civilization.
Before we go any further, there are no legitimate calls for Mr. Jones to be incarcerated, so there is nothing to reject. Americans by and large recognize that Mr. Jones had the right to burn the Koran.
Americans we must reject calls to sanction or incarcerate Mr. Jones for his behavior.
Before we go any further, there are no legitimate calls for Mr. Jones to be incarcerated, so there is nothing to reject. Americans by and large recognize that Mr. Jones had the right to burn the Koran.
I fully agree, but mr.Jones and his cohorts has to be totally retarded to not understand the cosequences, or did he intend for this to happend? in whitc case he is not only stupid but evil
Let’s turn the tables....
The Muslims routinely kill Christians and destroy Bibles in their home countries. ....What do you think the UN and other countries would do if the reaction by Christians was to hunt down and indiscriminately kill Muslims because someone of the Islam faith destroyed a Bible in some foreign country???
Muslims would get a pass and Christians would be demonized.
Mr. Jones is a piddly-widdly “offender”. Imagine how many korans would burn with a single, well-placed airburst over mecca...
Going to a gun show today to stock up on some more ammo. Thank god I am getting old, and have no children.
“The South Park guys have a Broadway musical out now ridiculing Mormonism. Not a peep out of the left decrying this insult to a religion.”
Right - in fact, people like Jon Stewart and Charlie Rose have been having them on as guests to plug their show!
Guess they’ll leave Muhammad alone from now on and go after the rest of us. Over the years, they’d done countless Jesus spoofs on S. Park.
“there are no legitimate calls for Mr. Jones to be incarcerated....”
The UK government last January has banned Dr. Jones from traveling there. I’d be the other EU countries may have similar restrictions.
Our “freedom loving” allies are already cowed by Islam—giving up free speech and freedom of religion rights—even though in every European country the Muslims still make up only small minorities.
Even a U.S. Senator, Lindsay Graham has spoken for somehow denying Jones’ et al. their freedom.
Certainly, I agree all these authorities are NOT making legitimate claims....however way too many legitimate authorities are ready, willing and able to bow to the demands of the 7th Century Robber cult...
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