Posted on 02/03/2006 9:04:55 AM PST by thesharkboy
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Washington on Friday condemned caricatures in European newspapers of Islam's Prophet Mohammad, siding with Muslims who are outraged that the publications put press freedom over respect for religion.
"These cartoons are indeed offensive to the belief of Muslims," State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper said in answer to a question.
"We all fully recognize and respect freedom of the press and expression but it must be coupled with press responsibility. Inciting religious or ethnic hatreds in this manner is not acceptable."
Give it up, Mr. Cooper.
Nothing you do or say appeases moose-limbs.
You may think you are being politically correct, but it will have none of the effect you desire.
You are absolutely right. The Muslims overreaction to those cartoons is epic in proportions.
But all I'm saying is, let's not overreact to what the State Dept is saying. There is some overreaction going on here, too.
Unless their christian(s).. real ones...
No, its not. Not is it right to be anti-moslem. Being rude for the sake of rudeness is low class. There's nothing wrong with showing respect.
BUT, the moslem reaction to this is inexcusable, and I get the European reaction of flaunting those cartoons. Of course, when you haven't been doing the real fighting, maybe cartoons are the best you can do.
Obviously, free speech should trump the moslems' non-existent right not to be offended. And this fracas may have been a good wake up call for Europe. All I'm saying is that, standing alone, intentionally offending someone else's religion for no purpose isn't really cool.
Oh well, from the same people who turn a blind eye to the Arabs mistreatment of Christians. After all, they don't want to upset their "friends", Sheik This and Sheik That.
Hey, It's the State Department.
If ever there was a group of people who are a bunch of wet dishrags, that's it.
Yeah right. I knew, and I was barely paying attention, that Hamas was going to win, in part because people were tired of the old guys.
State better get with it.
No, Darlin'.
The State Department speaks for the GOVERNMENT.
The People speak for themselves.
How many of them are fighting along side us and have the investment into it that we do?
Well said. Now let the STate Dept. here it as well!
Unless of course it's derogatory against the President of the United States and then it's a free-for-all.
Exactly
Frankly, I find ISLAM offensive.
On the contrary, they're diplomats.
Diplomacy is the art of saying, "Nice doggy," until you can get your hands on a good-sized rock.
Then I'd say Foggy Bottom is sending mixed messages.
Everyone had a right to publish these, but does everyone have to exercise their right to be racist, insulting or tasteless?
It's a tightrope walk sometimes
Is this the same state department that pro-war conservatives and neocons believe is capable of spreading "liberty" throughout the world. The hypocrisy of the Bush adminstration continues to shine through (and few here ever notice).
islam is as islam does. I don't see how the violence and blooshed adocated in the koran can be confused for anything but violence and blooshed.I agree. I agree with 90% of what's posted in this thread. Go back and look at my history in FR. I've used the words "Religion of Peace" with as much sarcasm as anyone else here. I know that the Koran is a stinking evil book and the religion itself (in its true form) destroys the human soul and replaces it with some kind of weird and wicked meme, or some kind of Excited Delirium Syndrome. I know, I know, I know.
All I'm saying, is I see the point of the State Dept, which is our designated Department of Diplomacy, using DIPLOMACY.
As a nation, we pick our battles. As national policy, defending Danish cartoons might not be the best battle for us to officially enter right now.
That's all I'm saying here.
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