Hezbollah leader delivers rare public speech
The stakes are high. The leader of Hezbollah, and other Islamic leaders are asking the free world to write laws limiting the freedom of speech with regards to anything perceived insulting to Islam, Christianity, or Judaism. Of course, then one must ask about those omitted such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and the diaspora of regional minority faiths.
Those who identify with Christianity comprises about 1/3 of the world population, Islam is comprises about 1/5, and Judaism is .2% -- That leaves about 1/2 the world's people in the remaining or no faith categories.
As to the conversation or implication that Islam is more violent, I think there is a grain of truth. However, I don't think it's a result of a religion per se, but more related to the history, and the way in which power is meted out in the Middle East, compared to Western culture and democracies. There are non-Islamic countries where the mob response and resort to violence as a means of expression are just as likely.
Only by cultivating a culture of peace will people become comfortable with peaceful expression, and find violence reprehensible. In some more tribal cultures, you are not considered a "man" unless you carry at least a knife, if not a loaded AK47 -- and are willing to use them if ANYONE insults your honor (of that of your family or faith). The reliance on administering justice (personally or by mob) comes from a lack of experience or faith in the local, national, or international rule of law.
In this case, right to free expression, to insult a religion, trumps any right to not be offended by that speech. They will not get satisfaction from our notions of freedom and law here -- so they will seek justice in their own way and in the manner they are accustomed. In our 24-hour news though, we are only shown those places where shocking things are happening. It would be a pretty boring news report from the streets of Malaysia, where people are going about their business as usual. Such as... Malaysians Pray Against Prophet Film -- Oh, my! Get the film truck!
And, if you look, you would find other peaceful Middle Eastern Islamic nations (e.g. Bahrain) and non-western peaceful multicultural Islamic nations (e.g. Malaysia ) where various religions are constitutionally protected and practiced.
But, in the US it's 2012, and we don't get it. We used to settle disputes of honor through armed combat, even into the late 1880's -- we've just moved away from it as we've become comfortable with the rule of law (and order). It shouldn't shock us that there is much of the world out of sync with European (including US, Australia, and some other former colonies) notions of freedom of expression. There is also much of the world that is out of sync with our ideas on human rights, including equality for women.
The stakes are high. The leader of Hezbollah, and other Islamic leaders are asking the free world to write laws limiting the freedom of speech with regards to anything perceived insulting to Islam, Christianity, or Judaism. Of course, then one must ask about those omitted such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and the diaspora of regional minority faiths.
Those who identify with Christianity comprises about 1/3 of the world population, Islam is comprises about 1/5, and Judaism is .2% -- That leaves about 1/2 the world's people in the remaining or no faith categories.
As to the conversation or implication that Islam is more violent, I think there is a grain of truth. However, I don't think it's a result of a religion per se, but more related to the history, and the way in which power is meted out in the Middle East, compared to Western culture and democracies. There are non-Islamic countries where the mob response and resort to violence as a means of expression are just as likely.
Only by cultivating a culture of peace will people become comfortable with peaceful expression, and find violence reprehensible. In some more tribal cultures, you are not considered a "man" unless you carry at least a knife, if not a loaded AK47 -- and are willing to use them if ANYONE insults your honor (of that of your family or faith). The reliance on administering justice (personally or by mob) comes from a lack of experience or faith in the local, national, or international rule of law.
In this case, right to free expression, to insult a religion, trumps any right to not be offended by that speech. They will not get satisfaction from our notions of freedom and law here -- so they will seek justice in their own way and in the manner they are accustomed. In our 24-hour news though, we are only shown those places where shocking things are happening. It would be a pretty boring news report from the streets of Malaysia, where people are going about their business as usual. Such as... Malaysians Pray Against Prophet Film -- Oh, my! Get the film truck!
And, if you look, you would find other peaceful Middle Eastern Islamic nations (e.g. Bahrain) and non-western peaceful multicultural Islamic nations (e.g. Malaysia ) where various religions are constitutionally protected and practiced.
But, in the US it's 2012, and we don't get it. We used to settle disputes of honor through armed combat, even into the late 1880's -- we've just moved away from it as we've become comfortable with the rule of law (and order). It shouldn't shock us that there is much of the world out of sync with European (including US, Australia, and some other former colonies) notions of freedom of expression. There is also much of the world that is out of sync with our ideas on human rights, including equality for women.
”There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.
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