How much is freedom of speech worth?

Question

Is anyone willing to solidly come out against Islam when it:
1. Threatens death to French Editorialists?
2. Kills Theo Van Gogh?
3. Kills a nun in retaliation for a Pope's historical speech?
4. Riots and kills over cartoons?
5. Stops a German play due to death threats?

At what point should we say that Islam is not compatible with Western though if moderate muslims refuse to speak out against these violations of free speech?

Too much wine perhaps? (me I mean) I hate no one. I work for a Muslim American. However, there's one thing that applies to all the examples I've given. The Western World apologized for it. It's the apologies for our way of life that are offending me and making me angry, not the Muslim religion itself (besides the extremists). G gives fine examples of Christian extermism. Did the pro-choice lobby come out and apologize after???

Additionally, Jesus (and I"m not a Christian really) was against any form of violence. Real Christians have no choice but to come out against abortion clinic bombings.

Answer 1

I don't think anyone is applauding those actions... but that's not all of Islam...

I mean it's like saying "is anyone willing to come out against christianity when it:
1. blew up a building in OK city
2. bombs abortion clinics
3. bombed the olympic games in Atlanta
4. has shot and killed several abortion doctors
5. protests outside soldier's funerals"

THESE THINGS ARE CLEARLY NOT DONE BY THE MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS AND SHOULD NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM...

we shouldn't hold a whole religion accountable for the actions of a few crazy extremists... every religion has those...

Islam may even have a few more extremists... but it's all the more important then to try and work with Islamic leaders to fight through this... when you discuss the issue the way you do, you polarize both sides and force those who worship Islam to choose between their faith and what we want... and that's just going to cause more problems...

and many moderates do speak out against it... but the media doesn't care about the people calling a killing a "bad thing"... that's reporting the obvious...

I mean think about it... they didn't report it on the news that Christian leaders denounced any of the attacks I listed.. but by your logic, that means that they supported them? That of course, is silly...

EDIT: but as far as free speech is concerned... everyone should be able to say anything... but sometimes that pisses some folks off though... I mean, I live in the south and if I run out in the street on sunday cursing Jesus... I may get beat up pretty good... but, it's not quite the same though... granted....

Answer 2

I think it is a very fair question, and one that people are afraid to ask because of the super-hypersensitivity that we have seen by the Muslims. For example the reaction created when the pope quoted an ancient text during a seminary discussion. I believe there are more than just "a few" muslim extremist. Most moderate Christians have a tendency to disassociate from the far right such as the church that spews hate at soldiers funerals, but I do not see an effort from moderate muslims to disassociate from the radicals under their religious umbrella. Too many times I have heard from Muslims that say that they don't agree with what happened on 9-11 "but they understand" why other muslims agree with it. That is unacceptable. Until we take this religion to task for its intolerance of others including Jews, women, and those non-muslims who they share the same planet with, we will continue to suffer at the feet of their tyranny.

Answer 3

While he may be a nutbag, Tom Cruise does not rile up the masses of the ignorant for the cameras to film their protest. The real fanatics will believe anything in order to cause mahem. Others just follow what is said and will holler and scream and make all sorts of claims, as long as there is a camera around - they will even stage atrocities, more than once so that the cameras can get a good angle. As soon as the cameras are gone, so are they. Many don't even know why they were out really. Someone says go out and ***** for the TV cameras, and they do.

Answer 4

Freedom of speech is worth fighting for. Ignoring the fact that all of your examples are outside of the United States, let me state this: once we choose who has freedom of speech, and who doesn't, then it is worthless. Freedom of speech is *precisely* what differentiates and makes us better than the folks that you note above. Once we walk away from these principles, we're on the slippery slope to becoming what we are supposedly fighting against.

Step back, analyze the situation without being blinded by hate and you'll see it.

Answer 5

I am truly beginning to think that there are no "moderate Muslims" - at least in the sense of what I believe "moderate" means.

How can we expect Muslims to speak out against the right of freedom of speech when they won't even denounce or speak out against the horrific actions of the Islamic terrorists?

Answer 6

There are 1.3 billion on Earth that follow Islam. Would you use nukes to kill them all? I would not. It's not about Freedom of Speech, In America we have that right according to our Constitution. The real question is. When has America been attacked by Iraq?
In Iraq now over 300,000 civilians are dead, they are liberated.
In Iraq there are 14,000 in prison, no charges, no lawyer and no outside contact. Is that the Democracy we have installed there?
Iraq is in civil war now, 147,000 troops are not even half what is needed. Our boys there are in very, very deep crap. No one with even half a brain would think a terrorist will stand and fight, they will not, they do the dirty work behind our backs, just like Nam. We lost 58,000 in that "conflict". Iraq is also now talking a North South split just like Nam and Korea.

Answer 7

Once again folks all religions have fanatics. heck look at tom cruise and scientology.
A lack of tolerance is the real threat.
how many women were burned in the salem witch trials? what about the christain crusades? Listen more talk less

Answer 8

It's not that monolithic, but in general I'm coming to that point of view.

Now, you also need to consider the corrollary: How much secrecy and suppression and manipulation of information should we tolerate in the U.S. in order to claim we have freedom of speech?

p.s. to Penny - You really missed the point of the question.

Answer 9

All I can say is this, it was not our fight to sacrifice our men and women for another countries freedom, not to mention our resources are going, going,...........----!
We are not fighting for 9/11, we are not fighting for our freedom, we are not fighting for WMD, we have only intefered and bullied our way into another way of life that is not the 'norm' of this country!
Our troops should come home!

Answer 10

Ask the mothers and fathers that have lost their children so that you have the right to say what ever you want, go to another country and live and say something bad about a leader and see what will happen to you, why don't you try it and if you live let us know what happens.