Our rookie president’s reaction to the murder of American
diplomats by Islamic fanatics was predictable and dispiriting. His
statement on this act of war and fanaticism has neither muscle nor
bone. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm could have penned a tougher
note.
The 15-minute film that supposedly set off this latest
spasm of religion-crazed murder has been on the web for a couple of
months, enjoying the obscurity it so richly deserves. It’s beyond
sophomoric — sort of a desert “Animal House,” only with worse
acting and a nearly incoherent script. “Hee-Haw” was more nuanced.
The film shows Mohammad as not only illegitimate and a cruel
murderer, but also, to put it mildly, a bit of a lad. Toward the
end he is also shown as hen-pecked. This part may be intended to be
funny. It’s hard to tell.
Though the film is terrible, Obama’s reaction to it is
worse. Showing a total lack of respect for or understanding of
American freedom of expression (even stupid and offensive
expression) Obama says in his statement: “While the United States
rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others….”
This comes very close to vetoing the First Amendment just because a
bunch of murderous fanatics don’t like something some American foul
ball has said.
The political left, of which Obama is an
aged-in-the-barrel member, has shown itself quick to muzzle speech
that offends officially designated (by them) victim groups. This
clearly includes radical Muslims, as a toe-curlingly obsequious
note from the U.S. Embassy in Cairo demonstrates: “The Embassy of
the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by
misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslins —
as we condemn effort to offend believers of all
religions.”
Is that so? All religions? You might not get an “Amen!”
from the higher reaches of the Catholic Church in America, which
has lately been ordered by the current administration to violate
its religious beliefs.
The apologetic note whines on: “Respect for religious
beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject
the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech
to hurt the religious beliefs of others.”
The truth is, State Department and Obama administration
officials haven’t shown a shred of interest in the religious rights
of Christians and Jews. But they trip over themselves to respect
the rights of Moslem fanatics to raise hell and kill people because
they are scared witless of them and have no idea what to do about
them. Obama et al. are willing to throw freedom of speech under the
bus (as Canada and most of Europe already have) in a vain and
cowardly attempt to mollify a group that is unsatisfiable short of
our complete submission to their will.
It’s a sorry sight. But there it is.
