Check out these big bunch of sooks having a cry....
Religious leaders, scholars and business people are meeting all over the world to argue about free speech and Islamic sensibilities. How much does this achieve?
Answer: Absolutely nothing. It's a waste of their and our time.
As well as repeating certain familiar commonplaces and negotiating certain familiar taboos, participants in inter-faith gatherings do sometimes run into real questions, that make a difference to the world at large. One such is how, if at all, freedom of speech can be reconciled with the Muslim demand for a ban on public statements or cultural products that offend Islamic sensibilities. At this week's meeting in Malaysia, that question was addressed in a way that frightened the relatively few participants whose understanding of civil rights was rooted in a Western, liberal world-view.
Speaker after speaker called for some formal, internationally agreed restriction on the defamation of religion. “I can never accept that freedom of speech is morally right when it offends my faith,” said Prince Turki al-Faisal, a senior Saudi official (and former head of his country's intelligence service).
Keep in mind, thats a big, strong man who says that. Think about it - a grown man is afraid of people offending his "faith"! What's the matter Turki, bit sensitive?
Never mind princess, the ways of the big, scary world are a mystery to you, and shall ever remain so.
(via Damian Penny, on whose site one commentator succinctly says:
Need I point out that this is one of the reasons for the 2nd amendment?
You're not paranoid if people really ARE out to get you.
)
Posted by Quentin George at June 17, 2008 08:56 PM