Free Republic

We take free speech for granted in America, unlike elsewhere. The furor over that anti-Muslim video is the latest reminder of that. But freedom of speech is never safe, even here. Many colleges now impose "civility codes." Civility is nice, but enforcing a "civility rule" against offensive speech would put an end to lots of useful provocative speech. As a University of North Carolina student put it, "A picture of Mitt Romney would offend 70 percent of residence hall students." Taping my Fox Business Network show at UNC, I also learned that the college, to "protect" women, had dropped the...

(CNSNews.com) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is launching an ad campaign to counter billboards posted in the D.C. metro system that urge the defeat of jihad and support for Israel. CAIR claims the anti-jihad advertisements, sponsored by political activist Pamela Geller, inspire “hate.” They are designed to “provoke, stigmatize and demonize” Muslims, CAIR told CNSNews.com. One of the Geller ad reads: “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad." CNSNews.com asked CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper to explain how the ad is hate speech. “Can you just...

Amnesty International (AI) is sponsoring an event in Los Angeles under the title,“Human Rights in Iran: How to Move Forward” on February 22, 2008. Mr. Trita Parsi, president of National Iranian American Council (NIAC) an extremely dedicated activist for the establishment of normal and unconditional relations between the religious dictatorship in Iran and the U.S. [1] is one of the panelists in this event. This is not the first time NIAC has manipulated AI. On July 26, 2007, AI was one of the sponsors of an event organized by NIAC under the title, “Human Rights in Iran and U.S. Foreign...

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - In U.S.-funded ads running on Pakistani TV, subtitled clips show President Barack Obama extolling America's traditions of religious freedom. For many watching, though, the message misses the mark in efforts to calm the Islamic outrage over a film denigrating the Prophet Muhammad. America's free speech laws and values of openness are not in question, but rather there is confusion and anger over how they are applied.

A folding chair with an American flag, tied with a rope and hanging from a tree has brought a lot of attention to a northwest Austin neighborhood. Weeks after Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood's chair skit mocked President Obama at the Republican National Convention, an Austin homeowner is drawing criticism for his folding-chair display, which some call a racist attack against the nation's first black president, Austin's KVUE reports on Thursday. ....KVUE says cameras rolled as homeowner Bud Johnson removed the rope and placed the chair on the lawn. He told the TV station those complaining about the display have the...

<p> 63 million page views 21 readers online now Go to Mobile Site Home Articles Blog Reviews Spoken Books Other Languages Biographical Middle East Forum About this site Mailing List Rampaging Islamists by Daniel PipesThe Washington Times September 19, 2012 http://www.danielpipes.org/11960/rampaging-islamists Print Send Comment RSS Share WT title: "Islamic violence advances Shariah law: Is U.S. ready to accept second-class status?"; includes updates When Muslims take to the streets in nearly 30 countries to engage in various degrees of anti-Western violence, something important is underway. Reflections on what this might mean:The Rushdie Rules have gone viral: Ayatollah Khomeini's 1989 masterstroke of...

In the 1980s, First Lady Nancy Reagan famously urged kids to “just say no” to drugs. Although I’m no fan of the War on Drugs, she was certainly correct to point out that saying “no” is a good way of avoiding the dangers of drug use. Co-blogger Eugene Volokh makes a similar argument with respect to violence intended to pressure Western nations into suppressing “blasphemous” speech. Giving in to the terrorists incentivizes further terrorism, while refusing to do so reduces the risk of future violence. This principle applies to terrorism more broadly: An excellent way to reduce the risk of...

In recent days, I’ve heard various people calling for punishing the maker of Innocence of Muslims, and more broadly for suppressing such speech. During the Terry Jones planned Koran-burning controversy, I heard similar calls. Such expression leads to the deaths of people, including Americans. It worsens our relations with important foreign countries. It’s intended to stir up trouble. And it’s hardly high art, or thoughtful political arguments. It’s not like it’s Satanic Verses, or even South Park or Life of Brian. Why not shut it down, and punish those who engage in it (of course, while keeping Satanic Verses and...

Yesterday marked the opening of the international conference announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a high-level meeting on Islamophobia that she co-chaired, held last July in Istanbul and hosted by the Saudi-based Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). At the time, Secretary Clinton described this week’s conference as a move to implement U.N. Human Rights Council Resolution 16/18 on “combating [religious] intolerance, negative stereotyping and stigmatization.” This State Department conference, entitled “The Istanbul Process,” is proving to be a very bad idea. It remains to be seen whether speech limitations to protect religion generally and Islam specifically will be...

Just after midnight, authorities descended on the Cerritos home of the man believed to be the filmmaker behind the anti-Muslim movie that has sparked protests and rioting in the Arab world. Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies escorted a man believed to be Nakoula Basseley Nakoula to an awaiting car. The man declined to answer questions on his way out and wore a hat and a towel over his face. He kept his hands in the pocket of a winter coat. Sheriff's officials could not be reached by The Times, but department spokesman Steve Whitmore told NBC4 that deputies assisting...

In Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein,Victor Frankenstein is responsible for creating a monster. Realizing his mistake, however,Victor becomes horrified of his own creation. Victor grows even more despondent with the knowledge that the monster he created is guilty of murder. This is the point in the story where the similarities between Victor and Obama,who have both created monsters, end. One is horrified and remorseful over the monster he created. The other feels no remorse. It is left to the reader to decide if this lack of remorse is due to Obama's inability to recognize that he has created a monster. Or...

Without the “criminalization of assaults on the sanctities of all heavenly religions,” the Muslim Brotherhood warned on Thursday, insults to Islam “will continue to cause devout Muslims across the world to suspect and even loathe the West, especially the USA.” The remarks were part of a statement posted on the English-language website of the Brotherhood in response to a trailer for a new film, which the Egyptian ruling party says is insulting to Islam.

First it was the media, now it is the artists. Censorship in the birthplace of the so-called Arab Spring - Tunisia - is back. The government has already been accused of clamping down on reporters. And now, two Tunisian artists have been charged. Their crime: creating sculptures that the authorities say are harmful to public order and good morals. Nadia Jelassi's work is of a veiled woman surrounded by rocks and suggests she is being stoned, while Mohamed Ben Slama's work is of a child with ants streaming from a schoolbag that spelt out "God". Meanwhile in Egypt, two journalists...

Anti-American rioting spread yesterday to Tunisia, where police used tear gas to stop hundreds of protesters from storming the United States Embassy in protest over a film mocking the prophet Mohammed. The throngs of demonstrators, who carried the white and black banners of militant Salifist Muslims, had been protesting peacefully in Tunis for hours when about 300 started to break through the embassy gates. The embassy remained open as police forced the protesters back. Earlier, the US embassies in Tunisia and Algeria warned Americans to avoid crowded places because of expected protests. In Egypt, the powerful Muslim Brotherhood ensured that...

Christian minister accused of “Crime against Humanity” Scott Lively targeted by an international homosexualist plot By Julio Severo Two years ago, Scott Lively, author of “The Pink Swastika”, addressed members of the Ugandan Parliament, which was considering a bill criminalizing homosexuality. Lively urged an emphasis on therapy rather than punishment, and, after the bill was released he opposed the death penalty provision. Scott Lively: accused of “Crime against Humanity” Now, on March 14th a lawsuit was filed in an American court alleging that Lively committed the “Crime Against Humanity,” by speaking against homosexuality in Uganda. The plaintiffs say that his...

A Hopewell circuit court judge has ordered that a Marine veteran detained over anti-government Facebook posts be released from a psychiatric hospital. CBS 6 News’ Catie Beck said the Judge Allan Sharrett dismissed the case Thursday against Brandon Raub. The judge said the original petition for Raub’s detention contained no facts. In other words, there was no information on why Raub was being held — and the judge deemed this violated his civil liberties. As a result, the judge ruled the government had no grounds to hold Raub. Beck said the judge is in the process of writing an order...

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Activists would have us believe that the issue of marriage is about the “rights” and “equality” of homosexuals. But in reality, the push to redefine marriage is about demanding public approval and celebration of homosexuality. There is a difference. Slot machines are legal in some areas, but if the COO of Chick-fil-a had expressed a personal disapproval of gambling, would slot-machine supporters have demanded a boycott of his restaurants? What about smokers? Would they have lambasted Dan Cathy for expressing that he personally does not approve of smoking? No. Because at the end of...

Moscow (CNN) -- There is no basic human right to barge into a church to make a political statement, jump around near the altar, and shout obscenities. But there is most certainly the right not to lose your liberty for doing so, even if the act is offensive. But that is exactly what happened Friday. A court in Moscow sentenced the three members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot to two years in prison. In my two decades monitoring human rights in Russia I've never seen anything like the Pussy Riot case -- the media attention, the outpouring of...

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - The lunch-hour rush came in force Wednesday for Chick-fil-A's around central Virginia. Lines of vehicles wrapped around several outlets in Chester, Hanover, Mechanicsville, and many other locations for Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. The movement started when Chick-fil-A took an anti-gay marriage stance two weeks ago and came under fire from gay rights activist groups.