A Proclamation Against Death Fatwas from Islam

Submitted by Ron Thompson (United States), Oct 5, 2010 at 18:34

Here's a thought suggested by Daniel Pipes' important column.

Draw up a proclamation and open it for signing, after it has first been signed by, say, President Obama, Vice President Biden, George Bush, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, Robert Dole, John McCain, and others, then to be opened to willing celebrities and ordinary citizens. [obviously the purpose is to include a bipartisan roster, as well as the independent and unaffiliated. If political figures prove unreceptive, then it could be opened to all those willing to stand up for, and stand with, the lone individuals targeted so far]

What would the Proclamation say? here's a suggested preliminary draft:

This Proclaamtion is to assert the right of ourselves the undersigned, and of all our fellow citizens, and indeed of all free people everywhere, to criticize the religion of Islam and its prophet without the fear of Death Threats being issued by Moslem clerics, or any other Moslems, in the name of Islam.

We remain outraged that a death sentence was issued against Salmon Rushdie by the Ayatollah Khomeni in 1989 from Iran against a writer living in Great Britain, and which remained in place for years after Khomeni's death.

We are outraged that death sentences were issued, in the name of Islam and its prophet against the Danish cartoonists in 2004, whose lives continue to be actively threatened.

We are outraged that a death sentence has been issued against Dutch politician Geert Wilders by an Imam living in Australia, necessitating his living in a free country surrounded by bodyguards.

We are outraged at the number of persons, including Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who are living with round the clock bodyguards in America and Europe, because Islamic death sentences have been issued against them [here insert a list of such individuals].

We are outraged that a young woman in the city of Seattle, Molly Norris, has been advised by the FBI, to forego her own identity and go into hiding in what she thought was a country that stood for Free Speech because of a death sentence issued by an Imam in Yemen.

We are outraged that almost the entirety of our Press and Media, especially the Network News stations, have engaged in

massive, collective self-censorship with regard to any criticisms of Islam,

and with regard to these death sentences issued in the name of a religion which claims to be peaceful.

We are outraged that our vigorous, rough and tumble culture of humor and satire stops short of any criticism of Islam because of fear of these death threats.

We urge as many of our leaders and others who are willing, in all walks of American life, to join us in this proclamation to condemn and stand against the universal threat to civilized life raised by this rising pattern of death threats coming from Moslem countries and in the name of Islam.

We invite all those Moslems, especially those living among us who claim that Islam is a religion of peace, to join in unconditionally condemning and denouncing these death sentences.

We are determined that those who have been subjected to these threats and death sentences will no longer stand alone, and that we shall show solidarity with them in condemning this global threat to law and order in all peaceful societies, and to the goal of achieving

a world where all people everywhere have the right to speak their minds without fear.

(or something along these lines)

The recent passage of a strong US law against 'libel tourism', banning the successful result of any such suit being enforced in the United States, was an important victory.

But it was essentially defensive in nature.

Isn't it, at long last, time for an act of strategic ideological offense?

Ron Thompson

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