RE: Freedom Speech: Fundamental to Western Civilization

Submitted by Robert Snider (United States), Sep 19, 2006 at 12:45

Dear Prof. Pipes:

The West must clearly refuse to be cowed by the usual Muslim reaction to reasonable and descriptive speech in the West. Muslims see the world in an unrealistic way. They do not appreciate facts, that there are different ways to view and describe the same fact or event and regard all other religions and religious ideas as beneath contemp while absurdly viewing Islam as above any comment however innocuous. ( Indeed, it is why they produce no science nor engineeering).

The issue is so fundamental and important to our culture and civilization that our political leaders and opinion makers must step forward courageously and firmly. Threats against the lives of the Pope, Salman Rushdie and all others no matter how seemimgly ordinary, must be punished. Vile statements by Muslims against Christians and Jews must be forcibly punished and made unlawful. Muslims must not be allowed to cloak themselves with the false allegation the they are "victims".

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