Hi Frank!
Even in the US there are constitutional barriers to free speech. For example, it is a crime to yell fire in a public place if there is not an actual fire.
The legitimacy of limiting speech as in the example is obvious. But I think thats as simple as it can be.
As for me I am conflicted about all of this. I ask my self, do I care anymore if people in other countries are free? What is democracy if people vote for slavery? Is hate not a valid human emotion? And In some cases is it not moral and upright to hate? What is this hate thing people are talking about anyway?
The only thing I am sure of as I write this, is that this is not about censorship vs freedom. Censorship is not in and of its self an enemy of freedom as you questioned above. But rather the question for me is at what point does censorship compel one to acknowledge as valid what he believes to be invalid? So, does limiting ones ability to hate his enemy force him to submit to his enemy? If I am against allah, but I cannot say so, then does allah rule over me? It seems to me that if you are not free to hate something, than that thing that you hate has become your master.
I am also offended by the things that come out of LA. But I have this amazing ability to turn the channel. The people who get this upset by what someone else says about what they believe, are idiots. Their believes are week, and they are week. And I cannot bring my self to respect their feelings.
Sadly, it looks like the only reason anyone cares at all about offending muslims is because of FEAR! No one gets nervous when people insult Jesus. This is because no one is afraid of Christians. If people in the west were not afraid of Muslims they would care just as much as they do about offending Christians... Not at all.
As it happens, fear is also a normal human emotion.
Its been almost 2 weeks since this thread went up. I think its safe to say that the question marks in the topic header are no longer necessary. If anyone is offended by this feel free to google your nearest American Embacy, cause thats what google is for.
