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On legal action

Reader comment on item: The Organization of the Islamic Conference Gets Feisty

Submitted by Meghan (United States), Mar 17, 2008 at 03:13

This is why the legal process is -here-. More power to them for choosing to use it.

The funny thing is, in the United States, people are routinely subjected to being forced to acknowledge Christianity in order to participate socially and legally in our country's processes. We have to fight legally for recognition in order for certain non-Christian religions to be allowed to have grave markers for our soldiers. We have to fight legally so that soldiers who are going off to Iraq do not have to pray in Jesus' name in order to be allowed to participate officially in their boot camp graduation. We have to fight the trappings of Christianity legally all the time. Likewise, Christian groups and other religious groups fight legally against organizations that defame their faiths.

That's why the legal process exists in the first place. Did I not just read a blog by you about an Islamic group apologizing to you under the threat of being sued? You yourself make use of the legal process rather regularly, it seems. Personally, I think Muslim leaders going about finding redress for grievances legally is far better than doing so illegally.

I know I keep referring to America and that this particular action will include nations such as Denmark as well, but American freedom of expression is extremely limited. You can't yell fire in a crowded theater. You can't say things that are untrue in many instances. Unfortunately, you can express your religion to the point of infringing on other people's rights, and to the point of the absolutely absurd (Westboro Baptist picketing the death of hate crime victims and, more recently, the student body president who was murdered, anyone?). I don't see how an objection to blasphemy is particularly out of place (especially when one is forced to acknowledge God if we want to pledge allegiance to our country, exchange money, testify in court, or do just about anything else).

From my understanding, the freedom of expression laws are similarly limited in other Western countries. Let the courts of these countries decide.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (36) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Western And Non-Muslim Policy-Makers Need To Create An Anti-Sharia Bloc [231 words]GWKMar 26, 2008 08:34123690
GWK- But How? [122 words]YnnatchkahApr 1, 2008 23:06123690
How? Some Thoughts ... [177 words]GWKApr 2, 2008 21:56123690
A natural process? [201 words]GWKApr 3, 2008 20:53123690
You are so right, GWK [147 words]YnnatchkahApr 4, 2008 21:08123690
Not So Fast -- Spine is Needed, But That's Where We Part. [59 words]GWKApr 7, 2008 18:02123690
What a great idea! I can't wait for OIC's first lawsuit against non-Muslims. [74 words]DrRJPMar 23, 2008 16:22123399
Another bumbling "rep"..... [135 words]Abu NuwasMar 23, 2008 14:07123372
No Chruch in Saudia, No Mosque in the West [91 words]OlieMar 23, 2008 07:14123343
The Organization of the Islamic Conference Gets Feisty [371 words]Fazal Habib CurmallyMar 23, 2008 03:07123324
Fazal Habib [107 words]OlieMar 25, 2008 09:08123324
Reply to Olie [695 words]Fazal Habib CurmallyMar 26, 2008 00:47123324
1The OIC Summit, just concluded in Dakar, Senegal [157 words]Dr. Steve CarolMar 22, 2008 19:38123289
'The new leadership moving into moderation'! [69 words]M.D'SouzaMar 22, 2008 17:40123274
What arrogance and immaturity. [161 words]GeorgeOfTheJungleMar 21, 2008 08:34123159
A majority of leaders and clerics of Muslims have done them a great disservice... [249 words]KatteyMar 21, 2008 21:31123159
wrong [63 words]yamMar 17, 2009 14:43123159
Two Points of "Extreme" Moderation. [244 words]YnnatchkahMar 17, 2008 16:34122875
It's now or never [133 words]Rebecca MouldsMar 17, 2008 09:42122856
Lots of American citizens are aware. [219 words]KatteyMar 19, 2008 17:07122856
On legal action [346 words]MeghanMar 17, 2008 03:13122843
about OIC and lazy money [282 words]G.VishvasMar 17, 2008 00:11122833
Economics to save Western Civilization from Islamic Opressors- being destroyed. [460 words]YnnatchkahMar 18, 2008 22:02122833
To be fair: [160 words]KatteyMar 19, 2008 17:28122833
The Brits renegged on their promise to the Jews long before any promise made to any other ME country. [261 words]DrRJPMar 20, 2008 15:01122833
The Brits and the Middle East - early 20th century. [304 words]KatteyMar 21, 2008 01:37122833
About OIC and lazy money. [181 words]fazal Habib CurmallyMar 23, 2008 03:19122833
please read carefully [271 words]G.VishvasMar 24, 2008 05:03122833
Reply to Mr Vishvas. [107 words]Fazal Habib CurmallyMar 25, 2008 02:07122833
replying to Curmally [567 words]G.VishvasMar 25, 2008 22:23122833
My next reply to Mr. Vishvas. [191 words]Fazal Habib CurmllyMar 27, 2008 00:24122833
30th of February has already happened [253 words]G.VishvasMar 27, 2008 21:50122833
Reply to 30th of February has already happened. [178 words]Fazal Habib CurmallyMar 28, 2008 23:11122833
deeper discussion [474 words]G.VishvasMar 29, 2008 22:18122833
Reply to Mr Vishvas 29th March 2008. [137 words]Fazal Habib CurmallyMar 31, 2008 00:24122833
about transcending mental slavery [507 words]G.VishvasMar 31, 2008 21:05122833

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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