Fitna Video
This controversial, anti-Islamic video is causing a stir after Network Solutions, a web hosting company, suspended the website that featured it citing serious threats from Muslims unhappy with the video.
The video was then featured on Live Leak, a news/video website, but quickly removed after they too received serious threats from Muslims.
The videos have since been spreading on YouTube and Google Video. Will Google be the brave soul to stand up for free speech? We’ll see… in the meantime here are the videos:’
We can understand why Muslims might be upset. It depicts their entire religion as violent murderers and terrorists interested in furthering their religion at any cost. To those people: if that is the view you are trying to deflect, isn’t making threats to companies and people in direct contradiction to your goals?
I can see how this video could be seen as propaganda that is detrimental to Muslims. Ignorant folks often see one side or the other, failing to see both sides of the story. To them, the violence in this video and the Islamic religion may be seen as one in the same.
But is the War in Iraq sending the same contradictory message? If the violence in this video is all that the Middle Eastern Muslims are used to, as this video would have you think, than how is bombing them and using force to bring about change offering an alternative? Sure, the end goal might be freedom and democracy, but do you expect these people to see that?
The American goal can’t merely be Democracy and Freedom, because to be successful in that attempt, the Middle Eastern people must first embrace the ideas and concepts of Democracy and Freedom. At this point, many of them don’t.
Here is the response LiveLeak provided about their removal of the Fitna Movie: “Following threats to our staff of a very serious nature, and some ill informed reports from certain corners of the British media that could directly lead to the harm of some of our staff, Liveleak.com has been left with no other choice but to remove Fitna from our servers.
This is a sad day for freedom of speech on the net but we have to place the safety and well being of our staff above all else. We would like to thank the thousands of people, from all backgrounds and religions, who gave us their support. They realised LiveLeak.com is a vehicle for many opinions and not just for the support of one.
Perhaps there is still hope that this situation may produce a discussion that could benefit and educate all of us as to how we can accept one anothers culture.
We stood for what we believe in, the ability to be heard, but in the end the price was too high.”
Every religion has had its dark times and we must learn to separate our views of people and our views of religion. There are bad Muslim people… and even if 99% of Muslims are bad people it doesn’t make Islam bad… it just means that bad people have transformed a fair religion into a rotten apple.
The Hebrew Bible (and Exodus in the Christian Bible) says, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot,” but nobody disparages the religion of Judaism as the problem source in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel has some pretty terrible things going on in their country too…
In the sermon on the mount Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” But there are plenty of Christians and Catholics who do things as bad as the things seen in this video. It isn’t the religion that makes them bad… they are simply bad people.
Ghandi, who practiced Hinduism, said, “an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.” But, he was a peaceful figure in a time of mostly turmoil for both Hindus and Muslims who were focused on killing eachother. Christians had their time as well… remember the crusades?
But one thing is for sure… the barbaric brutality going on in the Middle East must stop. The thought that non-Muslims must all die for the world to be a perfect place must be seen by all as complete nonsense. Unfortunately, spreading the video on the Internet won’t allow it to get to the people whose mind’s we are trying to change.
Where are the Martin Luther Kings, the Ghandis, the Mother Teresas of today? We desperately need you…
Fidel Castro Resigns
The Cuban president Fidel Castro has resigned his position saying he, “will not aspire or accept - the post of President of the Council of State and Commander in Chief.” The notification came in the form of a letter distributed through the media.
At 83 years old, it isn’t a huge surprise that Castro will not push on as the President of Cuba, especially considering recent setbacks to his health. The word “President” could be somewhat misleading: Fidel Castro ruled for nearly 50 years in what seemed more like a dictatorship. His 76 year old brother Raul Castro will likely take over the “throne” and serve as Cuba’s next president… sounds like a monarchy to me!
Fidel Castro is best known as a guerilla leader who reshaped Cuba into a Communist government, survived assassination attempts by the United States and fueled the “Cuban Missile Crisis” during the JFK administration that brought the world to the brink of Nuclear Warfare. Through 10 U.S. presidencies that have tried to oust him, none of been seen successful and the 1961 “Bay of Pigs Invasion” is considered the most disastrous. After this failed takeover by Cuban exiles, funded by the United States, the American relationship with Cuba grew very icy.
President Bush used the resignation as an opportunity to criticize Castro saying he denied the Cuban people, “their right to live in a free society.” He suggested Cuba should move towards a Democratic process and said their current “staged elections” don’t count - Cuba is one of the world’s last remaining Communist countries.
Some of praised Castro for providing great healthcare to his citizens without any type of aid from the United States. But, most see the blood on his hands as he is responsible for suppressing individual rights and liberties by force. And those that praise him may do so because those that detract from him face a perilous fortune.
So Raul Castro takes over at 76 years old… what happens when HIS time has come and gone? Let’s face it - 76 isn’t exactly youthful. The United States has pushed for Democratic turn of events, but that is extremely unlikely to happen with a Castro in office and the country probably won’t have a change of heart after both brothers are gone.
For those who trumpe Democratic principles, the resignation of Fidel Castro is however, at least symbolic of the opportunity for change. But when will it happen? Don’t hold your breath.
Colombian President Rejects Venezuelan Plea
Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, used his state of the nation to request that Venezuela (along with the rest of the world) stop categorizing the Farc and ELN guerilla movements as terrorist groups and instead call them “insurgent forces”.
The request was quickly shot down by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, “the only thing they have produced is displacement, pain, unemployment and poverty.” He again referred to them as terrorists who funded their operations with drug smuggling (mostly cocaine) and recruited children to do their violent dirty work to topple a democratically elected government.
Although President Chavez helped broker a deal that released hostages on both sides to their respective countries. Some say it is showing the Farc and ELN wilingness to cooperate and negotiate but Uribe refuses to acknowedge that they are anything but terrorist organization. And so, the conflict continues as is…
Kenyan President Re-elected, Riots Ensue
When Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki was re-elected by a margin of less than 3%, violent riots ensued throughout the nation and the Kenyan government immediately stopped all live television broadcasts from airing. That move was viewed by many as an undemocratic technique to suffocate the uprising.
Party members of the losing candidate, Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement, accused government officials of “doctoring the polls” to aid the incumbent. Rioters began setting fire to buildings and citizens are worried the region will turn into a war zone. Officials who came forward saying they witnessed vote rigging further fueled the deadly opposition.
Five years prior, Kibaki was elected on the premise that he would fight corruption and he won by a landslide victory. Today, the tables have taken a violent turn. Odinga gained support from both rural and urban voters by suggesting he would “share the wealth” across the nation and a smooth election process was seen as an important step in a volatile region. With the death count already past a dozen, the country has taken a deadly step backwards.
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Polling Research Center:
