It’s been an unsettling week globally, to say the
least. While commemorating the 9/11
Attacks, the US has witnessed a week long “We Hate America” campaign in the
Middle East.
Embassies have been over run, US flags ripped down and
burned. Allies and friends as well as enemies of our country are questioning our standing. In short, we are being watched closely.
At its worst, US diplomats and soldiers have been murdered. At its most seemingly pointless and benign
(in a worldview), cities have been ransacked and burned by marauding bands of “Radical
Sects”.
Although it is claimed that the conflagration is being perpetrated
by the smallest percentage of “radicals”, some sitting governments and influential
clergy have waffled between actually encouraging the demonstrations, rioting
and violence, and issuing pleas for peace and order. In some instances, the calls for order have
followed stern warnings from our government, making the motivation appear disingenuous. Some countries who are the recipients of US
financial aid (with monies borrowed from China), considered to be young and
growing, and holding tenuous positions
as allies, have been given “passes” by
our officials for the behavior of some of their people. Some of these countries have advised the US
that they may not be able to ensure security for our diplomats and troops.
And all of the Anti-America activity this week, we’re told,
is in reaction to a poorly made and offensive video that was posted on YouTube.
Those who’ve seen the video will agree
that it’s laughably bad in quality and content, and yes, offensive and even despicable. But to claim that the Middle East is on fire
because of a stupid video truly offends the intelligence of the world (not the
least of which, the Islamic culture). While insisting that violence is never an acceptable answer to disagreements, US
officials have pointedly denounced the video and its offense of Islam, assuring the world
audience in so many words that “it’s not our fault folks, really”. It’s a dangerous acceptance of and focus on the wrong causal details.
That there is volatility and hatred for the West in the
Middle East is unquestionable. But the
reason has precious little to do with a video, or one person’s or group of
peoples “artistic” expression. None of
the freedoms Americans enjoy are justifiable causes for hatred against us, nor
should any of those freedoms be subject to scrutiny as putting our security in
the world at risk.
Makes one expect to soon see the creation of a US Department
of Objectionable Video Content Management.
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