In “Australian Muslim Cleric Calls for Beheading — Who Cares?,” September 23, Larry Elder (thanks to Kristian) points out the glaring double standard:
What happens when an Australian Muslim cleric calls for the beheading of a Dutch politician?
Not much.
What happens when an American pastor no one ever heard of threatens to burn a Koran?
It ignites an international outcry.
Terry Jones, pastor of a 50-member church in Gainsville, Fla., threatened to burn the Koran as a protest against the proposed construction of a mosque near the site of the World Trade Center. Democrats and Republicans denounced Jones. Gen. David Petraeus, U.S. commander in Afghanistan, warned that Jones’ action would put American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan at risk, and he personally telephoned the pastor to dissuade him.
Those who would desecrate the Koran or who would draw a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad or who would otherwise “disrespect” Islam run the risk of being murdered. This is quite a response from followers of what President George W. Bush called a “religion of peace,” the “hijacking” of which motivated the 9/11 hijackers. Bush repeatedly distinguished between a war against Islamofascism and a war on Islam. But the distinction apparently collapses if one pastor doesn’t get the memo.
How dare this pastor of some church-nobody-heard-of show insufficient respect for Islam, many of whose followers support a global jihad that demands replacement of all non-Islamic governments, as well as the conversion of all to Islam, by force if necessary?
Where is the international outcry from this recent story from Reuters?
“A well-known Australian Muslim cleric has called for the beheading of Dutch anti-Islamic politician Geert Wilders. …
“The Sydney-born (Feiz) Muhammad has gained notoriety for, among other things, calling on young children to be radicalized and blaming rape victims for their own attacks.
“(De Telegraaf, the Netherlands’ largest newspaper) posted an English-language audio clip in which he refers to Wilders as ‘this Satan, this devil, this politician in Holland’ and explains that anyone who talks about Islam like Wilders does should be executed by beheading. …
“Wilders is currently on trial in the Netherlands for inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims.
“The Freedom Party leader made a film in 2008 which accused the Koran of inciting violence and mixed images of terrorist attacks with quotations from the Islamic holy book.
“Wilders was also charged because of outspoken remarks in the media, such as an opinion piece in a Dutch daily in which he compared Islam to fascism and the Koran to Adolf Hitler’s book ‘Mein Kampf.'”
Civil libertarian groups vigorously defend vile but protected speech. Where are the free-speech groups denouncing Wilders’ prosecution for making abrasive comments? Or does the right to free speech only apply to the nasty comments routinely made on cable shows by Sarah Palin/Glenn Beck/tea party-hating lefties?
If a proposed Koran burning generates international news and condemnation, isn’t the call by an Australian Muslim cleric for the beheading of a democratically elected European politician worthy of a few moments on the network nightly news?…