Comments on: How Attacks in Egypt, Libya Relate to Arab Spring

By: Abeerah Sadia

Abeerah Sadia — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 20:09:00 +0000

I am a Muslim born in America and I find these types of films, cartoons, and depictions of the Prophet Muhammad and Islam to be very offensive. However, I condemn all acts of violent protest. I feel incredible sadness for the family of Ambassador Stevens who was wrongfully murdered. I agree with what Rami Khouri is saying in the sense that person liberties and freedom of speech should not go as far as to transgress the basic laws of human respect and dignity. Having said that, I would say the same to my fellow Muslims – show dignity and respect to even your offenders.

By: Shawn Smith

Shawn Smith — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 04:35:00 +0000

And would you say the same thing to everyone who’s insulted and slandered Christianity in America? To every single Hollywood celebrity who has treated Christianity as a vile, disgusting thing?

Or is it only when people respond with violence that we need to be concerned with their feelings? That’s called cowardice.

By: Shawn Smith

Shawn Smith — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 01:02:00 +0000

First point, the system this man proposes hands all power to the most easily offended. The person first willing to cry “offensive” or “blasphemy” or “racist” gets to shut down all discussion. This is completely incompatible with the mere possibility of free speech.

Second, I suggest that the U.S. might possibly *consider* restricting our free speech to respect Islam the day that converting away from Islam is no longer a crime punishable by death in any majority-Islamic nation. Until then, I will call Mohammed and their five pillars every vicious, hateful name I can think up without a hint of shame.

The cowardice of Khouri, masquerading as civility, is disgusting.

By: Jim Jolley

Jim Jolley — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 20:56:00 +0000

Part of having rights is to exercise them responsibly. Insulting someone’s religion, whether that religion is Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, etc, is not necessarily showing wisdom. I am not excusing the actions of violent mobs, for their actions denigrate the very religion they are defending, just as making a film defiling another’s religion does nothing to forward one’s own. And the ones who get hurt and killed are the innocent.

By: Fady

Fady — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:42:00 +0000

I am appalled that
this man was allowed to make such distasteful claims.

# If you wanna
scavenge you tube for stuff that is offensive to every religion, you will find
plenty. So how can he justify such a violent, untamed, barbaric response

# Which leads me to the second point, like the majority of all
those who protested, the author has NOT watched the movie as he mentioned, yet
he gives himself the right to comment on it. I would have imagined that before
he gives himself the liberty to defend the mobs, he would take the time to know
what the issue at hand is. But that is a long standing tradition in fanatical
circles where people act based on second hand knowledge spouted by some so
called “cleric”. An Egyptian Nobel prize winner survived an assassination attempt
carried out by a 20 some year old Egyptian. The Nobel Prize was in literature,
the assassinator was illiterate.

# The idiocy claims that he is throwing around regarding the move
makers do go both ways.

When will they be secure enough about their faith that such
distasteful movies are not perceived as existential threats to the existence of
their faith.

By: Thomas Richter

Thomas Richter — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:18:00 +0000

Frankly, I was appalled to hear Mr Khouri’s willingness to curb individual freedom to accommodate religious believers. All religions deserve – nay – must be ridiculed and questioned constantly, particularly when they have such impact on the lives of those who do not adhere to them. Where is the tolerance and respect from religious supporters towards those of us who do not believe in superstition and supernatural beings? We are supposed to be sensitive to their feelings? In a society where women are oppressed, acid thrown on their faces? Where infidels are persecuted? Where cartoonists are threatened because they dare draw?
Mr Khouri seems to forget that it is the very individual freedom he condemns that protects the irrational beliefs of religious believers.
Sorry Marco, but it was a weak interview, you should have pressed Khouri on these ludicrous statements.

By: Gamal

Gamal — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 02:48:00 +0000

This interview turned into an apologetic rant by Khouri who essentially came to the defense of a violent mob. Did he really refer to the filmmakers as “criminals” at one point? Good job shifting the blame away from the violent mob and vilifying the filmmakers. We should not cower to the delicate feelings of extremists. Is the air up in your ivory tower perhaps a little too thin, Rami?

By: rodney reuben

rodney reuben — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 02:06:00 +0000

I think it is ridiculous to say the west can go too far. We make offensive jokes and cartoons where as the Islamic world cuts off peoples heads, hijacks airplanes and blows up buildings. I think that is going to far. Not to mentions the rampant oppression of women. sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.

By: yrag01

yrag01 — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 01:47:00 +0000

I agree with Rami Khouri point that though a minority of the population, extremist of all religions and nationalities are a threat to mutual respect, understanding and trust, and also that our personal expressions can go too far in the West, but I think he is doing a bit of whitewashing of the discrimination and persecution of minorities and women and the tacit consent by the populous of institutionalized repression and bigotry in the Arab societies.

By: rodney reuben

rodney reuben — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 01:25:00 +0000

This guy says we should curb individual liberty to respect peoples human respect and dignity. Even though Muslim country’s are some of the worst human rights offenders in the world. I find this very hypocritical. People of faith need to respect unbelievers personal liberty.