Opinion Forum

Letter to the Editor

April 30th, 2010

This letter was submitted to the Daily Illini editorial page on April 30, 2010:

Last Friday, when I was walking across the quad, I saw numerous stick figures drawn on the sidewalk labeled “Muhammad,” along with the message “AAF Supports Free Speech.” I wanted to cheer. Contrary to my fears that everyone on campus would have submitted to dhimmitude in the name of “tolerance,” at least a few had picked up on the South Park/Muhammad controversy and decided to respond in defense of their First Amendment rights.

When I passed by the cartoons later however, I was less pleased. Someone had taken it upon themselves to erase the name “Muhammad” from the cartoon, either because the depiction offended them or because they were afraid it would offend others. So much for tolerance of their fellow students’ right to free speech!

Islam does not believe in free speech. As evidence for my claim, I submit the murders of Theo Van Gogh and Pym Fortuyn, the words of former Islam4UK spokesperson Anjem Choudary, the fatwas on Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Salman Rushide, and Mosab Yousef, the protests of the Danish cartoons, the UN resolution banning religious “hate speech” put forward by the Organization of the Islamic Conference and supported by Pres. Obama, and the utter lack of any opposition to this intolerance from supposedly “moderate” Muslims.

Bluntly, this position is intolerable in the United States. Therefore, Muslims living in this country will have to choose. Either practice your religion within the bounds of the Constitution, or leave our country. America is accepting of differences, but not of differences that threaten our fundamental rights and freedoms as Americans.

May 20th has been declared “Draw Muhammad Day” in defense of South Park, its creators, and our First Amendment right to speak our minds. I urge AAF, my fellow students, and all Muslims who truly respect this nation and her freedoms to join me on that day in depicting the Prophet Muhammad, thereby defending the essential freedoms for which so many have given so much.

Articles written by Brianna Aubin
Tags: Draw Muhammad Day, free speech, Muslim, South Park, tolerance
Categories: News, Politics | Comments (9) | Home

9 Responses to “Letter to the Editor”

Clarissa | April 30th, 2010 at 7:45 pm

There is a fanatical element in all religions. In this sense, Christian fanatics are as scary as the Muslim ones. In my opinion, everybody, no matter what particular religion they practice, who tries to subvert the separation of Church and state, is profoundly anti-American. Anf you are right, if they are unable to support this bedrock principle of this nation, they should either suck it up or leave.

Brian Bagent | April 30th, 2010 at 10:23 pm

While there are certainly any number of Christians that might be easily called “intolerant,” excepting the ongoing issues in the UK and Ireland, I am not aware of any Christians engaging in the sorts of things that the Muslims are. Certainly there must be other examples, but note that they are the exception and not the rule. Christendom almost universally denounces barbaric behavior. The same cannot be said of Islaam.

This goes to an even deeper issue. Should people be allowed to exercise the freedom to destroy freedom? Obviously, a contradiction is derived, so no, it should be crushed, whether religious or secular in origin.

larry ennis | May 1st, 2010 at 6:45 am

Clarissa
Be so kind as to tell me why you felt compelled take a cheap shot at all Christians? The piece was about the behavior of Muslim devotees. With so many other more pressing matters, is Christian “baiting” the best you have to offer?

Tom | May 1st, 2010 at 7:20 am

“In my opinion, everybody, no matter what particular religion they practice, who tries to subvert the separation of Church and state, is profoundly anti-American.”

Clarissa has it exactly right. Religious fanatics of all stripes are strange and sometimes dangerous people, not only because of what they believe but because they often want to make everyone else believe as they do. I personally don’t care what kind of magic people practice, as long as it’s separate from the state and the law and doesn’t result in harm to other people. I also agree that anyone who can’t live with the American principle of separation of church and state should perhaps seek a more comfortable environment — maybe Iran or Saudi Arabia.

larry | May 1st, 2010 at 9:52 am

Love it or leave it?
Tell me about some of the terrible things Christians have done to you. Do you feel that the “other” religions should also pack up and leave. Maybe Iran or Saudia Arabia?? Or maybe the Czech Republic?

Tom | May 1st, 2010 at 11:19 am

Larry, you need to read a little more closely. 1) I didn’t say “love it or leave it” or anything remotely similar to that. 2) I didn’t refer to Christians specifically. 3) I didn’t say that people of a specific religion, or religions in general, should “pack up and leave.”

What I did say is that people who can’t live with the American principle of separation of church and state, or any of the other protections and principles found in the Constitution, “should perhaps seek a more comfortable environment.”

I don’t personally give a hoot which of the hundreds (thousands?) of religions, subreligions, denominations, offshoots, or cults that people believe in. Doesn’t bother me at all, as long as they don’t try to inflict their version of religion on other people or try to insert it into government and law.

larry | May 2nd, 2010 at 8:30 am

Tom
What did you mean by going away to Iran if a person was unhappy here in the U.S. ?
My reference to Clarissa was simply that Christians are no more to blame than anyone else. Whether or not the Founding Fathers were hypocrites and yet based their beliefs in Christianity as the foundation of this nation is a matter of conjecture.
Christians as a group(myself included)have pulled away from our teaching and have become only Quasi Christians. We have risked our soul in order to curry favor from the non-believers.
Have I ever used this forum to force my beliefs on anyone? No I have not. If I were a good Christian I would be trying to convert everyone. Frankly speaking, I’ve gone from caring for your souls to not giving a damn what happens to your eternal well being.
Yes Christianity is strictly faith based. If it counts for nothing we will all eventually die and rot in the ground for ever. If Christians do go to heaven as promised, it will be well worth the effort.

d | May 2nd, 2010 at 8:44 am

I do not think Islam sanctifies violence. Those are fanatics as the Mormon fundamentalists are fanatics and have 5+ wives. What I hear is that Islam,is a peaceful religion. Everyone should be allowed to believe in their religion,but when you force these beliefs on others it is morally wrong. To tell of your religion is what a good Christian does,to force it on others, is not. To take that religion and make it your own version, and deadly to non believers, is immoral and,I believe sinful. Maybe fanatics need psychiatric help,not followers.

Brianna | May 2nd, 2010 at 11:26 am

“…the murders of Theo Van Gogh and Pym Fortuyn… the fatwas on Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Salman Rushide, and Mosab Yousef, the protests of the Danish cartoons….”

Not to mention the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur War, the Intifadas, the suicide bombers, the World Trade Center, the Fort Hood shooter, the “moderate” Muslims who cheered these people on, and the extremist clerics who preach radical Islam throughout the world, including Canada and the United States (88% of mosques in Canada preach radical Islam, and 80% in the US).

If you want to understand the Islamic mentality best, I would recommend Son of Hamas By Mosab Yousef. He describes Islam as a great ladder, with most people at the bottom. The further up the ladder you go, the more devoted you become to Islam, the more likely you are to ignore, sanction, condone, or participate in violent acts against non-believers, because there is much in Islam to sanction aggression and conquest of unbelievers, and little to nothing to refute it.