Obama condemns Koran burning 'bigotry' (& Afghan attacks)

[Turborama]

Source: AFP

(AFP) – 2 hours ago

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama condemned a US pastor's burning of the Koran, after violent protests at what he called an act of "extreme intolerance and bigotry" left 17 dead in Afghanistan.

Obama also reiterated his condemnation of the "outrageous" attacks by protesters as "an affront to human decency and dignity."

"No religion tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people, and there is no justification for such a dishonorable and deplorable act," he added.

=snip=

"The desecration of any holy text, including the Koran, is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry," Obama said in a statement honoring those killed in the attacks.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hytAaWxmZf31wwwywX-j84xAxRKg?docId=CNG.0036c9560bca2e03ee429fb8f0b51538.1471

---

This is how it's being reported in Indonesia's 'Jakarta Globe'...

Obama Condemns Koran Burning, Afghan Riots Continue
Patrick Quinn | April 03, 2011

=snip=

The desecration at a small US church has outraged Muslims worldwide, and in Afghanistan it further strained ties with the West. On Friday, 11 people were killed, including seven foreign U.N. employees, in a protest in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.

The protests come at a critical juncture as the U.S.-led coalition gears up for an insurgent spring offensive and a summer withdrawal of some troops, and with Afghanistan's mercurial president increasingly questioning international motives and NATO's military strategy.

=snip=

President Hamid Karzai expressed regret for the 20 protest deaths, but he also further stoked possible anti-foreign sentiment by again demanding that the United States and United Nations bring to justice the pastor of the Dove Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, where the Koran was burned March 20. Many Afghans did not know about the burning until Karzai condemned it four days after it happened.

=snip=

US President Barack Obama extended his condolences to the families of those killed by the protesters and said desecration of the Koran "is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry." But he said that does not justify attacking and killing innocent people, calling it "outrageous and an affront to human decency and dignity."

Full article: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/obama-condemns-koran-burning-afghan-riots-continue/433154

[Bragi]

1. Karzai inflames situation, taunts Obama

Karzai seems happy to throw more fuel on the fire, as per the OP:

President Hamid Karzai expressed regret for the 20 protest deaths, but he also further stoked possible anti-foreign sentiment by again demanding that the United States and United Nations bring to justice the pastor of the Dove Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, where the Koran was burned March 20.

Clearly, Karzai wasn't born yesterday, and knows full well that Jones cannot "be brought to justice" in the U.S because burning a Quran is constitutionally protected free speech. But he raises it anyway, what, just to inflame the situation, and taunt Obama?

So Obama issues a statement on the situation (as above) that neglects to even mention he cannot meet Karzai's (and the mob's) request , provides no explanation whatsoever of what free speech means in America and why "bringing Jones to justice" is a non-starter, and that fails to make it absolutely clear that the U.S will not negotiate the First Amendment rights of its citizens with murderous mobs abroad.

Then we learn this:

Many Afghans did not know about the burning until Karzai condemned it four days after it happened.

I think at least part of the picture here is becoming clearer.

[freshwest]

2. Obama is the POTUS, and not Karzai. I agree with Obama. Edited for wrong thread.

[Bragi]

3. So like we shouldn't be discussing this?

I infer you don't think this should be discussed because it is "flame bait".

So when should we discuss this? After the next murderous mob tears innocents apart, or after the no-doubt coming wave of Quran burnings?

[freshwest]

6. Your post was worded to be flame bait, this one isn't. Read for intent.

[jwirr]

4. I am glad he spoke out. This was a vicious action for a man who

claims to be a christian. Let him be judged like he judges others - with no mercy or respect.

[hollowdweller]

5. I'm not sure what this guy is trying to prove

That there are murderous crazy islamic people in Afghanistan?

It's not like we don't know that.

Provoking them to rampage so he can go on about how intolerant they are?? We already know they are
and they themselves don't have any insight into how they look to us.

I agree this dude should to to Afghanistan and do it rather than making some innocent bystanders his collateral damage.

[freshwest]

7. He's playing to the same political groups that want a theocracy here, is all.

[Psephos]

8. Burning Muslim holy book: bad. Dropping bombs on Muslim country: good.

I have them both down as "bad" on my scorecard.

[louslobbs]

9. One is sick, and the other is violently sick.

Lou

[Igel]

10. Perhaps he meant "no mainstream, standardly accepted codified religion"

tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people.

Many people's religion not only accepts it but commendsit. Otherwise they wouldn't run around saying that they're killing in the name of their religion and this is a good thing.

Unless we have decided to say such belief systems aren't a real religion. But surely a professor can spot such an obvious, not sophomoric but frosh-level fallacy.

Or the whole-part fallacy that most Muslims, as Xians or the politically oriented, want to foist upon us when it suits them. One set of fallacy-lovers paints all Muslims with the brush suited to extremists; the other paints all Muslims with the brush suited to extreme moderates. Same fallacy, just twisting things in opposite direction.

[Kolesar]

11. I am an infidel/devil-worshiper per the definition of America's dominant religion

And I am a political problem to them and my rights have to be eliminated.

[WatsonT]

19. I guess it depends on your definition of "innocent"

To some a nonbeliever cannot be innocent.

[CJvR]

12. Spineless Obama!

Flush the first half of that statement and it is much better. It is just "outrageous and an affront to human decency and dignity", and so is Karzai btw. No need to say more than that.

[boston bean]

13. Obama the constitutional law professor needs more classes on the Constitution. nt

[hugo_from_TN]

15. Obama was never a law professor

He was a lecturer

[slackmaster]

14. Unrec. The President should not be in the business of declaring any text as "holy".

This is a secular nation. We don't give special consideration to ANY religion.

[Yo_Mama]

16. Major presidential error

The US military burned a bunch of bibles in Afghanistan:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/20/us.military.bibles.burned/

Bad, bad error. In every way.

[freshwest]

17. Why? And do you blame Obama?

[Yo_Mama]

23. I blame Obama because he said burning a religious text

was an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry.

Which of course we don't believe it is, because we ourselves burned those bibles - basically so as to avoid offending Afghanis.

Either he has just said that the US military is extremely intolerant and bigoted or his statement will be interpreted as "it is okay for you to be offended by our religion but not for us to be offended by your religion".

It's just a dumb mistake, but worse, he missed the opportunity to talk about the First Amendement, what it means, why he can't do anything about some book-burning little church, and all the rights that the First Amendment guarantees to Muslims in our country. He's the president, not a miracle worker. The best he can do is explain why we hold to these rights, and show how these rights protect Muslims.

[WatsonT]

20. I remember the riots here when that happened

mosques were burned, thousands were murdered in the streets.

Bad stuff.

[alp227]

18. I can't wait for him to maybe quit religion on 1/21/2013 haha

and the First Amendment allows Mr. President to have an opinion about another person's exercise of free speech. As an atheist I find Terry Jones's actions childish and unnecessary but not really bigoted.

[Vinee]

21. Muslims kill Christians for being Christian. THAT is extreme bigotry and intolerance.

Burning a book is a mild statement. Killing people over it is an act of extreme bigotry and intolerance.

[nalnn]

22. What hypocrites!

Why do these belligerent protesters throw these riots and behead the offenders whenever a mosque is bombed? The extremists blow up korans all the time. Why no outrage and beheadings aimed at them?

[Name removed]

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