If New Yorkers stormed embassies with murderous rage after 9/11, the NYPD would wrap us in huge orange nets, but the video of the twin towers falling, not to mention those of Daniel Pearl’s beheading and the slaughter at the 1972 Munich Olympics are the true evil.
C’mon, who’s obscene?
I’m having a hard time believing that Islamic extremists from more than 20 countries actually hold 300 million Americans responsible for a single amateur film, an incoherent anti-Islamic screed made by a convicted felon on parole for credit-card scams.
Okay, maybe one or two offended people could be that dumb. But no way could tens of thousands of folks in 20 countries believe the same line of nonsense that this film is representative of the entire American people.
And yet in the wake of four Americans murdered in Libya last week, here were fiery images from around the world as outraged Muslims attacked our consulates, embassies and even an American fast-food joint to avenge the twisted vision of one American con man with a camcorder. A film that esteemed Daily News movie critic Joe Neumaier says would have more social significance, as the old Hollywood line goes, if you cut it up and sold it for mandolin picks.
But somehow this obscure film has caused the Arab Spring to bloom into American funeral wreaths.
It got me thinking that we live in New York City, home of the United Nations, host of every one of those Islamic nations now erupting in irrational anti-American violence. Suppose New Yorkers decided to retaliate and storm all their diplomatic outposts, killing ambassadors and other innocents because we were outraged by an Islamist film that we found offensive?
The NYPD riot squad, hate crime unit, FBI and National Guard would be out rounding us up in orange fishing nets.
And, believe me, we have lots more than one dopey fictional film to be offended by.
Go online and you’ll find authentic real-life footage detailing radical Islamist atrocities that any rational person would find far more blasphemous to the human spirit than anything in the YouTube trailer that has set the Muslim world ablaze.
Start with these 10 videos:
1) The beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl on an Al Qaeda website, perhaps one of the most evil videos ever shot.
2) American hostage Eugene Armstrong being beheaded in Iraq.
3) Hooded terrorists killing Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
4) The second plane smashing into the South Tower of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
5) Human beings leaping to their doom from the Trade Center.
6) The collapse of the twin towers as people are obliterated inside.
7) A woman being stoned to death for adultery in Saudi Arabia.
8) The bodies of four U.S. contractors hanging from a bridge above the Euphrates River in Fallujah, Iraq.
9) The aftermath of the 2000 attack on the destroyer Cole.
10) The embassy bombings in Sudan.
There are hundreds of such real-life videos available online detailing radical Islamist crimes against humanity. Footage so violent that it is seared into memory for a lifetime.
And yet here are radical Islamists rioting, storming American embassies, killing our ambassador and three others over an amateur movie few would have ever heard of unless these killers and protesters brought it to the world’s attention.
There are many legitimate incidents that moderate Muslims can condemn America for in the recent past. No one should forget the abuses in Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad. History will not be kind to George W. Bush and his band of merry neo cons for ordering the bombing of Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9/11 . There is also President Obama reneging on his promise to close Gitmo . And the ongoing killing of innocents with misguided drone attacks in the Middle East.
There are legitimate gripes reasonable Muslims can air. Instead, radical Islamists chose to kill and riot over a ridiculous and unreleased indie flick on Sept. 11.
If they want to view some truly obscene film, they should watch extremists storm the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi with machine guns and grenade launchers to murder Chris Stevens, a friend of the people of Libya, and three other innocents, in the name of Allah and the Prophet Muhammed.
That’s an obscene piece of film.
That’s evil.
Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.
Between me and my husband we've owned more MP3 players over the years than I can count, including Sansas, iRivers, iPods (classic & touch), the Ibiza Rhapsody, etc. But, the last few years I've settled down to one line of players. Why? Because I was happy to discover how well-designed and fun to use the underappreciated (and widely mocked) Zunes are.
The people that have taken to the streets protesting are right because our religion forbids silence in situations like this. However the violence is not called for and total against the teachings of islam. Its just sad and unfortunate how this has turned out. This piece has certainly not done absolute justice. Much before today even the americans know that 9/11 was an inside job, it was attack on americans by americans, what could be more inhuman than this and all for what reasons? Oil and oppression of islam. The populace of afghanistan, iraq and syria are being oppressed in ways beyond our imagination by americans. Also you do not have the right to critize islamic laws. They are not man made. If the stoning to death of a person was carried out exactly as the religion has commanded then there's nothing wrong. Its just like you saying the hanging of sadam hussein is inhuman. He was convicted for a crime and he faced the law. So was her case she committed adultery which is punishable in islam. I must also add that the way the religion is being practiced in this era has a number of flaws which has opened numerous doors for all sort of things to be said about islam and muslims. However I expect rational and objective people to know what islam is all about before opening their mouths and talk about it based on what they have heard from someone else or what they saw on tv. Bottom line is all of us, I really mean ALL OF US, consiously or unconsiously have chosen sentiments over truth.
although I did not read this article but I see from the title that it is published for hidden agenda (propaganda goal),I read from the other paper that the incident is not yet confirmed and if it is true,I dont think it is up to what you`ve said. my advice to you journalists is to be objective,neutral and be responsible in what you publish,so that will be benefit from you instead of misleading them.sikena
those 10 points were a reaction against an action. U fools.
If only one of these extremists can read this! violence is never the answer.