Muslim Rage vs. Free Speech Obama Touts Ourreligious Freedom, but Muslims See Laws Limiting Hate in U.S. Yet Open Slams on Islam

Byline: Associated Press Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- In U.S.-funded ads running on Pakistani TV, subtitled clips show President Barack Obama extolling America's traditions of religious freedom. For many watching, though, the message misses the mark in efforts to calm the Islamic outrage over a film denigrating the Prophet Muhammad.

America's free speech laws and values of openness are not in question, but rather there is confusion and anger over how they are applied.

A powerful theme binding the protests from Indonesia to Africa is the perception that the U.S. codes of free speech are somehow weighted against Islam -- permitting the Internet video that insults the faith but placing clear limits on hot button issues such as hate speech, workplace discrimination and even what is acceptable on prime-time network TV.

Beyond the rage, bloodshed and death threats -- churning now for two weeks -- is a quandary for American policymakers that will linger long after the latest …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: Muslim Rage vs. Free Speech Obama Touts Ourreligious Freedom, but Muslims See Laws Limiting Hate in U.S. Yet Open Slams on Islam. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL). Publication date: September 25, 2012. Page number: 1. © 2009 Paddock Publications. COPYRIGHT 2012 Gale Group.

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