Once again, we see that Islam and freedom are incompatible.

A bloc representing the world's Islamic nations is marking World Press Freedom Day Wednesday by calling for urgent action to establish international law or a code of conduct aimed at preventing media from defaming religion.

The Saudi-based secretariat of the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said in a statement it was committed to press freedom, but that journalists should be deterred from premeditatedly vilifying, defaming and violating the rights of others."

Citing the controversy earlier this year over the printing of cartoons depicting Mohammed, the OIC said the publication of the sketches and its ramifications provided "absolute evidence of the consequences of non-abidance with these regulations."

It said the caricatures had insulted "a faith embraced and revered by over one-fifth of the world population, and a religion that advocates peace, tolerance and moral virtues."

I’d like to remind them that their faith is rejected and reviled by at least three-fifths of the world population. But they think Islam is special, and entitled to more respect than any other faith. As if to emphasize that fact, consider some events “coincidentally” scheduled on the day which is designated to celebrate press freedom.

In Yemen, the editor of the Yemen Observer will mark World Press Freedom Day Wednesday by appearing in court, where prosecutors earlier called for the death sentence for insulting Islam.

Muhammad al-Asadi was arrested last February after his English-language weekly published the cartoons -- in thumbnail size and obscured with a thick, black cross -- to illustrate its news reports on the controversy.

Editors of two Arabic-language papers in Yemen are also on trial, and are due to appear in court later in May. Print editions of all three papers have been frozen for the past three months, although the government this week agreed to allow printing to resume.

Such an example shows quite clearly why we in the West must actively resist the imposition of Muslim values upon our civilization – and why kid-glove treatment of Islam and Islamic cultures must be rejected as an obstacle to freedom around the world.

Posted by: Greg at 11:47 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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