Obama to UN: 'We Do Not Ban Blasphemy' - Polidicks

[QUOTE=Examiner.com]President Barack Obama tells the United Nations “We do not ban blasphemy.” President Obama defended free speech and the U.S. Constitution in his annual address to the United Nations. Obama made his address Tuesday, September 25. Obama made his remarks against the backdrop of growing calls for international laws against the “defamation of religion”, or “blasphemy.” Explaining the virtues of a free, open and tolerant society, Obama urged Muslims to embrace free speech and to give up anti-American violence. The U.S. President warned the U.N. General Assembly that "The impulse towards intolerance and violence may initially be focused on the West, but over time it cannot be contained." In the wake of recent Muslim hysteria and violence, Obama explained to the international body that the U.S. government had nothing to do with the Internet video titled “Innocence of Muslims,” the supposed source for said hysteria and violence. Obama made it clear that free speech is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, and rejected any suggestion of international laws against the “defamation of religion”, or “blasphemy.” The following is an excerpt from those remarks: "I have made it clear that the United States government had nothing to do with this video, and I believe its message must be rejected by all who respect our common humanity. It is an insult not only to Muslims, but to America as well — for as the city outside these walls makes clear, we are a country that has welcomed people of every race and every faith. We are home to Muslims who worship across our country. We not only respect the freedom of religion — we have laws that protect individuals from being harmed because of how they look or what they believe. We understand why people take offense to this video because millions of our citizens are among them. I know there are some who ask why we don't just ban such a video. The answer is enshrined in our laws: our Constitution protects the right to practice free speech. Here in the United States, countless publications provoke offense. Like me, the majority of Americans are Christian, and yet we do not ban blasphemy against our most sacred beliefs. Moreover, as President of our country, and Commander-in-Chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so." For more news, information and humor relevant to atheists, freethinkers, and secular humanists, check out the Progressive Secular Humanist Examiner on Facebook. For more political news, information and humor check out Left Coast Lucy on Facebook.[/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://www.examiner.com/article/obama-defends-free-speech-at-un-we-do-not-ban-blasphemy[/url]

:clap:

This is what I love about Obama.

Defamation of religion would be an extremely stupid and unjust law. Obama wins again.

All it does is prove the UN is delusional and out of touch with modern society.

[QUOTE=Vasili;37817142]All it does is prove the UN is delusional and out of touch with modern society.[/QUOTE] All it does is prove the relatively small handful of nations in the UN that are still [I]considering[/I] a ban on blasphemy are out of touch with modern society. Sometimes we tend to forget that the UN is literally just every nation on Earth, sans a few for stupid political reasons (Taiwan, Palestine, etc).

Fuckin' spot on, Obama! [quote] [B]Universal Declaration of Human Rights[/B] ================================ #18 Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. #19 Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. [/quote] CASE CLOSED.

How impotent is your god that you have to go to a man-made edifice of international law to seek a resolution against defaming him?

The demands Muslims make are fucking stupid, and the lengths people want us to cater for minorities is stupid apparently here in Aus, our national holiday Australia Day was going to be named "Citizen's day" to appease minorities THAT'S UN FUCKEN AUSTRALIAN AND I WON'T FUCKEN STAND FOR IT

[QUOTE=Sodisna;37817007]This is what I love about Obama.[/QUOTE] That he's sane? It is nice.

[QUOTE=WhatAmI;37817323]The demands Muslims make are fucking stupid, and the lengths people want us to cater for minorities is stupid apparently here in Aus, our national holiday Australia Day was going to be named "Citizen's day" to appease minorities THAT'S UN FUCKEN AUSTRALIAN AND I WON'T FUCKEN STAND FOR IT[/QUOTE] It's unaustralian to have a holiday after the citizens of Australia? Isn't it more unaustralian to not "FUCKEN STAND FOR" the holiday based on the founding of what became Australia for such a petty reason? Do you hate Australian citizens or something?

[QUOTE]Moreover, as President of our country, and Commander-in-Chief of our military, I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.[/QUOTE] I like this president.

[QUOTE=WhatAmI;37817323]The demands Muslims make are fucking stupid, and the lengths people want us to cater for minorities is stupid apparently here in Aus, our national holiday Australia Day was going to be named "Citizen's day" to appease minorities THAT'S UN FUCKEN AUSTRALIAN AND I WON'T FUCKEN STAND FOR IT[/QUOTE] That's funny thing to say in a country that's populated mostly of... descendants of immigrants. Same goes for USA. Old World supremacism, hell yeah! Not that I disagree with you though. Policy of tolerance should have it's borders.

[QUOTE=Corey_Faure;37817905]I like this president.[/QUOTE] I was about to quote the same thing. I love Obama. No homo.

A little bit.

[QUOTE=RichardCQ;37817629]It's unaustralian to have a holiday after the citizens of Australia? Isn't it more unaustralian to not "FUCKEN STAND FOR" the holiday based on the founding of what became Australia for such a petty reason? Do you hate Australian citizens or something?[/QUOTE] What? I just don't want to rename our holiday so a small group feels better [editline]27th September 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=gudman;37817961]That's funny thing to say in a country that's populated mostly of... descendants of immigrants. Same goes for USA. Old World supremacism, hell yeah! Not that I disagree with you though. Policy of tolerance should have it's borders.[/QUOTE] We shouldn't have to change the name of our nation holiday just because we're multicultural If you're in Australia you should celebrate Australia day, not rename it citizen day because you want everyone to be happy. I just think it's uncool to suggest.

[QUOTE=WhatAmI;37818094]We shouldn't have to change the name of our nation holiday just because we're multicultural If you're in Australia you should celebrate Australia day, not rename it citizen day because you want everyone to be happy. I just think it's uncool to suggest.[/QUOTE] I agree, even apart form that it's flat out stupid to suggest such a thing. Why would anyone ever rename national holiday?

To make minorities happy and because the government is afraid it will be considered racist or something stupid [editline]27th September 2012[/editline] kind of like why it's politically correct to say "happy holidays" opposed to "merry christmas" I mean, you can call me a redneck or whatever but if you come to a country and then it expect it to conform to accommodate you I think that's egotistical. There is a grey area and you need to make allowances, but if you come to a country and expect it to conform to your needs I reckon that's unfair Like, the Middle East would never conform to accommodate Westerners, yet the West seems to have to for people from the Middle East, eg all this ranting and raving about Burqas, and Sharia law tldr: gubments are afraid of being labelled racists

Obama's got our back.

[QUOTE=WhatAmI;37818140]To make minorities happy and because the government is afraid it will be considered racist or something stupid [editline]27th September 2012[/editline] kind of like why it's politically correct to say "happy holidays" opposed to "merry christmas" I mean, you can call me a redneck or whatever but if you come to a country and then it expect it to conform to accommodate you I think that's egotistical. There is a grey area and you need to make allowances, but if you come to a country and expect it to conform to your needs I reckon that's unfair Like, the Middle East would never conform to accommodate Westerners, yet the West seems to have to for people from the Middle East, eg all this ranting and raving about Burqas, and Sharia law tldr: gubments are afraid of being labelled racists[/QUOTE] But... "Australlians" is not a particular ethnicity, how can such thing be racist. Australlia day doesn't sound "sepremacist" to me, it already is a holiday for every [b]citizen[/b] of Australia to selebrate, isn't it? Like, Russia day in here, with no particular ethnos in mind. That's some unbelievable stupidity.

I dunno people are all about being politically correct these days

[QUOTE=WhatAmI;37818267]I dunno people are all about being politically correct these days[/QUOTE] Which leads to a situation where one day people will be convinced that political correctness equals ubelievable stupidity and needs to be scrapped.

It's always great to see someone stand up against the UN.

[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;37818443]It's always great to see someone stand up against the UN.[/QUOTE] Yes, we shall rise up together as a nation and throw off the strongly worded letters of our oppressors.

[QUOTE]"I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so."[/QUOTE] This is what you're going to see in the history books thirty years from now.

[QUOTE=WhatAmI;37818267]I dunno people are all about being politically correct these days[/QUOTE] Yes, such outrageous political correctness that it was requested the name of a holiday be changed! As if somehow it being "Citizen's Day" rather than "Australia Day" would honestly cheapen the liveliness or spirit of an arbitrary date marked on a calendar for the patriotism of a former immigrant nation and penal colony.

[QUOTE=Megafan;37818909]Yes, such outrageous political correctness that it was requested the name of a holiday be changed! As if somehow it being "Citizen's Day" rather than "Australia Day" would honestly cheapen the liveliness or spirit of an arbitrary date marked on a calendar for the patriotism of a former immigrant nation and penal colony.[/QUOTE] If it doesn't matter, why change it?

[QUOTE=Sie-Sveinhund;37818653]This is what you're going to see in the history books thirty years from now.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"- Evelyn Beatrice Hall[/QUOTE]

Good on Obama. You'd think after Chamberlain that people would understand that appeasement just opens the flood gates to more of this kind of ridiculous behavior.

[QUOTE=WhatAmI;37817323] apparently here in Aus, our national holiday Australia Day was going to be named "Citizen's day" to appease minorities[/QUOTE] The hell? "Citizens" in this case obviously means "citizens of Australia" and anybody who'd be taking part in the national holiday would be living in Australia anyway. Both terms imply the exact same thing...