Faith

Will the Obama Admin Cave to Islamists‘ Demands During This Week’s Religious Tolerance Conference?

Critics Worry Obama Admin Will Cave to Islamist Demands

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — Seeking to bolster relations with Muslim countries angry about Western characterizations of Islam, the Obama administration has gathered representatives from more than two dozen governments this week in an effort to address religious intolerance around the world. Some, though, are fearful that the U.S. government will be convinced by Islamic participants to crack down on Americans’ free speech rights.

To critics, the three-day conference in Washington smacks of appeasement toward hardline Islamist governments with often dismal anti-discrimination records of their own. U.S. officials say they’re simply promoting education and understanding, while also rejecting any demands from Arab states and other countries that want restrictions on free speech.

Last month, Fox News reported the following about the conference:

A looming meeting with Islamic leaders hosted by the State Department has religious scholars and advocacy groups warning that the United States may “play into” the push by some Islamic nations to create new laws to stifle religious criticism and debate.

The meeting on religious tolerance, which is scheduled for mid-December, would involve representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation — a coalition of 56 nations which more or less represents the Muslim world. [...]

A key worry is that the meeting could become a platform for Islamic governments to push for hate-speech laws which, in their most virulent and fundamentalist form, criminalize what they perceive as blasphemy.

“We know that some people distort various religious doctrines to justify intolerance, foment violence or create strife that serves their narrow political purposes,” said Suzan Johnson Cook, U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom. She said offensive speech ought to be denounced, but that “religion must never be used as an excuse to stifle freedom of expression.”

Critics Worry Obama Admin Will Cave to Islamist Demands

The dialogue comes after years of complaints from Muslim governments about perceived offenses against their faith. As examples they cite irreverent European cartoons of the prophet Muhammad and a small Florida church group’s burning of the Quran, and have advocated international rules to protect religious symbols and beliefs from mockery.

But the United States and European countries have sought to block what would essentially amount to an international ban on blasphemy that would be incompatible with free speech laws in the West.

American officials believe a compromise struck in March at the U.N. Human Rights Council broke the impasse. The divisive notion of interdicting “religious defamation” was dropped as countries agreed to work together to battle intolerance and the incitement of violence against people for their religious beliefs. And at an interfaith conference in July in Turkey, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joined others in promoting the effort as a way to safeguard religious freedom without compromising free speech.

Critics Worry Obama Admin Will Cave to Islamist Demands

The improved atmosphere, the U.S. hopes, will allow officials also to examine bans on blasphemy and apostasy in the Muslim world. The assassinations earlier this year of two prominent critics of Pakistan’s blasphemy law — Punjab governor Salman Taseer and national minority minister Shahbaz Bhatti — have focused attention on laws in the Islamic world used regularly to persecute Christians or silence minority dissent.

Nine European countries, three from Latin America and nine in the Organization of the Islamic Conference are among those that sent officials to the conference. The United Nations also is participating.

Still, conservative critics of the Obama administration said the administration was kowtowing to Muslim countries.

“Why is it that the U.S. Constitution must come second when representatives from Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan demand we must curb our religious liberties and free speech?” asked Andrea Lafferty, president of the Traditional Values Coalition. “Why is our government bending to Taliban values here on the home front?”

Comments (145)

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  • singray
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:48pm

    The real scary part is we have a bunch of progressives in office and to them the separation of Church and state only involves Christians and Jews. And as Christians and Jews are to them the thing that keeps them from enacting their version of the perfect world they must fight them on every issue. Abortion, gay rights and all issues deemed Conservative must be denounced and driven from society. They will use the Muslums as they do the Unions till it is inconvient for them. Then they will try and destroy these institutions as well. That is why they are always an angry bunch. They spend their time using some to destroy others while actually hating what those, they use believe. The cascade of those that they dislike just keeps coming. Enough to make anyone mean and nasty. Progressives really hate those that think different than them where as a Consevative disagrees with others but to a great extent doesn’t hate the person with those ideals. Compassion is the ability to feel pity for others no matter their ideals. Alot of Progressives lack this attribute.

    Report Post »  
    • pamela kay
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 1:06am

      SINGRAY, Your comment was right on. I pray that we can hold strong and gain in numbers to stop the evil madness that will not stop until they destroy us. God Bless.

      Report Post » pamela kay  
    • Marci
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 2:00am

      You have that right Singray. It is nothing more than bowing down to Islam. They shouldn’t even ENTERTAIN these buffoons as it is a sign to them that they can keep pushing. As it stands, we have idiot judges who should be taken off the bench and prosecuted for allowing Islam to be considered in a lawsuit and the opinion. There should be NO conference as they ONLY religion they are talking about at this conference is Islam. Will they address the persecution (and executions) of Christians and Jews in their countries? No. This is insanity.

      Report Post » Marci  
    • StonyBurk
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 8:17am

      I like Joseph Story- A familiar exposition of the Constitution of the United States. Regnery Gateway 1997 from the 1859 original.p 316 Sect.444.”… the general if not universal sentiment in America was, that Christianity ought receive encouragement form the State,….An attempt to level all religions, and to make it a matter of state policy to hold all in utter indifference , would have created universal disapprobation, if not universal indignation.” (such published by a man of American law man remembered in permanent display in the US supreme Court Bldg. from his 1833 Commentaries to this
      textbook first published in 1840 and ,1859 reflects an America I have only read about -After I was no longer a prisoner to the Public School system.I recall some lament about when the Government becomes the supreme religion Liberty dies.

      Report Post »  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 10:36am

      Dead on SINGRAY. American culture is being dismantled with malice aforethought. And the (fiscal) equity is being stolen ‘back’ (Cong. Joe Knollenberg, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZyAd_rJAx4).

      It‘s hard to assign a ’reason’ for this attack. At least one beyond greed.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
    • ACLUHater
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 11:35am

      Get ready for another multiculturalism sandwich trying to be crammed down the throats of Americans. We need to stand up and bite any hand that is trying to feed us this crap. A few bloody fingers might make them understand that we won’t take this propaganda lightly. These muslim bastages are a patient bunch. They know that the American liberal is weak and is ripe for exploiting.

      Report Post »  
    • watchtheotherhand
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 11:40am

      The world is on a collision course of ideals. Islam and Christianity are two very different religions with very very different views on God and Jesus and Mohammad. Because these views form the core and basis of all other beliefs in the lives of individuals there will be no compromise nor will there ever be any real peace. The two cannot coexist by virtue of their very basic tenants. Those who are not of any particular faith simply don’t understand this and try to pass laws and educate people on tolerance. However, this is different than the civil rights movements of the past. There will be persecution and intolerance masked as equal rights and tolerance. Does anyone think for a second that Christians in Arab countries and predominant Muslim countries will be respected, tolerated, and represented equally? I think we all know the answer to this question. It is not equality that they are interested in it is domination. Mark my words.

      Report Post » watchtheotherhand  
  • Lost Rebel
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:47pm

    This administration had done more to destroy Christianity and promote Islam than any other administration in our nation’s history!!!

    Report Post » Lost Rebel  
    • GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:56pm

      I was thinking….. Probably in all Western countries.

      Report Post » GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas  
    • Suanne
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 2:08am

      It is because the Judeo/Christian ethics say homosexuality and pederasty is a sin. You have to shut them up since the sodomy lobby wants it normalized and considered “good” by kids. But the evil Bible condemns those behaviors. Got to eliminate the Judeo/Christian Bible. The muslims are sodomites and pederasts. It is why they are loved by the Sandusky type progressives–it is why women are so hated in the Middle East. Learned behavior–much like Ancient Greece and Samurai. Boys for recreation, girls for procreation. Very sick cultures.

      Report Post »  
    • Wolf
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 10:47am

      “…Will the Obama Admin Cave to Islamists..”
      Can‘t ’cave‘ when it’s a pogrom they support. The POSPOTUS pretender is a muzz and everyone knows it- just afraid to say it because they’re afraid of being called racist. Oh, right: they’re just afraid, period. The libs have them cowed.

      Report Post »  
  • kinnick1
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:45pm

    We will NEVER Islam. It’s a violent, hateful religion that instructs its members to kill all non-believers. Muslims can eat me.

    Report Post »  
    • mils
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:54pm

      The answer to the question is a resounding YES….

      Report Post »  
    • mwhaley
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 9:16pm

      If our leaders knew the Bible, the answer on how to handle Muslims would be very easy.

      Report Post »  
    • dealer@678
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 9:16pm

      Yep, he has no choice or he’ll lose his base.

      Report Post »  
    • Delta D-5-3
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 9:39pm

      Well people, we’ve arrived! Our government will now trump our freedom of speach and after this little get together, we will no longer be able to voice our opinions. Look at what happened in the UK and most of Europe. They can no longer speak freely without being arrested and prosecuted for a “hate crime”. MARK MY WORDS!!

      Report Post » Delta D-5-3  
    • Komponist-ZAH
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 9:52pm

      “Will the Obama Admin Cave to Islamists‘ Demands During This Week’s Religious Tolerance Conference?”

      When has Obama ever stood up to the demands of anyone who wasn’t an Amercian conservative?

      And since when have we given our government the charge of addressing “religious intolerance”?

      Report Post »  
  • Mess23
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:42pm

    Religious tolerance my a$$. Tell them to stop terrorizing in the name of allah. If they lay down their guns and bombs, there will be peace…

    Report Post »  
    • flyoverbob
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 9:06pm

      You know they say oh islam is a peaceful religion,it’s just the extremest.s that cause the violence.When a christian extremest like McVey and others do their terrible deeds Christian leaders and their followers convict them and punish them.Sometimes by ythe most extreme measures .

      Muslims do not do this they remain silent.What I can tell you is “By your silence you are a member of this dark and repulsive enemy”
      That being my feelings “Don’t tread on me”

      Report Post »  
    • BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 11:39am

      @FLYOVER- McVey was an atheist.

      Report Post » BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?  
  • artoruby
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:41pm

    Mooslims having a conference on religious tolerance is like Adolf Hitler having a Hanukah party.

    Read the Koran. It’s all right there. Chapter 5 verse 51 for example.

    Only three choices for non-mooslims: death, conversion or dhimmitude. That’s tolerance youbetcha. Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?

    Report Post »  
  • Mess23
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:40pm

    Religious Tolerance my a$$. Tell them to stop terrorizing in the name of allah. If they lay down their guns and bombs, there will be peace.

    Report Post »  
  • dianna9490
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:35pm

    Of course he will – HE IS A MUSLIM! When you come to the USA YOU SHOULD LIVE BY THE USA’S RULES AND REGULATIONS – YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BRING YOUR BAGGAGE HERE AND IMPOSE IT ON EVERYDAY AMERICANS! If you don’t like it THEN GET OUT OF AMERICA BECAUSE WE SICK OF ALL THE CRAP!

    Report Post »  
  • banjarmon
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:35pm

    At one time in my past life I would give muslims the benefit of doubt….THEN 9-11 HAPPENED…NOW THEY CAN STAY THE HELL OUT OF MY LIFE AND MY COUNTRY!!!!!

    Report Post » banjarmon  
  • Lord_Frostwind
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:31pm

    Shocking, the Islamist countries like to lecture us on being tolerant of religion while scraping the blood and entrails of the Coptic Christians off of their boots. Progress!

    Report Post » Lord_Frostwind  
  • VinnieCCT
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:28pm

    If they make laws against religious blasphemy, then they had better apply to ALL forms of religion. Of course, reality is that Christianity will suffer.

    Report Post »  
  • Bill the anti-islamist PIG
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:28pm

    I agree with earlier post about never submitting to such a barbaric religous cult. But I will ensure my bullets are dipped in pigs blood before our domestic war with Islamic Freaks.

    Report Post »  
  • possom
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:27pm

    aw poor goatherders mad at the world again awwwwwww, don’t worry pres obie will support you!

    Report Post » possom  
  • aro5o75
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:25pm

    Of course they will.!!!

    Report Post » aro5o75  
  • GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:25pm

    I don’t have anything to do with pedophiles, rapists, women beaters and honor killings. I will not shut my mouth ever. And, as the brave Ann Barnhardt said: I will never, ever, ever surrender to Islam.

    Dear fanatic Muslim: You can come to my door too, but I will not answer, that’s Mr. Mossberg job….

    Report Post » GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas  
  • Teaparty-grammy
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:25pm

    Who asked that little PUKE in the White House to convene a “meeting of Muslim countries”? Does he REALLY imagine this is going to be OK with the American people, when he tries to usher in “hate crime” laws against anybody who dares to criticize the radical Islamists who come here looking for an opportunity to bombi something or kill a lot of people? Really? I don’t think so. Our rights were not granted by the freaking MUSLIMS, and they have no authority to take them away–even if ODUMBER tries to give it to them while ignoring the wishes of the country he supposedly represents.

    Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
    • M4920
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:56pm

      AND, have we’ve seen this anywhere on National news??? Not eve Fox has carried this… or am I wrong? Thanks to the Blaze for keeping me ‘in the loop’. BTW – “Little Puke” is a bit much, but I respect your right to say it.

      Report Post »  
    • objectivetruth
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 9:15am

      I couldn’t have said it better. To the other posters reply.Actually puke face is nice compared to what I would have said.Its a public forum though and my sense of diginity won’t allow me to express it here.

      Report Post »  
    • BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 11:47am

      M4920-

      You are incorrect. The article even quotes Fox News reporting on the impending conference last month.

      Report Post » BOUGHT YOUR SILO YET?  
  • kindling
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:24pm

    The cartoons and other expressions of views will only get worse as Muslims push to force themselves on people that don’t want to change or loose their cultures. Why should anyone allow another culture to destroy them? It is Muslims that refuse to change. If they don’t like where they move then they should move back to where their beliefs are the norm.

    Report Post » kindling  
  • TNT_Party
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:23pm

    Of course he won’t cave to it, he’ll openly or discretely support it. I have thought from day one that he’s still Muslim, it is after all, dreams of his father.

    Report Post »  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:19pm

    Are there any ACIM people out there who wish to express their views on this subject?

    Report Post » The-Monk  
  • Teaparty-grammy
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:19pm

    When they pass laws against dumb-a$$ occupiers defacating on American flags, when they pass laws against rabid Islamists in other countries burning the American flag or attacking and killing Americans, then they can come here asking for tolerance. Until then, well, you know where they can go as far as I’m concerned, and the sooner, the better!

    These people are nvading cockroaches, seeking to infest our country and bend its government to their will in any way they can. And ODUMBER is just the guy to let them do it.. Personally, I do NOT want ODUMBER speaking for me at any conflab of Muslims–you just KNOW how that is going to turn out, before it even starts. He’ll be there bowing and scraping, kissing their rings and their a$$es, apologizing for being an American (which is rich, since he probably is NOT one), and signing away our rights to free speech, which he is eager to do anyhow, and will seize upon any excuse to chip away at our Constitutional rights.

    Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
  • rush_is_right
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:18pm

    is the sky blue? come on…BOW DOWN…we will submit…

    Report Post »  
  • momrules
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:17pm

    The U.S. Constitution should never come second to any demands by Islam. But we have a growing Muslim population in America that our President bows to so it will.

    How dare Muslims, the most murderous intolerent religeon in the world make demands regarding tolerance?

    Islam is our greatest enemy and I will never stop speaking the truth about them, laws be damned.

    Report Post »  
    • Teaparty-grammy
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:28pm

      They’re a lot like the Lib Tards, who are all for Freedom of Speech–as long as it is THEIR speech. If somebody who disagrees with them wants to speak, they get shouted down. They only believe in free speech for THEM, and the Muslims–the most INtolerant people in the history of the world–only use “relgious tolerance” as a club to beat down those they wish to conquer.

      Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
    • majahn
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 12:20pm

      Why in the hell do we let them in the USA ? They are evil and want to bring us down. So, since 9-11
      we just let them flow in, do you think we would do that with anyone else ? Well, maybe O’stupid would, who knows what that idiot will or won’t do.

      Report Post »  
  • randy
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:17pm

    Muhammad as is all of Islam was and are PEDOPHILES……….
    Someone going to come Be-Head me? or Arrest me now?

    Report Post » randy  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:27pm

      No, but they will upload Kiddy Porn to your computer then arrest you. Has anyone noticed that everyone arrested lately, they find kiddy porn on their computers.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • momrules
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:48pm

      @Darmok……….I had not noticed that but will now be on the look out.

      Report Post »  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 9:03pm

      I am kidding, but what I seem to notice more are stories that people are arrested for XY and Z, then there will be a blurb, “and discovered on their computer, Kiddy porn”. How hard would it be though to upload to a computer and then go arrest someone. Plus it now holds a 20 year prison term, so even if you couldn’t get someone for a small crime, bingo, sex offender for the rest of their life and put away for 20 years. This just seems like an easy way to frame someone now.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 9:31pm

      You mean something like Erik Holder’s USB reporting for duty!

      Report Post » GBTVFan_Non_American_Overseas  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 9:55pm

      Yep

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • objectivetruth
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 9:10am

      @darmok
      We had a case of that here in va.Chesterfield county busted a guy for kiddie porn.The tip that sent them to him was from a hacker in turkey.If the freak could break into his computer, he could have downloaded the crap.Don’t know what happened to the case.It disappeared.Maybe with due cause.Maybe they were after the hacker and silencing the story gave them the tools to catch the freak.No I don’t put it past them to do just about anything.

      Report Post »  
    • rednrusty
      Posted on December 13, 2011 at 10:39am

      probably

      Report Post »  
  • the wireworker
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:16pm

    all jazeeri is the most influential news source in this administration, so i say the capitulate.
    his name IS barack hussein obama…btw

    Report Post » the wireworker  
  • Dougral Supports Israel
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:15pm

    I don’t care what laws the Obama administration pushes. If I think something needs to be said I will say it. I’ll spray paint it on the sidewalk at 3:00 AM if necessary but it will be said. Our First Amendment means nothing if we don’t stand up against those who would take it away.

    Report Post »  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:11pm

    Achmed the Dead Terrorist says: “Support religious tolerance, or I KEEEL YOU!”

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Honest Abe
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:19pm

      Achmed is right. Be tolerant or boom, I keeel you.

      Report Post »  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on December 12, 2011 at 8:23pm

      I like Achmed the Dead Terrorist, he’s soooo funny and tells it like it is. And if you don’t believe me Acmed will keeel you!

      Report Post » The-Monk  
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