The First Amendment to the US Constitution was the act of legislature that ensured no law could be passed that would infringe on the right of American citizens to openly practice their religion. It provided the protection that America was essentially founded over- that is to say, the various groups of Pilgrim Fathers travelled to the New Continent to practice their religion without fear of the theocratic governments of the Europe of the time, and the First Amendment ensured their journey was not wasted.
Now, Bryan Fischer, a major commentator of the American right-wing, has said it doesn't apply to Islam. His justification for this basically goes that there were no Muslims in America at the time the amendment was written, so it's authors were unaware of this horrific threat to American democracy and culture and the Western way of life.
Wow. What total idiocy.
First-off, it shows how completely ignorant Mr. Fischer is of the nature of Islam. As always, he simply looks to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and thinks "right, well, all Muslims are out to kill/suppress me then!". This is roughly equivalent to someone looking at the Westboro Baptist Church in order to judge all Christians. Declaring that all Muslims are out to destroy democracy is pure fearmongering, as I have stated many times before. He conveniently forgets, or perhaps he hasn't bothered to find out about, the moderate majority of Muslims, who are happy to dwell in or co-exist with a Western democratic state. It is never acceptable to condemn the 95% because of the actions of the 5%.
Secondly, it's more hypocritical than I can even begin to say. The First Amendment does not contain a clause saying "well, as long as we happen to like the religion being expresses, that is". There are plenty of people, liberals, gay people, Native Americans, as well as Muslims, who object to a lot of what Fischer says. But due to the First Amendment, he has the right to say it- as he and his supporters so gleefully point out every few minutes. Now he has come across a religious disposition he doesn't like, and he's trying to find a loophole in the Amendment protecting him, so he can suppress his opponents.
The rights of those who follow Islam are under threat all over the west. We have to stand against this demonisation of one of our most prominent minority groups, or disastrous consequences will follow. What it's easy to forget is that a great number of people do listen to people like Fischer, and their British counterparts. Support for Islam has to be expressed, and those measures which would spread division amongst different religions and ethnic groups in our respective homelands must be challenged at every turn.
Now, Bryan Fischer, a major commentator of the American right-wing, has said it doesn't apply to Islam. His justification for this basically goes that there were no Muslims in America at the time the amendment was written, so it's authors were unaware of this horrific threat to American democracy and culture and the Western way of life.
Wow. What total idiocy.
First-off, it shows how completely ignorant Mr. Fischer is of the nature of Islam. As always, he simply looks to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and thinks "right, well, all Muslims are out to kill/suppress me then!". This is roughly equivalent to someone looking at the Westboro Baptist Church in order to judge all Christians. Declaring that all Muslims are out to destroy democracy is pure fearmongering, as I have stated many times before. He conveniently forgets, or perhaps he hasn't bothered to find out about, the moderate majority of Muslims, who are happy to dwell in or co-exist with a Western democratic state. It is never acceptable to condemn the 95% because of the actions of the 5%.
Secondly, it's more hypocritical than I can even begin to say. The First Amendment does not contain a clause saying "well, as long as we happen to like the religion being expresses, that is". There are plenty of people, liberals, gay people, Native Americans, as well as Muslims, who object to a lot of what Fischer says. But due to the First Amendment, he has the right to say it- as he and his supporters so gleefully point out every few minutes. Now he has come across a religious disposition he doesn't like, and he's trying to find a loophole in the Amendment protecting him, so he can suppress his opponents.
The rights of those who follow Islam are under threat all over the west. We have to stand against this demonisation of one of our most prominent minority groups, or disastrous consequences will follow. What it's easy to forget is that a great number of people do listen to people like Fischer, and their British counterparts. Support for Islam has to be expressed, and those measures which would spread division amongst different religions and ethnic groups in our respective homelands must be challenged at every turn.
I totally agree, it's absolutely ridiculous.
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