Thursday, September 13, 2012

It helps when major powers stand together to denounce violence.


SOCHI, September 13 (RIA Novosti)
Russian President (click title to entry -thank you) Vladimir Putin condemned on Thursday a recent attack on U.S. diplomats in Libya, and urged governments to react toughly and timely to provocations against people's religious sentiments.
U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed on Tuesday in an attack on the U.S. consulate building in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi by an armed mob angry over a U.S.-produced film that is considered by Muslims to be insulting to Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
“We condemn this crime and offer our condolences to the victims' families,” Putin told reporters at his residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
“The safety of diplomats is protected by international conventions and if someone fails to recognize this, it means that they put themselves outside the framework of the law and outside the framework of modern civilization," Putin said.
At the same time, the Russian president said "religious feelings of people of all beliefs must be handled very carefully" and government reactions to religious provocation must be "tough and timely," otherwise the people who feel offended will take matters into their own hands to defend their interests and views....
It is so strange to have Russia speak out against religious bigotry. In their history religion was a not valuable to the Russian leadership. Today, we have come a long way in a global understanding of the importance of church leadership in a society. No longer are religious issues a matter ignored or set aside as trivial. Every leader around the globe now values what their people value. I appreciate President Putin standing up to the violence in the name of peace and understanding.

Russia’s Muslim Leaders Decry Libya Violence (click here)

MOSCOW, September 13 (Dan Peleschuk, RIA Novosti)
Muslim leaders in Russia have condemned the American anti-Islam video that sparked the Libya riots which killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, as well as the riots themselves, calling for unity amid what appear to be religious provocations.
“People of faith shouldn’t give into these kinds of provocations,” said Albir Krganov, Mufti of Moscow and first deputy chairman of the Central Spiritual Board of Muslims in Russia....
So, the religious leaders are in cooperation with the USA in criticizing both the hate film and the violence. Both are ridiculed in a civilized society where many faiths live together within the borders of one country.

Egypt's demographics.

Median age: total: 24.3 years 
male: 24 years 
female: 24.6 years (2011 est.)


USA demographics.

Median age: total: 36.9 years 
male: 35.6 years 
female: 38.2 years (2011 est.)


Russian demographics.

Median age: total: 38.7 years 
male: 35.5 years 
female: 41.9 years (2011 est.)



Source: Index Mundi (click here)

Tolerance of diversity in a society can be reflected by the maturing of the its people. It is all too frequent a picture in my memory of young men from the Middle East running away from a camera and toward government vehicles with home made bombs and explosives; Molotov Cocktails. That isn't noted in larger countries with older populations. There is a degree of immaturity in what is transpiring in the Mid-east countries. 

It is possible for the USA to disdain a video that doesn't even come close to a documentary. It isn't even entertainment, it is a film designed to instill hate. Just that simple. It can be ridiculed without the escalation into violence. Offense against the conscience of the society of people in the USA does NOT mean there is violence that erupts. In Egypt, today, the President is sensitive to the people and have called for organized marches within the country to demonstrate to the world their displeasure with such an atrocity. Yes, a film can be an atrocity. A mob with intent to use missiles and guns designed to kill is more of an atrocity than the USA could imagine happening within its borders.

Whoever put together this video wanted to convey a message of hate. That message has been rejected by the people of the USA. The people within the USA are appalled at this atrocity against faith. We are non-violent in our abhorrence of this video and we seek to end it's painful victimization of the images and words so wrongly illustrated as truth. Governments can take action against hate. Populous can stand the tide of victimization. I wish the countries of the Mid-east could find that same degree of civilized conduct to prevent such damage to their cities as well as themselves. I understand there are reports of 200 Egyptians wounded during these violent protests.

I mourn a wonderful group of brave Americans who saw the potential for good in their work in Libya. They did not deserve to be killed by the violence against a USA embassy. They did not ask for such a horrible film to be produced and they certainly would never consent to its message of hate. These people did not hate. They were selfless citizens of the USA and they are dearly missed now.

In understanding how hate can be stopped without violence and how benevolent understandings grow when people are mutually offended there is a clear vision of God in that. Peaceful resolve to atrocity by someone ignorant to the beauty of faith is godly. It is a higher purpose. So, when the USA seeks non-violence within its society it is with the understanding life is important and mistakes made with that life need to find definition and resolve.

I apologize for the misunderstanding existing between Islamic nations in the Mid-east and the way the USA conducts its disdain of hate. It is a cultural difference and I wish everyone peace knowing this hate will not be tolerated.

It will not be tolerated because of the conscience of the USA people, not because of the violence outside of embassies.