Hillary gets it right

Rejects Muslim efforts to get criticism of their religion banned

"US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has come out strongly against laws around the world that make religious defamation a crime, saying freedom of speech and religion should be equally upheld. "Some claim that the best way to protect the freedom of religion is to implement so-called 'anti-defamation' policies that would restrict freedom of expression and the freedom of religion," she said on presenting a department report on religious freedom.

"I strongly disagree. The United States will always ... stand against discrimination and persecution ... But an individual's ability to practice his or her religion has no bearing on others' freedom of speech," Clinton said.

"The protection of speech about religion is particularly important since persons of different faith will inevitably hold divergent views on religious questions. These differences should be met with tolerance, not with the suppression of discourse," she added.

In a draft resolution adopted last month by the UN Human Rights Council, Egypt and the United States raised concerns over the rise of "negative racial and religious stereotyping of religions and racial groups" around the world. The resolution, which the European Union and Latin America criticized for touching on the thorny issue of religious defamation, "condemns ... any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence".

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Posted by John Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).