The Issue: The Obama administration’s response to anti-American Muslim violence in numerous countries.
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The insistence by UN Ambassador Susan Rice that the Libyan attack on the anniversary of 9/11 was the result of outrage over a film clip is so contemptible that it insults the intelligence of every American (“Nice Constitution Ya Got There,” Editorial, Sept. 18).
Americans will not drink her Kool-Aid.
Rice’s comment seeks to change the story from the failure to protect our embassies, our president’s missing national-security briefings and his campaigning instead of meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
President Obama’s actions make Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and Russia’s Vladimir Putin proud. Kevin Langberg
Plainview
Obama and Rice want us to believe that a YouTube clip is responsible for the attack on the US consulate in Libya.
No sane person will ever believe that hundreds of people spontaneously appeared with rocket-propelled grenades and caused the deaths of four Americans. This was purely a terrorist attack on American soil.
Obama has bragged endlessly about killing Osama bin Laden, but it appears the score is Osama, 4; Obama, 1.
Sal Bifulco
Jackson, NJ
The administration has referred to the video as “hateful,” “offensive,” “inappropriate” and “reprehensible and disgusting,” but did not use the term for the actual reason that Muslims are protesting: It is blasphemous.
Blasphemy is not only legal in the US, it is First Amendment-protected speech, and we should stop apologizing for that fact.Craig Werner
Manhattan
It’s stated that the man who made the anti-Muslim video set the Middle East on fire. No — the Muslims set it on fire.
I am sick of everything being blamed on Americans. Are we supposed to lose our freedom of speech in case it might offend some other country or religion?
How many other rights are going to be taken away? Where will we draw the line? I am beyond tired of this blame game.
Kimberly Brockway
Random Lake, Wis.
The headline “Appeasing Thugs by Trampling Our Rights” is appropriate and succinctly describes the catastrophic events encompassing 20 countries from Libya to Lebanon (Andrea Peyser, Sept. 17).
Unlike previous blasphemous portrayals, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula is being impugned while murderers and rioters are appeased.
Where are the defenders of constitutional rights?
I laud the courage of the brave men and women who serve in our embassies in hostile areas, given the lack of support they can expect, as evidenced by our anemic response.
J. Gargiulo
Whitestone
I usually agree with Peyser’s articles, but not this time, as she defends free speech at any cost.
There are limits — lines not to be crossed. Free speech should be tempered with common sense.
The deaths of so many people and the destruction of property was the result of this callous disregard for the consequences that were sure to arise upon the release of that trashy movie clip depicting the prophet Mohammed in an inflammatory, defaming way.
Most Americans would surely agree that this so-called movie should never have been made. Was it worth it? Peyser seems to think so.
Sy Winter
Brooklyn
I was absolutely disgusted when I read about the anti-Islamic filmmaker being interviewed by the feds.
I don’t recall any federal involvement in 1987, when Andres Serrano put a crucifix in urine and called it “Piss Christ.”
This was put on display and called art, and we were told we needed to be more tolerant. I don’t recall gangs of Catholics violently storming embassies, or anywhere else for that matter.
All I can say is this is one sick country and getting sicker by the day.
Peter Katula
Lambertville, NJ