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fucktoyprincess -> RE: Pakistan: anti-film ads feature Obama, Clinton (9/20/2012 1:45:48 PM)
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Condemning the video is not the same as banning it. The video has not been banned in the U.S. Free speech is alive and well. The U.S. government, in its official capacity, is allowed to respond to the video however it sees fit. That is also freedom of speech. And I think, under the circumstances, they are simply trying to protect our people in Pakistan. Our right to free speech does not actually apply to what goes on within Pakistan. They have their own laws there. Our government is trying very hard to protect our people who are there. I think it is wrong to confuse the free speech within the U.S. issue with the defense issue of protecting U.S. diplomats in foreign countries.
The U.S. government is also completely entitled to assure other countries that the offensive video was NOT a U.S. government sanctioned video. In other words, it represents one person's viewpoint, but it is not an official video - because some people in these countries assume if it comes from the U.S., that the original video is somehow "approved" by the government (because they don't have the same free speech laws in their country). I see nothing wrong with the government pointing out that it had nothing to do with the making or distribution of this film, and that it is not government policy to go around insulting other people's religions.
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