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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Muslim leaders need to incite less, understand more -- Failure to comprehend West means they lose all support

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Muslim leaders need to incite less, understand more -- Failure to comprehend West means they lose all support

Posted on Monday, September 17, 2012 at 08:43 AM

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Still from movie "Innocence of Muslims"

The blood-dimmed tide was loosed again in the Middle East over the latest crazy reaction to a “film” that a five-year old would have shot better.

Have you actually watched the film that all the murder and mayhem has been about?

It is called “Innocence of Muslims” and I watched it on YouTube last night and thought it was some kind of hellish joke.

It is so badly put together and utterly impossible to follow that it is quite possibly the worst film ever made.

It makes “The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” look like “Ben Hur,” and “Ali Baba” look like high literature.
How millions of Muslims can take such grave offense that people have died because of this piece of garbage is hard to believe.

More to the point, the Muslim leadership needs to stop fueling the flames every time some idiot casts aspersions on their religion.

Catholics did not riot when the “Piss Christ” exhibition took place in New York featuring a crucifix in a jar of urine.

Nor did Jews riot when violently anti-Semitic texts were approved for schools in many Muslim countries.
I understand it is a complex issue but let’s call a spade a spade. The “movie” I watched on YouTube has as much to do with Americans and the American government as I have with Genghis Khan.

Attacking America is a reflex action of course, anti- Americanism is always the safe fallback, the better to keep the attention away from many of their own despotic leaders.

But Muslim leaders really need to come into the 21st Century and stop the demonization that is leading to such violence.

It is destroying any hope of a common understanding.

They need to look at the mote in their own eye as we all do. A parody Twitter account of Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, posted: “Wow! Good thing I just bombed mosques, killed women and children and I didn’t make an anti-Muslim video! People would be after me!”

That says it all.

As W.B. Yeats wrote,

“The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.”

Read more: Family of Irish American former Navy SEAL killed in Libyan protests mourn their “hero” - VIDEOS

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39 comments

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seanomelb | Sep 21, 2012, 02:41 AM EDT

Change is happening!! I find it perplexing that the countries in Middle east that had the highest standard of education were the countries America transgressed Iran,Iraq.Libya.

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merefalow | Sep 20, 2012, 06:08 PM EDT

AFTER LIVING IN THE MIDDLE EAST,for 11 years i dont believe the arab mind set will ever change,its no different than what the west had for 2000 years,a theocratic dominance that brooked no argument,burned, heretics,ie read infidels,launched so called holy wars,murdered jews,burnt books,etc etc,these guys are operating somewhere prior to the 14th century,they have a long way to go to catch up,they are deadly dangerous to western democracy which they neither wish for or understand regarding it as a threat to their longheld misogynist theocratic dominance,you wont change these people anytime soon,a great pity for the young and educated among-st them,some of whom wish for change,greatly outnumbered and isolated.

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Terry Brennan | Sep 20, 2012, 11:49 AM EDT

Muslims are so easily offended- I think because they suspect the truth which is that it (islam) is a hoax just like all the other religions and they shout loudly to drown out their their own thoughts, look around and see who else is shouting and satisfy their belief with what they see- more nutcases shouting. Then with equal conviction blame America for everything- oldest trick in their book.

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seanomelb | Sep 20, 2012, 02:06 AM EDT

I suppose Briano certain radical groups in the Islamic world used the video as an anti American propaganda film and the Christian group who facilitated the video are just as extreme as the extremist on the other side.

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BrianO | Sep 18, 2012, 09:35 PM EDT

Seano, you're logical so How does a youtube video in english that is released in june, incite people who don't read or understand english,on sep 11. Maybe this moron who made this video is one of a hundred morons who make other types of videos and never get any hype, until someone needs a scapegoat.

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seanomelb | Sep 18, 2012, 07:35 PM EDT

Obama promised to bring the perpetrators to justice,doesn't sound like appeasement to me sounds like a tough guy. Maybe Briano should castigate the Christian media group who bankrolled the Video that caused the silly response.

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BrianO | Sep 18, 2012, 11:53 AM EDT

Why would the muslim world go nuts over an unknown youtube piece? Seems mighty convenient, more believable that the youtube piece was a way to shift blame from those in the administration responsible for the lack of security. 11 year anniversary of 9 11 why would any one suspect an attack? Very naive on the Obama administrations part first off, next move is to apologize, then appease, next will be tough guy act to play to electorate.

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Sparklet | Sep 18, 2012, 11:45 AM EDT

Seanomelb couldn't be more right. It's the time the West acknowledged the plight of the Palestinians. Until we do, there will never be peace. Maybe things have gone too far for that to happen easily, but it would be a start.

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jimod4343 | Sep 18, 2012, 06:42 AM EDT

@donegalcali, I agree with @canadianirish. I have a suggestion for you. Why don't you get a job in the open prison called Saudi Arabia and experience at first hand what the place is like. Assuming you don't go crazy, have an automobile accident (for which YOU, as a foreigner, will always be blamed), get arbitrarily thrown in jail for not being a muslim, get refused an exit visa because your employer won't let you leave, get rounded up by the police to watch a public beheading etc., I guarantee that your attitude will change.

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Bocktherobber | Sep 18, 2012, 04:40 AM EDT

Magdaleno -- You learned about DNA from the bible, did you? While you have it open, could you look up the chapter on curing stupidity?

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seanomelb | Sep 18, 2012, 02:31 AM EDT

Boring borefield is at it again

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borefield | Sep 18, 2012, 01:46 AM EDT

One more thing Niall, you quote Assad!, a dictator , a murderer who slaughters his own people, brilliant indeed. Oh, yes yo did quote Yeats. I guess that makes you a scholar.

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borefield | Sep 18, 2012, 01:38 AM EDT

Niall, are you spreading the spin also?, the stupid video was not even the match for this debacle It's just an excuse for the dismal failure of our President and his administration. Before he was President he stated in an interview" the day I become President the world will look at us differently " he was so right. They see us in retreat, weak and grovelling with apologies from an amature in our white house. They see us differently alright, our embassador and three other Americans killed on 9/11, our flag burning, our embassy and consulate on fire, shouts of "death to America " Didn't we learn from the first 9/11? it's a sad day when we hear a more truthful explanation from the Libyan President. This stupid amature video or whatever it was meant to be has been in circulation since June or July, no one payed much notice until it became the cover up for Obamas failed Arab Spring. For Gods Sake Niall will you and your second rate reporters tell the Truth for once. I am so discusted with the media cover up at the expense of our citizens, the insult to our Country and to the families that lost their loved ones

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Magdaleno | Sep 17, 2012, 10:34 PM EDT

The problem w/ the Arab hate is structured in their DNA... Genesis16:11-12 "This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone,and everyone will be against him, Yes, he will live in open hostillity against all his relatives." --The Bible tells me so. Read and know the facts as they are. Stop making remarks w/have no true facts. God Rules and his word is in the Bible.

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danielco | Sep 17, 2012, 09:13 PM EDT

US: The automobile... Middle East: Oil... Why can't we all just get along...

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