President Obama issued a defense of free speech and religious tolerance during a speech at the United Nations in New York on Sept. 25. Acknowledging that the esteem in which free speech is held in the United States is not universally shared, Obama argued that restrictions on speech can be used to suppress religion and that in protecting free speech, even blasphemy must be tolerated. He said that objecting to expressions of religious intolerance against one’s own religion required the rejection of such expressions against the faiths of others. He called violence never a legitimate reaction to speech, however offensive. The president cited U.S. religious diversity in making his case for tolerance abroad, offering it as a model for pluralism and harmony. He warned that religious intolerance and extremism could still derail the course of democratic movements sweeping the Arab world.
Speech and Tolerance
Show Comments (
)
Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.
The latest from america
The lie that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute persisted for centuries. A new play reclaims her story.
"Magdalene: I am the utterance of my name" is advocating for setting the record straight on one of Christianity’s most vital disciples.
This week on “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley struggle to resist the temptation to “type” each other as they learn about the Enneagram from Liz Orr, author of “The Unfiltered Enneagram: A Witty and Wise Guide to Self-Compassion.”
Keeping President Biden on the ballot is like telling voters: “Trust us. Don’t believe your eyes and ears.”
Many watching last night’s debate wondered if this was the end for Joe Biden. But I could not help but wonder if this was the end of presidential debates.