President Obama condemned the “crude and disgusting video [that] sparked outrage throughout the Muslim world” but defended at length America’s commitment to free speech in his remarks at the UN General Assembly Tuesday morning.
“I have made it clear that the United States government had nothing to do with this video, and I believe its message must be rejected by all who respect our common humanity,” Obama said.
“Americans have fought and died around the globe to protect the right of all people to express their views – even views that we disagree with,” Obama continued.
We do so not because we support hateful speech, but because our Founders understood that without such protections, the capacity of each individual to express their own views, and practice their own faith, may be threatened. We do so because in a diverse society, efforts to restrict speech can become a tool to silence critics, or oppress minorities. We do so because given the power of faith in our lives, and the passion that religious differences can inflame, the strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression, it is more speech – the voices of tolerance that rally against bigotry and blasphemy, and lift up the values of understanding and mutual respect.
