Headlines 17 September 2012

7/28/2019 Headlines 17 September 2012

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Alexander KooMr. KimEnglish 3AP-117 September 2012

Headlines

1. American Killed in Libya Protest over Film

News Link:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=160954590

Summary: An anti-Muslim film that ridiculed Islams Prophet Muhammed sparked anger withinthe community, sparking protesters to attack the U.S. consulate in the eastern Libyan city ofBenhazi, killing one American diepomat. The film was revealed to have been promoted by anextreme anti-Muslim Egyptian Christian campaigner in the U.S. Secretary of state HillaryRodham Clinton expressed concerns about the protests, worrying that the protests might spreadto other countries. She condemned the attack on the U.S. Consulate as unexcusable and

unjustifiable. Although the United States has long supported freedom of religion and hascommitted itself to avoiding denigrating the beliefs of others, Clinton claimed, this was acompletely unwarranted attack.

Issue: What role does religion have in international politics in a global world?

Significance: The Muslims in the article are undoubtedly held accountable of their violentactions, yet some are blaming the film that provoked them as the source of harm. Consideringthat a 2005 publication of twelve caricatures of the prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspapertriggered riots in many Muslim countries, the Muslims violent reaction is not so surprising. Yetthe contents of the movie itself is atrocious, depicting the holy God of one religion as awomanizer, a fraud, and a madman in an entirely overly ridiculing waysome scenes show himhaving sex and calling for massacres. Despite this deliberate provocation, the Muslims shouldhave recognized the right to freedom of religion as members of a global community. Yes, thefilmmaker obviously has some responsibility in producing a film that would obviously inciteagression and anger in a sensitive religion, but is it the responsibility of the Muslims to betolerant of any sort of criticism or vexing they might encounter. Religion and politics were notmeant to be meddledyet in an international society in which many governments are defined bythe religion of that nation, it is important to be careful in not provoking others, as well as beingtolerant of them.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=160954590http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=160954590http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=160954590http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=160954590


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2. Indian Cartoonist Charged with Sedition

News Link:http://www.npr.org/2012/09/14/161168874/indian-cartoonist-charged-with-sedition

Summary: A satirical cartoonist in India was arrested for sedition. Although he has been offered

bail by the government, the original arrest questions the right to freedom of speech. Thecartoonist, Aseem Trivedi, was detentioned after satirizing corruption in Indias parliament. Hewas charged with sedition, a British colonial era law, as well as being accused of violating the1971 Prevention of Insults to National Honor Act and using the Internet to promote his message;he has published his cartoons on anti-corruption blogs in the past.

Issue: Is speaking the truth and harming others more morally justifiable than remaining passiveand posing no threat to others?

Significance: Indias laws are in need of repairment, seeing that they have many unliberal lawsstemming from the British colonial era. Yet when speech is used to deliberately create harm, and

when it actually does in cases of fraud, extortion, and blackmail, the speaker should be punishedfor that crime. Although Aseem Trivedi attacked the government through indirect means, he hasalso shown a potential to cause riots; so should Trivedi be held accountable of his actions?Should he have been punished for potentially causing harm to the government, even if he wasmerely speaking out the truth? If it was for the good of all, for preventing or pointing out that thegovernment was becoming corrupt, there would have been no harm to it.
http://www.npr.org/2012/09/14/161168874/indian-cartoonist-charged-with-seditionhttp://www.npr.org/2012/09/14/161168874/indian-cartoonist-charged-with-seditionhttp://www.npr.org/2012/09/14/161168874/indian-cartoonist-charged-with-seditionhttp://www.npr.org/2012/09/14/161168874/indian-cartoonist-charged-with-sedition


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3.Who Benefits in Money Game, Democracy or Donors?

News Link:http://www.npr.org/2012/09/09/160844969/who-benefits-in-money-game-democracy-or-donors?ps=rec&ec=mostpopular3col

Summary: The 2012 election will be the most expensive in history; about $6 billion will havebeen spent on campaigns across America. Most of that gargantuan sum has been coming fromsuper PACs and other outside groups, mainly going into Obama and Romney ads. The Pro-Republican groups are ahead of pro-Demoratic ones in raising money, mainly because thewelathy individuals support Romney. Sheila Kruumholz, member of the Center for ResponsivePolitics, claims that the presidential race is more about the money than the merits of thecandidate, arguing that large corporation and trade union donors are not interested in democracy,but a return of theirinvestment.

Issue: What role does money have in politics?

Significance: The financial resources within the state, the nation, are so obviously displaced, asdemonstrated within the article. The money that should be going to charity drives and helping thecommunity is being poured into meaningless ads that promote anything but the welfare of theindividual. The money that should be helping provide a stimulus to the economic downturn isbecoming utilized as a means to express corporate interests within the government. Because ofthis potential for monetary resources to be used as the means for which large businesses andwelathy individuals to express their interest in politics, the fiscal policies that guide electionsshould be rewritten. Large corporations should not give more than one vote in the elections;therefore they should act like one voter.
http://www.npr.org/2012/09/09/160844969/who-benefits-in-money-game-democracy-or-donors?ps=rec&ec=mostpopular3colhttp://www.npr.org/2012/09/09/160844969/who-benefits-in-money-game-democracy-or-donors?ps=rec&ec=mostpopular3colhttp://www.npr.org/2012/09/09/160844969/who-benefits-in-money-game-democracy-or-donors?ps=rec&ec=mostpopular3colhttp://www.npr.org/2012/09/09/160844969/who-benefits-in-money-game-democracy-or-donors?ps=rec&ec=mostpopular3colhttp://www.npr.org/2012/09/09/160844969/who-benefits-in-money-game-democracy-or-donors?ps=rec&ec=mostpopular3colhttp://www.npr.org/2012/09/09/160844969/who-benefits-in-money-game-democracy-or-donors?ps=rec&ec=mostpopular3col

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Headlines 17 September 2012