The film that is alleged to have led to riots

There is not much new to say about this: all arguments have been rehearsed again and again. But I was struck by this quote from a Mr Klein, who is said to be "spokesman for the film


If that is what he believes then all of the deaths were foreseeable as a consequence of his and others' actions. Does that not make them guilty of those deaths?

; I just think it's funny that they demand an apology from the U.S govt. in the assumption they control that much media that comes out of our country. What idiots do on youtube is only so regulated....and when they don't get their apology they burn stuff to the ground? I think I know 5 year olds with better reasoning and self control than that...

But I feel like how can someone be guilty because of the reactions of others? In that mentality blame can constantly be pushed of...well its not my fault because this provoked/influenced/inspired me. I don't know if I'd feel guilty that something I made offended people to where they killed other people. Doesn't that remove responsibility from the actual killers a little bit too much? In the end they chose to behave the way that they did...that's like saying oh it's not so and so's fault he decided to copycat a killer mystery novel. The author shouldn't have given him that idea. ; Blame is far to easily shifted. People need to stay more personally accountable for things.

Well I agree people should be accountable. So if the consequences of your actions are reasonably foreseeable then you are responsible for those outcomes. That is a two way street. The deaths following from this film were certainly foreseeable.

*shrugs* It doesn't seem to take much for radicals in the Middle East to kill people, blow shit up and set stuff on fire... ....Jus' sayin'.

Well I have been thinking about that as it happens.

In the first place I do not understand why some muslims take the view they do about insult to their religion. It may be a proxy for something else, for all I know. The fact remains that they do. This is known and it has very bad consequences indeed. But even if it didn't there is such a thing as manners. I do not go up to people in the street, look into the pram they are pushing, and tell them they have a very ugly baby. I would expect to get a sore face if I did that, and I do not think the person who punched me would be wrong. There is absolutely no need for gratuitous insult. Basic courtesy is essential for all of us and I am deeply unimpressed by cries of "freedom of speech" or "you have no right not to be offended" in defence of those things. Both of those are important principles but they are not a justification for causing a fight in the street and I am confident that civilised people do not go about doing that kind of thing.

There are profound cultural differences here and it is easy to offend accidentally: but this film was not accidental. It really does not matter whether you think muslims are easily offended or not: they are how they are and unless you have very serious reason to offend them knowingly you should not do it. Because you should not do it to anyone.