Criminalizing free speech

Visit our News page Threat and Response—Part One URGENT—They want to criminalize free speech! We’re fighting to protect your rights! On February 19th, the Saudi Gazette ran a story with the headline “OIC gears up to get denigration of religions criminalized.” Here are the first two paragraphs from that story: Getting the go-ahead from the Cairo Islamic Summit, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been actively trying to get the denigration of religions recognized as a criminal offense, according to a top official. “Next session of the Istanbul Process on Islamophobia will be held in the first half of this year, and the session will squarely focus on the issue of criminalizing denigration of religions,” said Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, director of cultural affairs at the OIC general secretariat and spokesman for the OIC secretary general. Using the fig leaf of “denigration of religions,” it’s clear the OIC is absolutely committed to imposing a key provision of sharia law on America and the West. Sharia law prohibits speech that insults, defames or offends Islam and Muhammad. This is what the OIC is after—a worldwide prohibition on any speech that dares critique or even question Islam. The OIC’s current mechanism to accomplish this is the Istanbul Process and UN Resolution 16/18. And here’s the really bad news—our State Department is promoting this effort. This Monday, March 11th, ACT! for America will be airing a national webcast where we will launch our campaign to stop this effort, “Americans United to Defend Free Speech.” The webcast will air from 7:30 PM EST to 9:30 PM EST. You can use this link to tune in: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/radical-islam-how-it-threatens-free-speech The growing, worldwide threat to American free speech is a threat we simply can’t ignore. WE MUST FIGHT BACK AGAINST THIS THREAT!!! We need your financial support to make “Americans United to Defend Free Speech” a success. Please log on here and make either a monthly Patriot Partner contribution or a single gift Contributing Member contribution. Our online contribution process is safe, simple and secure. If you prefer to mail a check, you can print out a reply form here. Please, don’t assume what the OIC is after can’t happen in America. Please don’t set this aside without taking action today! Many European countries already have so-called “hate speech” laws. ACT! for America’s chapter leader in Austria, Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolf, was convicted for violating one of those laws. There have been speech codes restricting so-called “hate speech” on many American college campuses for years. Canada’s Supreme Court recently issued a ruling that will almost certainly be used to restrict free speech. Groups like CAIR, ISNA and many other Muslim Brotherhood connected organizations repeatedly try to silence any criticism of radical Islam with shouts of “Islamophobia” and “racism.” If we win the war on Islamic terrorism but lose our right of free speech, we still lose. Please help us fight back against this growing, insidious threat. Visit our website and make the most generous monthly Patriot Partner contribution or single Contributing Member contribution you can make. Or, if you prefer to mail a check, you can print out a reply form here. Please ACT today! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACT for America P.O. Box 12765 Pensacola, FL 32591 www.actforamerica.org ACT for America is an issues advocacy organization dedicated to effectively organizing and mobilizing the most powerful grassroots citizen action network in America, a grassroots network committed to informed and coordinated civic action that will lead to public policies that promote America’s national security and the defense of American democratic values against the assault of radical Islam. We are only as strong as our supporters, and your volunteer and financial support is essential to our success. Thank you for helping us make America safer and more secure. The news items, blogs, educational materials and other information in our emails and on our website are only intended to provide information, news and commentary on events and issues related to the threat of radical Islam. 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