The United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said that it should be clear to all people around the world that the United States government had nothing to do with video that is circulating on the internet that has led to protests in a number of countries around the world and they absolutely reject its message and its contents.
In a statement, she said that “America’s commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation.”
“We are the home to people of all religions; including millions of Muslims and we have the greatest respect for people of faith. To us, to me, this video is disgusting and reprehensible. It appears to have a deeply cynical purpose to denigrate a great religion and to provoke rage and even violence”, she stated.
“Many Muslims in the United States and around the world have spoken out about this. Violence like this has no place in religion and is no way to honor religion. Islam, like other religions, respects the fundamental dignity of human beings, and it is a violation of that fundamental dignity to wage attacks on innocents. And as long as, there are those willing to shed innocent life in the name of God, the world will never know a true and lasting peace”, she added.
Hillary Clinton stated that it was especially wrong for violence to be directed against diplomatic missions, as these are places whose very purpose was peaceful – to promote better understanding across countries and cultures.
“To attack an embassy is to attack the idea that we can work together to build a better future”, she stated.
She said that it is hard for some people around the world to understand why the United States doesn’t just completely shut down this video.
“I would note that such a thing – in today’s world, with today’s technologies is impossible. But even if it were possible, our country has a long tradition of free expression, which is protected by the law. Our government does not – and cannot – stop individual citizens from expressing their views, however hateful they might be”, she added.
She said that there were different views around the world about the outer limits of free speech and free expression. But there should be no debate that violence in response to speech is not acceptable.
“We all, whether we are leaders in government, leaders in civil society, or religious leaders have to draw the line at violence and any responsible leader should be standing up now against violence, just as they should be standing up for religious tolerance”, she said.
She wished that this would be the last time they had to contend with this kind of situation. But unfortunately, that was not the world they live in.
She said that there would always be a tiny minority of people who want to peddle this kind of trash.
“So let us commit to working together not just today but in the future, to stand against violence and stand up for religious tolerance”, she concluded.
US had nothing to do with video that led to protests: Hillary
