Video Madness
The video deriding Muslims that allegedly sparked violence in Libya and Egypt probably would get a failing grade in any high school film class. Just watching it for a few minutes is enough — it is crude, mean, amateurish. Why anyone would produce and create such a film, why a Florida pastor would promote it, and why it would incite such deadly reaction are questions that reasonable people cannot answer. Because the answers defy reason.
There’s a lot of content available for free these days that verges on this same combination of ridiculous and offensive. That’s the burden accompanying the freedom of the Internet. Appreciating it is one of the hallmarks of a democratic culture, and one of the sadly distinguishing features missing in societies that have not yet learned to understand the difference between official media and the sprawling, unpredictable mess available in cyberspace.
It is irresponsible for Americans to engage in and amplify such speech, but it can only be countered with more speech — not violence, certainly not murder, as in the case of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and his colleagues. The demands of true freedom have yet to be learned.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
