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Welcome to Amina Baaith, Matt Coucky, A.manda Smaniotto, Chamby Zepeda, Jeff Addis , and Jenks Whittenburg , new Upper School teachers for the 2012-2013 school year
Video Ignites Mayhem in the Middle East Emily Beckwith '13
opinions, though should all opinions be expressed? The creator of the video demonstrated anti-Islamic views, which upset mass amounts of people, but it can be An amateur video mocking the Prophet Muhammad argued that the producer of the film should be allowed to and insulting the Islamic religion has recently sparked mass express himself. In the U.S., freedom of speech is widely protests and unrest in the Middle East. The inflammatory recognized; nonetheless, an opinion can be toxic, and in video, "Innocence of Muslims" , written and produced by this case it sparked great anti-American outrage. an Egyptian-born American filmmaker, Nakoula Basseley The United States and other Western nations have Nakoula, depicts the Prophet Muhammad as a buffoon, demonstrated support for the Arab Spring movements, a womanizer, and a child molester. It was uploaded to and so this mass violence is testing multiple countries and YouTube back in June, and has spread, leading up to the their govemments' political relations with these Middle eleventh anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorism Eastern nations. Many countries wish to intervene and attacks . Protests against the controversial film have resulted prevent future attacks, though President Barack Obama in the attack of the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, believes that during this time of progress in the Middle and to the death of the U.S. ambassador and three of his East, intervention would be destructive. Obama verifies staff members from the Libyan Consulate. These deaths that the Middle East needs freedom. "lhfe have taken have sparked security attempts to calm the dissidents, these positions because we believe that freedom and selfand some efforts have led to the deaths and injuries of determination are not unique to one culture ," Obama said numerous protestors. United States embassies in Egypt, at the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on Libya, Tunisia, and Yemen have all been targeted. These September 25th. "These are not simply American values or demonstrations set back progress made during the Arab Western values -they are universal values. And even as Spring movements of the past two years. there will be huge challenges that come with a transition Many sources pin the blame of the protests only on the to democracy, I am convinced that ultimately government amateurvideo,thoughitisclearthatpriortensionsbetween of the people, by the people and for the people is more the Middle East and the United States have influenced the likely to bring about the stability, prosperity and individual movement. The release of this video merely began the opportunity that serve as a basis for peace in our world." protests, though what maintains the anger and unrest is The anti-American protests have created major obstacles the protestors ' original discontent towards the U.S . Failed for U.S. relations with the Middle East, including rising attempts and flaws of the U.S. foreign policy attributes tensions. These untimely protests have impacted the to the initial rage, and the United States' involvement govemment's desire to support the Arab nations. with cormpt leaders purely for economic benefit does not The anti-Islamic beliefs of the film producer do not improve the situation either. It can be agreed, though , that reflect each U.S. citizen's view of the Islamic world, nor this does not justify the killings of American diplomats and do these anti-American protests define each Arab citizen's the disruption of multiple U.S. embassies. When asked view of the U.S . If these protests teach anything, it is that whether these violent protests should be a natural reaction there is no single cause for mass outrage. The repercussions to the video, senior Meredith Erskine says, "No, I do not of the video are terrible, though these protests do reveal think the protests are justified. It is not fair to kill innocent a deeper problem with relations between the U.S. and the Middle East. The video only appears to have sparked people just because you disagree with their views." This situation introduces the question of freedom of the protests and the underlying problems with the U.S. speech. U.S. law protects the freedom of speech of its foreign policy maintain the destructive unrest within the citizens, though some Middle Eastern diplomats accuse the Middle East. Relations between the U.S. and the Middle United States and other Western nations of hiding behind East are fraying, and this uphill battle appears to be never these laws. Some would argue that freedom of speech is ending. Evidently this unrest will continue and will only used as an excuse for the video, therefore diminishing stop once relations between the United States and Arab some blame for the unrest. We are all entitled to our own nations improve.
News Writer
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