Have the Terrorists Won?

I was amazed at what I was reading. Without firing a shot the Islamic terrorists had scored a tremendous victory in America. Yale University Press has decided not to reproduce the cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad in a new book titled "The Cartoons That Shook the World" by Brandeis University professor Jytte Klausen. (Foxnews.com carried the story; see it here). These are the cartoons that caused so much violence when the Dutch newspaper published them. The University questioned many experts and the consensus was that if the cartoons were included in the new book, then there would most certainly be more violence. The decision was made by Yale University Press not to include the cartoons.

Are we now living in a society where a small group of radicals can trump the First Amendment? The United States government cannot prohibit free speech, but I guess that if you are willing to be violent enough, then some in the academic world will give up free speech in order to keep that violence from occurring. What's next? Sharia Law? Christians in America are expected to endure any and all forms of criticism and outright hatred without so much as a peep. After all everyone has a right to their own opinion, right? Want to put a crucifix in a bottle of urine and call it art? No problem, Christians might be mad about it and might protest about it, but they cannot stop it because this is "freedom of expression." Have the Islamic terrorists taught us a lesson? That through violence you can restrict free speech in America? I hope not.

The Bill of Rights guarantees that all who live in this country have religious freedom. But as a follower of Christ Jesus, I have seen my rights slowly diminished. There are those in this country that want to completely restrict when, where, and how I am able to share my faith. More and more of my civil rights are being taken from me in the name of "separation of church and state." Christian religious freedoms in America are being eroded mostly by bureaucratic regulations and court decisions that infringe on our First Amendment rights. Christians are treated as second class citizens, not allowed to practice their faith in the public square, because someone might be offended. Yet, now deference is being made to Islamic terrorists would not grant any religious freedom to Americans.

Have we lost the "War on Terrorism?" Should we bring our troops home from Iraq & Afghanistan? Aren't they fighting for FREEDOM? Please do not give in to these terrorists, who would rob of us of the freedoms that have been purchased with the blood of our Fathers and Mothers, Brothers and Sisters, Sons and Daughters, Nieces and Nephews, Aunts and Uncles. You get the point. If there is something in a book that Muslims find offensive, then they have the same freedoms to boycott and peaceful protest that are granted to all U.S. citizens. We have laws to deal with those who commit violent acts in our country. Let us not voluntarily give up our freedoms, but let us deal with those who would use violence to take them away.