Network Solutions shutters anti-Islam film site
Found on CNet News on Sunday, 23 March 2008
Network Solutions has suspended a Web site that a Dutch lawmaker was using to promote a yet-to-be-released film critical of Islam.
The 15-minute movie, called Fitna--an Arabic word that means "test of faith in times of trial"--describes Islam as "the enemy of freedom," according to comments made by Geert Wilders, a Dutch lawmaker and the film's maker.
"In this situation with the dialogue that's happening throughout the world we've made the choice to suspend the site as of last night," Susan Wade, spokeswoman for Network Solutions, told the Associated Press.
That has nothing to do with Network Solutions' acceptable use policy; it's fear. The ISP wouldn't care at all if the movie was making fun of the Pope, the Dalai Lama or the Queen of England, even if hundreds of people complained. They would just point to freedom of speech and shrug. But bring a "religion of peace" into play which has large resources of sleepers and suicide bombers, and everything changes. I don't mind religious freedom, but I do mind it if people want to shove their believes down your throat and cry out as soon as someone dares to criticize them; especially when there is no religious freedom in their own countries and just owning e.g. a bible can get you into jail (as an extra challenge, try building a church in Saudi-Arabia). You can have all the tolerance and understanding you want, but only if you have the same tolerance and understanding for others. It's all about "give a little, take a little"; taking without giving something in return won't work. And threads will only make things worse.