I would've posted this in the Terry Jones thread, but turns out this is not about him, but another director.
J. Christopher Stevens, U.S. Ambassador To Libya, And 3 Embassy Staffers Killed In Attack On American Consulate In Benghazi (VIDEO)
Sam Bacile, Anti-Islam Filmmaker, In Hiding After Protests
Obviously this brings up the question over freedom of speech and respect for religion. Personally, I think Becile has a right to make this movie because the U.S. allows the criticism of religion. But it also matters if Becile's film asks reasonable questions and doesn't make irrational assumptions that have no scholarly base. If it is, then I don't support it.
Libya's interim president has apologized to the United States for the attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi that killed the American ambassador and three of his staff.
Mohammed el-Megarif described the attack as "cowardly" and offered his condolences on the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and the three other Americans. Speaking to reporters, he vowed to bring the culprits to justice and maintain his country's close relations with the United States. He said the three Americans were security guards.
J. Christopher Stevens, U.S. Ambassador To Libya, And 3 Embassy Staffers Killed In Attack On American Consulate In Benghazi (VIDEO)
An Israeli filmmaker based in California went into hiding after a YouTube trailer of his movie attacking Islam's prophet Muhammad sparked angry assaults by ultra-conservative Muslims on U.S. missions in Egypt and Libya. The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three American members of his staff were killed.
Speaking by phone Tuesday from an undisclosed location, writer and director Sam Bacile remained defiant, saying Islam is a cancer and that the 56-year-old intended his film to be a provocative political statement condemning the religion.
Protesters angered over Bacile's film opened fire on and burned down the U.S. consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi. Libyan officials said Wednesday that Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed Tuesday night when he and a group of embassy employees went to the consulate to try to evacuate staff as the building came under attack by a mob firing machine guns and rocket propelled grenades.
In Egypt, protesters scaled the walls of the U.S. embassy in Cairo and replaced an American flag with an Islamic banner.
"This is a political movie," said Bacile. "The U.S. lost a lot of money and a lot of people in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we're fighting with ideas."
Bacile, a California real estate developer who identifies himself as an Israeli Jew, said he believes the movie will help his native land by exposing Islam's flaws to the world.
Sam Bacile, Anti-Islam Filmmaker, In Hiding After Protests
Obviously this brings up the question over freedom of speech and respect for religion. Personally, I think Becile has a right to make this movie because the U.S. allows the criticism of religion. But it also matters if Becile's film asks reasonable questions and doesn't make irrational assumptions that have no scholarly base. If it is, then I don't support it.