Canadian linked to anti-Islam film seeks protection

[Bragi]

Source: CBC News

Coptic Christian Nader Fawzy denies involvement, worries about his family's safety

A Coptic Christian activist say he fears for his family's safety after being accused of playing a role in the notorious anti-Islam film that has sparked violence throughout the Muslim world.

Nader Fawzy, speaking at a news conference in Toronto on Saturday, said he has been the target of threats emanating from Egypt over the Innocence of Muslims trailer released on the internet over the summer...

Fawzy said his name appeared in a published list of people involved in the film, an action he says amounts to a fatwa, or religious edict. He told reporters on Saturday he believes the Egyptian government put his name on the list out of revenge for his work as a Coptic activist.


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/09/22/karygiannis-coptic-christian-death-threat.html

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I think it's completely plausible that the Egyptian government would take the opportunity to charge pesky Coptic Christian leaders abroad with collusion on the blasphemous film. It satisfies the domestic need for "action" while crippling international advocates for the Copts. Nice.

As a Canadian with no particular interest in Coptic Christian issues, I want my sad excuse for a government to protect this man and his family. I gather this gentleman actually had nothing to do with the anti-Muslim film, but I want him protected whether or not he had any involvement in making that offensive, but legal, film. This IS about free speech.

[progressivebydesign]

1. Well they should have thought of that when the did it.

Actions have consequences.

[Bragi]

2. He claims no involvement at all, not that it matters

It's an old Canadian custom to defend people whose lives and those of their families are threatened because someone didn't like something that was said. I'm hoping our current Bushian government doesn't reverse that custom.

[Posteritatis]

3. You did catch the part where he's saying he *didn't* participate in that, right?

Some of the people involved in it were pretty transparently deceived, and there've been people accused of involvement for the sake of one grudge or another.

[uppityperson]

5. " Both Coptic Christians deny having anything to do with it." Read the article.

[4th law of robotics]

12. He should have thought of that before being accused of something he didn't do

false-accusations have consequences. He chose poorly.

[uppityperson]

15. Indeed.

[sybster1000]

4. Yes we have freedom of speech...but you live with what you say/do.

This guy may not have been involved, but for those who were...


Many Muslim men have NOTHING..no education, no money, they live in awful conditions. Their Religion/Faith is all that they have. I am a woman who does not really appreciate some aspects of Islam, but I think that this was done to incite violence and for that reason alone.

They are Egyptian...they KNEW this would happen. And in the Middle Eastern culture, your family is often punished as well...they KNEW that when they released the trailer. Now they are going to plead for the countries that gave them refuge to protect them from what they KNEW was going to happen...pisses me off. Their butts are over here and Americans over there are being killed because of something the KNEW would happen.

I don't have any sympathy for them...plead your case to the dead and injured.

[awoke_in_2003]

8. So, if I say something...

that pisses off a nutcase, and they threatened to kill me, I shouldn't expect protection?

[4th law of robotics]

14. You should have thought of that before you said it

You can't expect the crazy people to act rationally (that would be crazy).

JD SALINGER HAS BLOOD ON HIS HANDS!

[awoke_in_2003]

16. So if I say that...

Terry Jones is a whack job, and one of his followers threaten to kill me, I deserve it?

[4th law of robotics]

18. Yes!

You provoked them.

That's what freedom of expression means: the right to be murdered if you ever get out of line.

[awoke_in_2003]

20. Okay then. nt

[4th law of robotics]

13. Part of actually believing in free speech as a nation

is not allowing people to be killed over what they say.

Many Muslim men have NOTHING..no education, no money, they live in awful conditions. Their Religion/Faith is all that they have. I am a woman who does not really appreciate some aspects of Islam, but I think that this was done to incite violence and for that reason alone.

Many Christians are in that boat too. And Hindus. And Buddhists.

They are Egyptian...they KNEW this would happen. And in the Middle Eastern culture, your family is often punished as well...they KNEW that when they released the trailer. Now they are going to plead for the countries that gave them refuge to protect them from what they KNEW was going to happen...pisses me off. Their butts are over here and Americans over there are being killed because of something the KNEW would happen.

So our freedom of speech is wrong because their culture can't handle it like civilized people?

I don't have any sympathy for them...plead your case to the dead and injured.

Must have been a hell of a video to cause death and injury by merely viewing it.

[Taverner]

6. And I hope he gets it

Yes, he is full of hate.

Yes, he wanted to bring about the war between Islam and the West.

And yes, in part he succeeded.

But - to paraphrase Voltaire, I disapprove of what he said, but I will defend to the death his right to say it.

[Posteritatis]

7. He claims not to have said it in the first place. (nt)

[Taverner]

9. Either way

[Posteritatis]

10. Wow. (nt)

[Taverner]

17. By "get it" I meant protection

No one should be afraid to say something

[octothorpe]

19. heh... I too thought you meant that in the less positive way...

Not your fault though. My mind kinda went autopilot after reading the "I hope he gets it", and it didn't take into the entire post and it's context.... or something like that.

[elbloggoZY27]

11. Intolerance

Being intolerant of any ones religion is total disrespect. However, violence is also not the answer.

[sybster1000]

21. I was a bit harsh yesterday...

but I sincerely think that this was orchestrated by the Right Wingers because they knew what would happen...and the damn mobs proved them right. I believe that it was released right on time, right before the election...Romney certainly stumbled, but Obama is taking a lot of criticism for the violence.

Yes, the trailer shows "the prophet" giving oral sex to a woman, being sexually provocative with several, etc. It is crap and I would laugh at it's weird, cheap, disorienting 'green screen" format if it was Jesus...but radical Muslims do not view things in the same way.

For your viewing pleasure.