仇恨是死神的「通行證」 / Death loves Hatred

四月一日新聞報導,美國一小撮極端宗教份子的主首 Pastor Terry Jones 不理政府当局和各方面的勸告,特意鼓吹仇恨,煽風點火,上月將回教可蘭經焚燒示众。這視頻消息由網絡傳至正在戰爭中的阿富汗Afghanistan,那边極端宗敎份子亦借題發揮,在 Mazar-e-Sharif 市的Blue Mosque回教寺內火上加油,仇恨之火一觸即發,憤怒的羣众離寺後無处發洩,就向附近聯合國一個單位襲擊,殺死守崗和職員共七人。翌日在Kandahar 坎大哈市,示威羣众殺死外籍人仕九人。

仇恨是死神的「通行證」, 一個不見經傳丶住在佛羅里達州 Florida 的極端宗敎份子 Pastor Terry Jones,就能夠利用網絡傳播仇恨,給死神一張四通八達的免費車票,利用羣众的憤怒去把死亡傳染到阿富汗,或甚至全世界多個回教角落。

在西方國家,惡意縱火arson燒毀森林或建築物而導致死亡是屬謀殺或誤殺罪,但為什么那些如 Terry Jones 等之輩,卻能以美國憲章第一條言論自由 US Constitution's First Amendment: Freedom of Speech 為藉口,明知故犯地去大發胡言亂語,搧動種族丶宗敎丶或其它各式各類的仇恨?。

我不是法律系畢業,但直覺上總感到 Terry Jones 是有惡意地去廣播仇恨,是有計劃地給死神一張免費「通行證」,所以無論在道德丶或甚至法律角度來看,他似乎都是有第三級謀殺或誤殺罪之嫌!!

以下是 Guardian 在網上詢問讀者意見:

美國佛羅里達州牧師特意燒毀古蘭經,他应否对聯合國工作人員的死亡負上道義責任? Is the Florida pastor who burnt the Qur'an morally responsible for the deaths of UN staff in protests in Afghanistan?

○ 是, 燒毀古蘭經是挑釁性及褻瀆他人的信仰 Yes, it is a provocative blasphemy against others' beliefs

○ 不, 應該被視為合法的自由言語行為 No, it should be considered a legitimate free speech act

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*** UPDATED April 5, 2011 ***

Statements and Releases from The White House

1. Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney, April 4, 2011

(http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/04/04/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-442011)

Q Jay, does the President believe that Terry Jones is responsible for the killings that have occurred in Afghanistan? And are any -- any thought of taking action against him?

MR. CARNEY: Two points. One, we absolutely condemn the burning of a holy text. We think it’s un-American and inappropriate -- one. Two, nothing justifies -- absolutely nothing justifies the kind of violence and fatal violence that we saw that took the lives of workers at the United Nations in Mazar-i-Sharif -- absolutely nothing.

Q Any thought of taking action against him or is there going to be more communications with him to tell him to stop doing that?

MR. CARNEY: Our interest is not in elevating somebody whose behavior is inappropriate and un-American, or does not represent what we believe are America’s values. Our focus, however, is also on condemning the heinous acts that took the lives of U.N. workers in Afghanistan.

Q One last question on that. It is inappropriate and un-American and so forth. But do Americans -- does the President believe that Americans have the right to burn the Koran if -- as horrible as it is -- if they want to do that?

MR. CARNEY: Well, I would just point you to the condemnations of that act by General Petraeus, by the President who issued a statement, and by other administration officials. But again, I think it is important to note that nothing justifies the reaction -- absolutely nothing.

2. Statement by the President on the Violence in Afghanistan, April 2, 2011

(http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/04/02/statement-president-violence-afghanistan)

Today, the American people honor those who were lost in the attack on the United Nations in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. Once again, we extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were killed, and to the people of the nations that they came from. The desecration of any holy text, including the Koran, is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry. However, to attack and kill innocent people in response is outrageous, and an affront to human decency and dignity. No religion tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people, and there is no justification for such a dishonorable and deplorable act. Now is a time to draw upon the common humanity that we share, and that was so exemplified by the UN workers who lost their lives trying to help the people of Afghanistan.

Photo Credit: The Guardians, UK