Blog 3

In recent times what has been accruing in the Middle East are wide spread protests concerning the United States of America. They are popping up anywhere and every minute in cities ranging from Somalia to Egypt to Sudan to Tunisia to Libya to Bangladesh to Indonesia to Pakistan. They all have been occurring around Friday after prayer. These Anti-United States protests are the result of a film, which has been produced in the US, which degrades the Prophet Muhammad. The anti-Islam film has enraged residents and sent them into a nationwide protest.  In Egypt the routes leading up to the United States embassy have been shut down to keep fuming protesters away. While this was going on, a group of 2,000 protesters in Yemen flooded the streets busting through the blockades set up to protect the United States’ embassy.  The enraged demonstrators breached the walls that protected the US headquarters and tore down the flag. Warning shots were fired and tear gas was put to use. Also occurring around the same time, Afghanistan also saw hundreds of protesters after prayer Friday. For the most part the protesters were peaceful. They, like other protesters, burned American flags and shouted anti- American obscenities like “Death to America!”.  Other Middle Eastern cities are preparing for more demonstrations after Muslim prayer.
Reflecting on this, I feel that the people living in the Middle East are more than entitled to be upset. A video was speaking so negatively about their very way of life. It doesn’t depict how all United States citizens feel but it still should not have been made. If someone overseas were to create a video slandering Christianity hundreds if not thousands would up in arms. This video insulted their culture which is so near and dear to them. They have every right to protest.