ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH - LIKE IDI AMIN DADA, LIKE POPE FRANCIS

"You have freedom of speech but freedom after speech,

I cannot guarantee that." ~ Idi Amin Dada

Pope Francis missed an opportunity to direct World attention to the Violence that is often associated with Islam. The Pontiff who spoke about the Paris terror attacks while en route to the Philippines on Thursday, defending free speech as not only a fundamental human right but a duty to speak one's mind for the sake of the common good. But he said there were limits.

"If my good friend Dr. Gasbarri says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch, its normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others."

The Vatican had tried to do some damage control by asserting that "His pretend punch aside, Francis by no means said the violent attack on Charlie Hebdo was justified. Quite the opposite: He said such horrific violence in God's name couldn't be justified and was an "aberration." But he said a reaction of some sort was to be expected. Perhaps the Vatican can tell us what kind of reaction is appropriate when once religion is insulted.

I

s the Pontiff insinuating that if Christianity or Jesus Christ is insulted by people of other faith, Christians should react? What then represents a proportionate response to perceived insult of a person’s faith? Whatever happened to the Holy Scriptures “Vengeance is mine says the Lord” can Man Fight for God or it’s God that helps man to fight battles?

Pope Francis would have seized the moment of world outrage to call on Muslims everywhere to urgently take steps to correct whatever misgivings or misinterpretation about the Religion of Peace that had given rise to many taking innocent lives daily in the name of Islam. Instead the Pontiff had emboldened the attackers as “reaction of some sort is expected”

We cannot overcome evil with Evil; Evil can only be overcome by Love. As Maya Angelou pointed out “Hate: It had caused a lot of problems in the world, but it has not solved one yet.” An eye for an eye will leave everyone blind. My Late Mother use to say; “There are two ways to interpret an insult, it’s either the Truth or it’s a Lie, either way you don’t need to react. If it’s the truth change your ways, if it’s a Lie, Silence is the best answer to a fool”

The Vatican damage control is not enough. The Pope represents the highest office in Christendom; he must take urgent steps to address this obvious endorsement of violence.