All Religions Believe in Peace, Compassion and Kindness? An Opinion That Will Never See the Light of Day in The New York Times

Do you remember Obama's June 4, 2009 Cairo University speech (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-cairo-university-6-04-09), during which the president declared:

"As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam -- at places like Al-Azhar -- that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities -- it was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality."

Throughout history, Islam has demonstrated the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality? Yeah, right.

Maybe you will also recall Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the Iranian woman who was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery? World outrage had prevented the Islamic Republic of Iran from proceeding with this abomination, but now her execution is again drawing near (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/25/iran-stoning-woman-adultery_n_1169429.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000002):

"Authorities in Iran said Sunday they are again moving ahead with plans to execute a woman sentenced to death by stoning on an adultery conviction in a case that sparked an international outcry, but are considering whether to carry out the punishment by hanging instead.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is already behind bars, serving a 10-year sentence on a separate conviction in the murder of her husband. Amid the international outrage her case generated, Iran in July 2010 suspended plans to carry out her death sentence on the adultery conviction.

On Sunday, a senior judiciary official said experts were studying whether the punishment of stoning could be changed to hanging."

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, a woman named Amina bin Salem Nasser was executed in the northern province of al-Jawf for practicing "witchcraft and sorcery" (see: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/saudiarabia/8952641/Saudi-Arabia-execution-of-sorcery-woman-condemned.html). This execution brought the number of persons beheaded in Saudi Arabia in 2011 up to 73. This should give Obama food for thought the next time he considers bowing to Saudi King Abdullah.

In Egypt, liberal commentators are stunned by election results providing the Muslim Brotherhood and the even more radical Salafis with some two-thirds of the vote. In fact, these results should never have come as a surprise, given the statistics issued in December 2010 by the Pew Research Center (http://www.pewglobal.org/2010/12/02/muslims-around-the-world-divided-on-hamas-and-hezbollah/):

"About eight-in-ten Muslims in Egypt and Pakistan (82% each) endorse the stoning of people who commit adultery; 70% of Muslims in Jordan and 56% of Nigerian Muslims share this view. Muslims in Pakistan and Egypt are also the most supportive of whippings and cutting off of hands for crimes like theft and robbery; 82% in Pakistan and 77% in Egypt favor making this type of punishment the law in their countries, as do 65% of Muslims in Nigeria and 58% in Jordan.

When asked about the death penalty for those who leave the Muslim religion, at least three-quarters of Muslims in Jordan (86%), Egypt (84%) and Pakistan (76%) say they would favor making it the law; in Nigeria, 51% of Muslims favor and 46% oppose it."

Time for Obama, a self-anointed "student of history," to wake up and smell the coffee.