March 5, 2012 | 7:52 am

Why did President Obama not condemn bible burning in Iran?

Posted by Karmel Melamed

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Many Iranian Americans of the Christian and Jewish faiths this week were shocked and baffled how President Obama publicly apologized recently for the inadvertent burning of Korans at an American base in Afghanistan, while just a year ago the President said nothing when the Iranian government officially burned thousands of bibles in a Nazi-like campaign of book burning. In recent years the evil fundamentalist Islamic regime of Iran has burned countless bibles in Iran for fear of the “spread of Christianity” among the youth in Iran. Countless Americans who are of the Judeo-Christian background cannot understand how President Obama has repeatedly expressed the need to be “sensitive” about the Islamic faith and have respect for this religion, while at the same time the President has failed to condemn radical elements in Iran and the Islamic world who show no sensitivity nor respect for religions other than Islam. Why do you have such a double standard Mr. President? Are not burnings of all holy religious scriptures by anyone a horrendous act?

What is completing idiotic about this foolish act of bible burning by Iran’s government officials is that in Islam and in the Koran, Jesus is considered a disciple of God and followers of Islam are called on to respect Christianity. The recent burning of Korans in Afghanistan were no doubt wrong. At the same time, two wrongs do not make a right— and the Iranian government’s burning of bibles does not justify burning Korans anywhere. Any kind of holy book burning for that matter should be condemned because it is a barbaric act of intolerance and those who love freedom must speak out against it.

Yet I am not at all shocked at President Obama’s silence on the Iranian government’s burning or bibles last year because it was yet another prime example of his indifference to the plight of religious minorities suffering at the hands of Iran’s regime and the President’s shameful lack of courage to speak out against heinous human rights violations committed by the Iranian regime. When the people of Iran in 2009 began marching in the streets demanding for greater freedoms, democracy and an end to the brutal dictatorship of Iran’s notorious mullahs, the President for several days did not utter a word of backing for their cries for help nor did he condemn innocent civilians being slaughtered in the main cities of Iran. Finally, following a week or so after the protestors were killed, beaten and imprisoned, President Obama gave a watered-down weak speech asking for the Iranian regime to “allow for greater freedoms” for their people. The people of Iran were disappointed with the President’s catastrophic failure to back them and their quest for true freedom. The people of Iran then showed their disappointment when they chanted in the streets; “Obama you are either with us or you are with them!” The President did nothing when he could have more vocally stepping onto the world’s stage in support of Iran’s people. The President wanted to “make nice” with the mullahs ruling Iran in an effort to lure them to the negotiating table on the nuclear issue. Well this approach clearly failed and the regime’s leadership spat in his face and refused to negotiate. What amazes Iranian Americans is the fact that the President has very vocally supported protestors demanding greater freedoms in the Arab countries of Libya, Tunsia, Egypt, Syria and Yemen and he has demanded the ouster of their dictator leaders— yet he fails to act the same when it comes to the people of Iran who are protesting against the brutal dictatorship of the mullahs in Iran! Again why is there a double standard Mr. President when it comes to the freedom loving people of Iran? Is their yearning for freedom and desire not to be killed by their oppressive regime less important than that of individuals living in the Arab world?

As Americans go to the polls this November, they need to ask themselves whether they want a courageous leader with a strong moral conviction who will speak out against intolerance and stand up to evil in the world coming from Iran’s leaders— or if they prefer a passive leader who sits on the sidelines quietly while this type of evil continues growing. I for one hope President Obama wakes up soon and strongly condemns the hate spewing from Iran’s regime and changes his policy to that of regime change in Iran before this current fundamentalist radical Islamic government in Iran spreads its evil through out the world.