MSM (Some) Notices the Plight of Abdul Rahman

I am glad to see that the MSM is finally carrying some coverage on the plight of Abdul Rahman, the Afghani man who faces a death penalty for converting to Christianity.

As usual, Michelle Malkin was way ahead of the MSM and the blogosphere in reporting on this story. Her first post on the 19th, A Christian on Trial, lays out the basic facts of the case - and the MSM's (at that time) lack of reporting on this.

By the next day, as Michelle notes in Save Abdul Rahman, ABC News and the New York Sun both had coverage - but again, the majority of MSM was asleep at the switch.

Today, in "We Will Cut Him Into Little Pieces", Michelle notes the coverage, with some new details, by the Chicago Tribune and the Globe & Mail.

I have very little to add in terms of reporting, since Michelle has an excellent roundup of the facts, the limited MSM reporting, and the excellent blogosphere coverage. But here's what I'd like to know:

• Where is President Bush? He had time to give a long speech on the anniversary of the Iraq invasion and a long press conference today.
• Where is Vice-President Cheney?
• Where is Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice? She met with the Afghan Foreign Minister yesterday, but made no public statement about Abdul Rahman.

Afghanistan's attitude towards non-Islamic faiths is clear. From the State Department's 2005 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Afghanistan (released March 8, 2006) (italics mine):

The law proclaims that Islam is the "religion of the state," but provides non-Muslim citizens the freedom to perform their rituals within the limits determined by laws for public decency and peace, although there was harassment of foreign missionaries and others. The law also declares that no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of Islam. The government required all citizens to profess a religious affiliation.

Historically, the majority Sunni population discriminated against the minority Shi'a community. There were no laws forbidding proselytizing, although authorities viewed proselytizing as contrary to the beliefs of Islam, and authorities could punish blasphemy and apostasy with death.

Public school curricula included religious subjects, and religious leaders conducted detailed religious study. Non-Muslims were not required to study Islam, and there was no restriction on parental religious teaching.

The Shi'a religious affiliation of the Hazaras historically was a significant factor contributing to their repression, and there was continued social discrimination against Hazaras (see section 5).

There were no known foreign missionaries or other non-Islamic religiously oriented organizations in the country. Conversion from Islam is punishable by death.

During the year antigovernment elements increased attacks against progovernment religious leaders. For example, on July 3, in Kandahar city, armed men killed Mulawi Mohammad Nabi Misbah, an affiliate of the Kandahar cleric council and a member of the provincial election commission. On July 13, in Lashkargah city, assailants killed Mawlawi Saleh Mohammad, head of a religious shura in Helmand Province and a well-known supporter of the electoral process. On August 3, in Helmand Province, antigovernment forces killed Mullah Zarif, who had signed a fatwa against former Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Remember: This is the government we helped put in power, once the Taliban was overthrown. In terms of attitude towards non-Islamic faiths, it's really hard to see the difference.