Topic: Victory for free speech or fascism?

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-23/netherlands-court-acquits-freedom-party-leader-wilders-of-defaming-muslims.html

'Dutch Freedom Party Leader Geert Wilders was acquitted by a court of charges that he made remarks defaming Muslims, ending a three-year prosecution that he described as a bid to restrict his freedom of speech.
Wilders, 47, was charged with inciting hatred and discrimination and insulting Muslims for calling the Koran

Buddugoliaeth neu Marwolaeth

2 (edited by RisingDown 23-Jun-2011 12:52:09)

Re: Victory for free speech or fascism?

In the netherlands, we have restricted speech. You are not allowed to insite hate or violence. I believe Wilders has done both, especially judging by his followers (although many may have had the same intentions before wilders even became a well known politician).

To be honest, this is a victory for Wilders in the fact that he won publicity, a huge loss for Wilders' opponents (not only the ones who were stupid enough to sue him, which was a lost cause, but also all of his other opponents who have to battle a more secure and supported Wilders in politics now), and a major loss for the Dutch court and Judiciary power, as this has proven how powerless they are in stoping a hate-spewing, semi-idiotic politician, who should've been put into jail just for his hair already, needless to adress any of his "controversial" ideas or his attitude.

Then again, not only was him comparing the Koran to Hitler's Mein Kampf hate/violence insiting, it was also quite ironic, as when Wilders just started coming up in politics I recall my classmates and I comparing Wilders to Hitler in his prosecution of 1 race/religion. However, proving that it is in fact him insiting hate/violence is near impossible, him implying "he had no hard feelings against muslims at all" and how if he were found guilty he'd be "disappointed in the Dutch court" was enough to get him freed from all charges. Talk about a flawed judiciary power. If you have restricted freedom of speech, at least make it so that it is prosecutable, and not this failed piece of legislature we have nowadays.

I can't see any other reason for this guy being so politically popular than all the media attention he has been given, and this trial has just given him more.

Maar doodslaan deed hij niet, want tussen droom en daad,
Staan wetten in de weg en praktische bezwaren,
En ook weemoedigheid, die niemand kan verklaren,
En die des avonds komt, wanneer men slapen gaat.

Re: Victory for free speech or fascism?

> RisingDown wrote:

> In the netherlands, we have restricted speech. You are not allowed to insite hate or violence. I believe Wilders has done both, especially judging by his followers (although many may have had the same intentions before wilders even became a well known politician).

To be honest, this is a victory for Wilders in the fact that he won publicity, a huge loss for Wilders' opponents (not only the ones who were stupid enough to sue him, which was a lost cause, but also all of his other opponents who have to battle a more secure and supported Wilders in politics now), and a major loss for the Dutch court and Judiciary power, as this has proven how powerless they are in stoping a hate-spewing, semi-idiotic politician, who should've been put into jail just for his hair already, needless to adress any of his "controversial" ideas or his attitude.

Then again, not only was him comparing the Koran to Hitler's Mein Kampf hate/violence insiting, it was also quite ironic, as when Wilders just started coming up in politics I recall my classmates and I comparing Wilders to Hitler in his prosecution of 1 race/religion. However, proving that it is in fact him insiting hate/violence is near impossible, him implying "he had no hard feelings against muslims at all" and how if he were found guilty he'd be "disappointed in the Dutch court" was enough to get him freed from all charges. Talk about a flawed judiciary power. If you have restricted freedom of speech, at least make it so that it is prosecutable, and not this failed piece of legislature we have nowadays.

I can't see any other reason for this guy being so politically popular than all the media attention he has been given, and this trial has just given him more.



Here is a thought. Maybe he's popular because people like what he's saying.

Je maintiendrai

Re: Victory for free speech or fascism?

then i'm afraid of what the netherlands is turning into...

of course limburgers being a large part of his support group isn't surprising

Maar doodslaan deed hij niet, want tussen droom en daad,
Staan wetten in de weg en praktische bezwaren,
En ook weemoedigheid, die niemand kan verklaren,
En die des avonds komt, wanneer men slapen gaat.

Re: Victory for free speech or fascism?

here in america there is a lot of tension with the muslim religeon, and i hear it is the same way in europe as a lot of census predict that muslim will be the largest religeon in those countries soon. i must say i do fear thier ways, as i have seen thier abilities to censor just about anything on american TV that even mentions muslims in bad light, we can show jesus getting murdered, but if we show a picture of thier god, you can expect the show to be pulled off the air.

in schools where there are dress codes/uniforms to try to keep children from being singled out, there are the muslim children that are in thier normal clothing. at what point does following thier freedom have the ability to stop me from having my freedom?

i dont hate any religeon, as a agnostic i feel it is up to each person to have faith in thier own choosing, but i do fear thier ability and choice to strongly influence whole countries.

Re: Victory for free speech or fascism?

Altough a 3 years old has the same level, in a way, its good Wilders could speak his mind. If you can't debate about it, you can't argue against it.