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| Europe |
| "freedom of expression doesnÂ’t mean the the right to offend" |
| 2008-01-22 |
| The Dutch government is bracing itself for violent protests following the scheduled broadcast this week of a provocative anti-Muslim film by a radical right-wing politician who has threatened to broadcast images of the Koran being torn up and otherwise desecrated. Cabinet ministers and officials, fearing a repetition of the crisis sparked by the publication of cartoons of Muhammad in a Danish newspaper two years ago, have held a series of crisis meetings and ordered counter-terrorist services to draw up security plans. Dutch nationals overseas have been asked to register with their embassies and local mayors in the Netherlands have been put on standby. Geert Wilders, one of nine members of the extremist VVD (Freedom) party in the 150-seat Dutch lower house, has promised that his film will be broadcast - on television or on the internet - whatever the pressure may be. It will, he claims, reveal the Koran as 'source of inspiration for intolerance, murder and terror'. In other words he's going to actually read from the Koran out loud. Dutch diplomats are already trying to pre-empt international reaction. Your going to just *love* this.... 'It is difficult to anticipate the content of the film, but freedom of expression doesn't mean the right to offend,' said Maxime Verhagen, the Foreign Minister, who was in Madrid to attend the Alliance of Civilisations, an international forum aimed at reducing tensions between the Islamic world and the West. By bowing and scraping to your islamic overlords like good little dhimmi. In Amsterdam, Rotterdam and other towns with large Muslim populations, imams say they have needed to 'calm down' growing anger in their communities. Government officials hope that no mainstream media organisation will agree to show the film, although one publicly funded channel, Nova, initially agreed before pulling out. 'A broadcast on a public channel could imply that the government supported the project,' said an Interior Ministry spokesman. In November 2004, anger and violence followed the stabbing and shooting by a Dutch teenager of Moroccan parentage of the controversial film-maker Theo Van Gogh, a distant relative of the artist. The attacker said the killing was in response to a film about Islam and domestic violence that Van Gogh had made with the Somalian-born activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, then an MP, which showed images of naked veiled women with lines from the Koran projected over them. From her self-imposed exile in Washington, Hirsi Ali last week criticised the new film as 'provocation' and called on the major Dutch political parties to restart a debate on immigration that has split Dutch society in recent years, rather than leave the field to extremists. Wilders announced his plans last November, saying he was making a film to show the violent and fascist elements of the Muslim faith. The maverick politician's remarks about Islam have become increasingly radical. Job Cohen, the left-wing mayor of Amsterdam, echoed Hirsi Ali's words and called for a debate 'so that the moderates can make themselves heard'. FYI - By banning the film - you already lost the debate - and your freedom. Your just too foolish to know it. During a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg last week, Ahmad Badr al-Din Hassoun, the Grand Mufti of Syria, said that, were Wilders was seen to tear up or burn a Koran in his film, 'this will simply mean he is inciting wars and bloodshed ... It is the responsibility of the Dutch people to stop him.' Translations: You have your orders Dhimmi! |
| Posted by:CrazyFool |
| #9 Personally, I find sermons calling for the enslavement/extermination of infidels, offensive. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-01-22 19:46 |
| #8 The headline just jumped out at me. Just incredibly stupid. Suck it up, euroweenies. You'll die if you don't. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2008-01-22 11:46 |
| #7 There is no right to not being offended. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2008-01-22 10:30 |
| #6 >freedom of expression doesn't mean the right to offend It most certainly DOES! I take offence at her statement. ;) |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2008-01-22 10:00 |
| #5 Here we go again. The last two major wars that we had to send troops to Europe to fight was against the NAZI's. When the car bombs and beheadings begin there we will have to send troops to Europe to take out the "extremists", just like we are doing in Iraq. All because "multi-culturalism" allowed the seeds of more violence (Islamic immigrants) in the door. Iran just warned the Dutch not to show films. Next they will assist in IED's. |
| Posted by: www 2008-01-22 09:40 |
| #4 "...but freedom of expression doesn't mean the right to offend." Selectively endorsed tolerance compels over-the-top provocation that results in misguided retribution. Only to be followed by selective condemnation by the feckless enablers responsible for the cycle. AhhhÂ…behold the virtues of Multi-culturalism. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2008-01-22 09:20 |
| #3 freedom of expression doesn't mean the right to offend That's the difference between the people of the old country and our ancestors from the old county who left there because of such attitudes. The whole 'independence' thing had a lot to do with offending the crown and parliament. Something they took action over. We responded. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-01-22 09:14 |
| #2 Yes it does, you goddamn Islam butt licking faggott. Hasn't stopped you from all the anti-american garbage you have been spouting, has it? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-01-22 08:12 |
| #1 freedom of expression doesn't mean the right to offend Uh, yes it does. BTW, stop cowering, the ground is shaking. |
| Posted by: Spot 2008-01-22 08:07 |