Posted by
Javanut on Monday, March 17, 2008 12:19:46 AM
I guess it's official now - Europe has surrendered to the Islamists. A Dutch politician by the name of Geert Wilders wants to produce a 15 minute documentary on why the Koran should be banned as hate speech. The movie has not been released to the public, yet it has already been threatened and banned. The Dutch government has warned Wilders that it will bill him for extra security due to death threats from terrorists.
Can you imagine this scenario with any other subject matter? Here's what the Council of Europe said:
“Freedom of expression should not be considered a license to offend,” said Maud de-Boer Buquicchio, deputy secretary general of the Council of Europe, a pan-European human rights watchdog.
Speech that does not offend doesn't need protection under the law. It is precisely the speech that does offend that needs protection. If we used those same guidelines to rule on all speech - then any commentary from homosexuals, atheists, liberals, Satan-worshippers, child molesters or Nazi enthusiasts would have to be banned as well - because they offend me.
Whether or not the Koran promotes hate speech is a valid topic for discussion among educated and civilized peoples. If the Koran does not inspire hatred and violence, then Mr Wilders wouldn't need extra police protection because he wouldn't be threatened. The mere fact that he is being threatened gives substance to his thesis.
Rather than trying to shut him down, the civilized nations of the world should rise up in support of his right to say what he wants to. If we, as a free society, ban all speech that offends, then we have surrendered without a fight.
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