International Free Press Society have the speech Geert Wilders delivered at the US Capitol last night.
One commentator reminds us of Thomas Jefferson's words:Thank you very much for inviting me. (...) Today, the dearest of our many freedoms is under attack all throughout Europe.
Free speech is no longer a given. What we once considered a natural element of our existence, our birth right, is now something we once again have to do battle for.
As you might know, I will be prosecuted in my own country (...) The Kingdom of Jordan also threatens to prosecute me for insulting Islam and asks for my extradition.Whether or not I end up in jail is not the most pressing issue (...) will free speech be put behind bars? And the larger question for the West is: will we leave Europe’s children the values of Rome, Athens and Jerusalem, or the values of Mecca, Teheran and Gaza? (...)
Hate speech will always be used against the people defending the West - in order to please and appease Muslims. They can say whatever they want: throw gays from apartment buildings, kill the Jews, slaughter the infidel, destroy Israel, jihad against the West. Whatever their book tells them.
(...) cultural relativism is the worst disease in Europe today. (...) Like the brave apostate Wafa Sultan said: it’s a comparison between a culture of reason and a culture of barbarism (...) The left once stood for women rights, gay rights, equality, democracy. Now, they favour immigration policies that will end all this. Many even lost their decency. Elite politicians in Europe have no problem to participate in or finance demonstrations where Muslims shout “Death to the Jews”. Seventy years after Auschwitz they know of no shame. (...)
Ladies and gentlemen, I suggest to defend freedom in general and freedom of speech in particular. I propose the withdrawal of all hate speech legislation in Europe. I propose a European First Amendment. In Europe we should defend freedom of speech like you Americans do. In Europe freedom of speech should be extended, instead of restricted.
(...) our enemies should know: we will never apologize for being free men, we will never give in. We will never surrender. There is no stronger power than the force of free men fighting for the great cause of liberty. Because freedom is the birthright of all man.Freedom must prevail, and freedom will prevail. >>>
"Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state."
This morning Wilders spoke at the National Press Club ... Jihad Watch have the details.
Pam at Atlas Shrugs announces tonight's festivities ... "TONIGHT: AN EVENING WITH GEERT WILDERS - FRIDAY: FITNA, FREEDOM, FOOD .............. FIERCE!"
Join me Friday night at the OMNI SHOREHAM in Washington, DC (site of CPAC) for an evening with Geert Wilders. Please donate to the Geert Wilders Legal defense fund in lieu of an admission charge. (...) The reception is sponsored by the David Horowitz Freedom Center, Atlas Shrugs, Jihad Watch, and Dr. Andrew Bostom. It is open to the public. (...) >>>
Update: here are a few personal observations on the event - worth a full read!
This interview on CNN just about sums it up: Wilders repudiating relativism, refuting the reverse morality, the false equivalence, the denial of historical realities ...
Related:
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- A Treasure Trove of Treason
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5 comments:
Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state. (Thomas Jefferson)
Don't forGeert Wilders!
Stop talking, start acting.
Isn't Geert's freedom worth a stamp?
If Geert Wilders falls, then Freedom of speech is dead in Europe. We are launching an extensive International Action SITA including two possible texts ; one comparing Wilders and Winston Churchill and another Wilders and Charlie Chaplin:
http://sitamnesty.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/i-support-democrat-geert-winston-wilders-against-islamic-fascism-and-its-dhimmis
http://sitamnesty.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/i-support-democrat-geert-charlie-wilders-against-islamic-fascism
To support Geert Wilders and our dearly acquired freedoms please participate to the 2 suggested actions and transmit this message to your friends owners of a website in order they publish it.
An other way to support Geert Wilders is to give some money. To donate: http://www.geertwilders.nl
LAST RESULTS
SITA action in support to Geert Wilders, report N°2 (25/02/2009)
It's already one month ago (21/01-->25/02) we have been launching an international SITA action in support to Geert Wilders the "Voltaire" of four time.
The beginning success with 2 large peaks of 400 views(01/26/09) then 300(02/07/09) is confirmed with presently more than 3000 views..
Still better, our SITA websites (coranix.org and SITAmnesty.wordpress.com) have been visited by Dutch Ministery of Justice: http://tinyurl.com/agl2kn
It's clearly the proof SITA mails are disturbing Dutch authorities. So much better it's our aim.
Let's forget peaks, from now on we must keep on sending from time to time (once a week or month) a SITA mail in order the dhimmis from Amsterdam receive every day one or two letters, not necessaryly an amount. Think about the drop of water falling regularly at the same place and capable to make a hole in the hardest rock.
If we consider 170 nemosinians involved to send a letter every month we will obtain 5/6 letters every day. For example you could do it the date of you birthday so it would be an almost random process. A little effort from every one and a great success for all of us. Let's maintain the pressure.
Gastou
Wilders is extremely patient when dealing with idiots.
I would have been swearing at that moronic interviewer. Even if it were true that Wilders only attacks "extremists", so what? And how is that "Just freedom of hate speech"?
Wilders appeals to "The Enlightenment" [that created this diseased and "godless" Europe] and even has some bizarre ideas [a world-wide "first amendment" type law? please, enough with world governments!].
I think his moral confusion trips him up. I think he'd be better off not discussing the Bible, or Judaism or Christianity in interviews like this. The issue now should be freedom of expression. Even IF all he did was attack Islam, so what!? Is that not allowed?
When the interviewer brought up violent Biblical passages, Wilders would have been better off responding, "So, do you want the Bible banned? Okay, try for that if you like. Fortunately you live in a free country where you won't be targeted for criticizing the Bible.! I'm here to discuss my prosecution for quoting the Koran."
I'm sure he's going to get criticized for inadvertently suggesting that Christianity is better than Judaism. Of course, it is, but I don't believe Wilders believes that. I think he's just familiar with Christianity, but is not able to explain why the violent passages in the Old Testament are not influencing Jewish people's behaviour today in the way that the Koranic injunctions to hate, and kill, and oppress have a direct influence on Muslim terrorists.
You raise good points, Akira to which I will try to respond as best as I can, not being in the confidence of Wilders or even knowing his personal beliefs and convictions that well.
These reporters are simply repeating the same standard multiclturalist responses, which I feel may well be directed from above by someone in the global "Department of Information". None of them have an original thought between them.
It's certainly true that we have one huge, confused continent over here. But I consider it quite a victory that at last someone has discovered that relativist philosophy is at the heart of the problem. While relativist thought stems (at least in our era) from the Enlightenment, it was not collectivist. It is the Left (and Right) which is mostly influenced by relativist collectivism (multiculturalism is but one form).
I don't no Wilders personal background, but he originates from an area which is traditionally staunchly Catholic. While no theologian, feel he's no total ignoramus on the subject. He himself started as an MP for the Libertarian Party, which is why I know he could never harbor Nazi or fascist thought.
You raise good debating points. Hope someone will pick that up.
"but is not able to explain why the violent passages in the Old Testament are not influencing Jewish people's behavior today in the way that the Koranic injunctions to hate, and kill, and oppress have a direct influence on Muslim terrorists."
Would be very interested to hear your explanation for that. Of course the Muslim exegesis of the Koran is a literal one, while OT has been abrogated by NT, and Churches also had to adapt when going through the Enlightenment and the transition from the feudal state to the liberal democracy. Islam didn't have all that. What's your view?
Cassandra,
I've read at Jihad Watch that Wilders is an atheist. Since Robert Spencer knows him personally, I'll take his word for it. I would say "Wilders thinks he's an atheist" since I don't believe there really is such a thing as an atheist, with the possible exception of the odd absolute sociopath.
"The violent parts of the Old Testament" that all these reporters have sudden;y discovered (no doubt from jiahdi email) have no direct bearing on modern Jewish behaviour, because Israel is literally an argument with God. Israel is the name given to Jacob after his fight with the Angel of God.
Judaism like Christianity is not based on blind obedience. The central ethic is one of free will.
Consider the example of Mohammad. Muslim thinking is, "1. He's the perfect human, and we must be as much like him as possible. 2. Therefore, everything he did must be the right thing to do."
Therefore, Muslims will say (unless they deny reality), "Okay so Mohammad screwed a little girl. Then it must be God's will."
One Muslim said to me, "Prophets are men full of the power of God, and need many women to satisfy them. Look at The Prophet [sic] David!"
Because of their mentality, they can't understand that David is not held up as an example for Jews, Christians, or anybody. He's presented as he was, sometimes a hero and sometimes a villain. "A time for everything under heaven."
Now, even if Wilders agreed with that, or understood it, would he have had the time to explain it properly in this brief interview? Not likely. And anything he did say would be twisted or debated with, since of course he's not even a theologian, never mind an apologist for Judaism.
Which is why he shouldn't even entertain such unserious and rhetorical lines of inquiry that are not aimed at getting to the truth, but merely thrown out in the hopes that they can catch trip him up: "Gotcha!"
As far as I can tell, Muslim thinking is very infantile, mired in childlike hero worship, and intolerant of anything that might shatter the illusion.
Jewish and Christian thinking about the relationship between God and Humanity, and about the nature of sin, are infinitely more sophisticate than Muslim thinking.
Even if Wilders agreed with that, stating it would only open up anther can of worms. Which is why he should just say to the interviewer, "Even if, for agument's sake, you are correct in your criticisms of me and of Fitna, do you think I should be jailed?"
+ + +
"Of course the Muslim exegesis of the Koran is a literal one, while OT has been abrogated by NT, and Churches also had to adapt when going through the Enlightenment and the transition from the feudal state to the liberal democracy. Islam didn't have all that. What's your view?"
1. Yes, the Church rejects literal interpretations of the Bible.
2. Jesus Christ: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." [Matthew 5:17-18; New King James Version]
3. I can't agree that "Churches had to adapt when going through the Enlightenment and the transition from the feudal state to the liberal democracy," since there is only one Church, and it didn't go through any Enlightenment, and it didn't have and doesn't have anything to do with either feudalism or liberalism.
Re" "there is only one Church, and it didn't go through any Enlightenment"
To clarify, I mean that the Church is the Enlightenment, as Jesus Christ is Light of Light, The True Light, The Truth, The Way.
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