When Truth Is Irrelevant: freedom of speech in Austria (update 2)

In Defense of Free Speech: "Live blogging from Elisabeth’s court proceedings"

(...) This is the end of reporting for today. Please join us on January 18th 2011 for more news from the frontiers of defending the free societies of the West. >>>

Nov. 23, 2010
~

- Cartoon by Niels Thomson - Hat tip Sappho) -

Updating on the trial of Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff on November 23.

As the six year old daughter of an Austrian diplomat she went through traumatic experiences in Iran during the Islamic Revolution (that was overtly supported by the Left), and on 9/11 (which is overtly apologized by the Left) when she happened to be in Lybia.

Jerry Gordon, senior editor of the New English Review had an interview with Elisabeth a few days ago.

A blog, dedicated to the trial of Elisabeth is updated here.

In Defense of Free Speech: "An Interview with Austrian Free Speech Advocate Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff", by Jerry Gordon

ElisabethSabaditsch-Wolff, a Viennese housewife is going before a Kafkaesque tribunalon November the 23rd for doing something which is legal under our US Constitution: criticizing a religion. That is one of the express purposes of the First Amendment which protects the freedom of speech in America. (...) >>>

October 24, 2010

The Wilders court case is currently in a state of legal limbo as a tribunal last Friday found a new trial necessary: one of the Judges who ordered the case to be pursued (against the advice of the Prosecution!) was found to have been trying to influence an expert-witness at a dinner party. As we have seen during the address of the Prosecutor, the truth is simply irrelevant. The free world is under siege!

In the last few years the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC) has been vigorously pursuing international efforts in the UN and Europe's many 'Eurabian' talking shops. It is an philosophical montrum, but the OIC has been doing its utmost to make 'Islamophobia' a legal entity. We know it otherwise under the term 'hate crimes', or in the Netherlands - sit down for this one - a 'crime of expression'.

Austria is currently going through its second court case. As with Wilders', Leftist activists are also here heavily involved in curbing the freedom of speech on behalf of their Islamic brethren.

- Caption: Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff (left) with ACT's Brigitte Gabriel  (right) - 

Europe News has the details:

A criminal complaint is being filed against Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff for “hate speech” under Austrian law, essentially the same thing that Susanne Winter was convicted of early this year.

Elisabeth gave a presentation about Islam at an FPÖ-organized seminar, and said some of the usual things that anti-jihad advocates say when they talk about Islam. A left-wing magazine, which had planted someone in the audience, caused charges to be brought against her at the same time as they publicized it in their magazine.

Elisabeth held the controversial Islam Seminar at the FPÖ-political academy. Charges of defamation of a religious group have been filed against the daughter of a diplomat. This is her only interview in which she explains her views. (...) 

Read the entire interview with Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff >>>

Hat Tip: Patriot's Corner in "Elisabeth's Voice: Help Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff in her fight against jihad" has more details.

Update
From Facebook

Espial Informatics November 1 at 11:05pm Reply • Report

Geert Wilders is well-known to most people, but Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff is not so prominent. Like Mr. Wilders, she faces trial for reporting factual information about Islam. Her “crime” was to conduct public seminars in which she described Islamic doctrine, quoted from the Koran, and explained to her listeners what she considers the dangers of Islam.

Like Mr. Wilders, Elisabeth has been charged with “hate speech” for her words. Unlike Mr. Wilders, however, Elisabeth is a private citizen, a wife, and the mother of a small child. She lacks the major resources necessary to defend herself against the well-funded organs of the state which seek to persecute her.

Elisabeth was first notified of the possible case against her last December. For almost a year she has been waiting for a formal charge and a court date, and now the other shoe has finally dropped: she will go to court on November 23, 2010.

Here is a video of Elizabeth at the Amsterdam Rally for Free Speech on the 30th October 2010 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jM-JnquP0U

The Counter-Jihad Alliance has created a Facebook Page to support Elizabeth. Please help us to raise awareness of her case by liking the page and suggesting it to your friends. On the page you will find links to relevant articles, videos and photos, you can also help by sharing these and adding any of your own.

Link to Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Elisabeth-Sabaditsch-Wolff/126382430752983

Thank you for taking the time to read this message!

Related

- "Legal Jihad"

- "The Unholy Alliance"

- "Stop the Islamization of Europe/America"

- "Eurabia"

- "The Jihad project"

Enjoy the Last Day of Free Internet

The Bullet/Socialist Project: "Media Capitalism, the State and 21st Century Media Democracy Struggles" - Hat Tip: Robot J. McCarthy on Twitter

Robert McChesney, eminent historian and political-economist of the media, founder of the Free Press, leading U.S. and international media activist, and author of The Political Economy of the Media: Enduring Issues, Emerging Dilemmas (Monthly Review Press, 2008) and Communication Revolution: Critical Junctures and the Future of the Media (The New Press, 2008), spoke with Tanner Mirrlees, of the Socialist Project, about contemporary media capitalism and 21st century media democracy struggles to understand and change it. (...) >>>

The view from an Objectivist perspective:

The Objective Standard: "Net Neutrality: Toward a Stupid Internet", by Raymond C. Niles (audio article read by Karl Kowalski)

Focuses on the principle of property rights as it applies to the Internet in the face of increasing calls for government controls of this, as yet, relatively free market. (...) >>>

Updates:

- Dallas Morning News: "Net neutrality draft to be unveiled today"

Breaking News:

PC World: "FCC Votes for Net Neutrality, McCain Wants to Stop Them"

Sen. John McCain is leading an effort to prevent the FCC from proceeding with its plan to implement network neutrality. Well, net neutrality fans, your enemies list just got one person bigger. John McCain is the latest to come out against the FCC's work, and has even proposed legislation to stop the agency in its tracks.

On Thursday, the FCC approved a measure to begin the process of formalizing a set of net neutrality rules that would ban ISPs from selectively filtering or throttling content. Texas Rep. Barton tried to stop the FCC from voting on the measure in the first place by pleading with commissioners to stop the vote from occurring.

This was an exercise in futility: Chairman Julius Genachowski had already worked to seal the support of the two other Democratic commissioners, making approval all but certain before the vote occurred.

Enter McCain.  (...) >>>

Oct. 23, 2009

Invasion of the Postmodern Watermelons

Phil Kerpen, Director of Policy at Americans for Prosperity, joins Breitbart TV's the B-Cast to discuss the radical network around the White House that has sprung to light in the recent days thanks to alert investigators, like Glenn Beck.

The watermelon analogy was coined by Beck in illustration of the self proclaimed Communists and other red radicals, who are hiding behind a thin layer of greenism.

Can't say with hindsight it's a great surprise: the direction environmentalism pointed in always was towards control and raking in tax money! 

Here's part I:



Part II includes the subject of the growing outrage over the hijacking of the 9/11 commemorations for political purposes and Obama's war of words over the health care reform.

The video is the first segment of last night's episode of Glenn Beck's series "The New Republic". It is running the entire week, culminating the day after tomorrow with full disclosure of what he's found this pomo cabal to be all about.

Earlier episodes and parts 2-6 can be viewed on our Vodpod page.

This blog has been warning that a new round of Communism (or collectivist totalitarianism, or postmodern fascism, or whatever) is coming our way. Well, here it is. 

I must urge all readers - in and out of the United States - to watch these videos carefully, because it is the model for, and the next and ultimate form of collectivism for the post Cold War world. 

If you think this is an exaggeration or worse, read your history books on everywhere where this social experiment has been tried: Russia, Eastern Europe, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Cuba, swathes of Africa and Latin America, and the result has ever been the piling up of sacrificial bodies! Your life, your choice.



Here's a question posed by social network "The Reagan 2.0 Revolution". The Obama energy policies are so inconsistent, it should start flags flying all over the place.  The answer I think is that the aim here isn't the protection of mother earth, but rather some other interest as laid out by the groups that make up the Apollo Project.

It would appear that the Obama Administration is promoting an “all of the above” energy solution overseas. The US Administration is offering to give a loan to a Brazilian oil company to conduct off shore drilling and in the regions bordering Iran and Turkey, the “Caucuses”, as well as in Central Asia, the US is promoting the idea of greater exploration and production of oil and natural gas. See our article on this here. 

Perhaps some might wonder why the US Administration is NOT pursuing such a policy WITHIN the United States. The emphasis at home is more about certain TYPES of energy, often referred to as “alternative” energy, but the list of alternatives WITHIN the US is rather LIMITED to solar, wind, and so-called “renewable” resources, which are fairly scarce, based on new and unproven technology, and expensive to produce, while the United States has a super-abundance of coal, natural gas and oil.

Perhaps the White House should set up a special email so that we, the People, can FLAG THEM about this inconsistency in policies. Does the President realize that his Administration is pursuing a “Limited Energy Production” policy at home while promoting an “Unlimited Energy Alternatives” policy abroad?

Go to our page and share YOUR thoughts on this question- should the US promote ONE energy policy overseas and ANOTHER at home?

As it happens today we have the unique opportunity offered by Demotix to view the Venezuelan counter revolution in action. Students in Caracas have been protesting for a month now against the closure of 34 radio stations and a new education law. More on Demotix.

Is that honestly where we all want to go? Protesting after the freedom of speech has been taken from us?

The Shadow Party, the Color of Change and The New Republic

The coup on the free world playing out in the US, is coming straight out of the Saul Alinsky playbook. 

The Organizer-in-Chief knows well how to implement that sort of thing.

Get this:



Should anyone like to know how we got here and what ideology underlies the entire coup, here's some additional information.

- A still ongoing series of posts written by David Horowitz, brought together on a file called "Horowitz on Alinsky: the Postmodern War on Reality"

- Indepth research into how the Democratic Party was taken over by the totalitarian, Postmodern Leftists - Logistics Monster: "Obama's American Socialism: Decades in the Making"

Don't miss David Horowitz' in "Obama’s Communist Advisor and His Billion-Dollar Army":

I’m in NY where I’ll be headed to the Fox studios in a few hours to tape the “Glenn Beck Show.” The segment I’m doing will be aired Thursday as part of a week-long series called “The New Republic,” which is Glenn’s look at the radical agendas of the Obama Administration. Last night, with Pat Caddell as his guest, Glenn made the connection between the trillion-dollar deficits Obama is deliberately running up and the Cloward-Piven strategy devised by two Columbia radicals to bankrupt the welfare system in New York in order to create a crisis that would generate radical change.

Although the show failed to mention it, this was a strategy first identified in a book I wrote a couple of years ago with Richard Poe called The Shadow Party. That book described the coalition of Communist and anarchist radicals, Democratic Party honchos, and multi-billionaires that the malevolent George Soros put together before the 2004 presidential campaign. The Shadow Party is now the party in power and running the show. (...) read it all >>>

There's more on Van Jones in the dossier on Obama's Radical Connections in the segment "Red, green and the Color of Change". Jones is a self-described Communist, now the 'czar' for “Green Jobs”. He's also a Jeremiah Wright radical, dedicated to “organizing a revolutionary movement.” That's Jones' real job, "(...) to build the mass power base of what [Alinsky] calls the army.” (Rules for Radicals, p. 113)".

More segments of the Glenn Beck series "The New Republic" on the YouTube Channel.

Ready for another shocker? Guess who co-wrote the Stimulus Bill? The Chairman of the Apollo Alliance ... Jeff Jones, a founder member of the Weather Underground (for crying out loud).

I think we've only began to scratch the surface!

Update:

Yep, the builders are in ... a thorough national deconstruction effort is underway, and that includes 9/11 (and apparently 'history' as well) ... condolences everyone ... (now what?)

The Novelty of Liberal Values

Who would have thought that in our enlightened times the freedom of expression needs an army of defenders! Of course, those who are not blind enough to see, may have noticed we've been sliding into a postmodern form of fascism the last few years. 

Yesterday we were overjoyed to be able to report on the policy U-turn performed by the new British Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, the long awaited successor to Jacqui "Jackboot" Smith. He has decided to scrap his predecessor's hate list of people banned from Britain – a list that included US talk show host Michael Savage, along with an untold legion of Islamic hate preachers and terrorists. Savage was going to sue for libel, but he may review in the light of this encouraging news.

But the case opens questions on another matter, the British ban on Islam critic and Dutch MP, Geert Wilders. Although the barring of an MP from another EU member state is unheard of and techniquely even worse than the banning of Savage, the Labour Government of Gordon Brown remains unrepentant where Wilders is concerned.

At least that is what we must assume, given the fact that only a few weeks ago Wilders was also barred from attending the first session of his appeal. Today we find confirmation in an article in Dutch 'paper' De Pers, one of those free publications the early commuter might pick up from one of the world's metropolitan railway stations. Most of them, teetering on the brink of rather commendable public school bulletins, barely deserve the epithet.

This particular rag contains an interview with the Chair of the Birkenhead Society, a staunch defender of frank opinion and open debate even if they themselves happen to disagree with it. The article is an eye-opener in more ways than one: the author pretends to be confronted with such a principle for the first time in her life! She registers - perhaps - feigned surprise at such novelties as reason, laissez fair, Enlightenment, and liberal values; and whatever has the freedom of speech got to do with democracy!

It beggars belief that by now a generation has come of age that was raised in an atmosphere of "shut tf up because I say so, you moron!" - in which the natural choice in the face of intimidation is appeasement.

Here are a few of the highlights:

De Pers: "If Wilders loses, so does the Britain"

The British decision to bar Wilders from entering the country is "a threat to democracy" [!], opines the Birkenhead Society. [The author signals her surprise of such a notion.] The Society will assist Wilders in appealing the Government's decision. 

Abhijit Pandya (30), Chairman of the British Birkenhead Society cannot stress enough that the freedom of expression is at the root of our [Western, liberal] society. Wearing a grey suit and tie [to Pragmatist collectivists that's relevant!] the chairman delivers a fiery speech about liberal society in which everyone is free to offer an opinion and people seek open debate. [Again: 'feigned' surprise!]

The organization has some 60 members.  (...) Upon learning of the British Government's decision they offered to help Wilders with his appeal. (...) The Birkenhead is funded by member contributions, gifts and legacies.

What Wilders says is not the point. They would have done the same for an extreme Left politician [as opposed to this extreme Right specimen - note the absence of quotations marks], says Pandya ... even though the Birkenhead's own talking points - the burqa, immigration, integration, national identity - are in reasonable approximation of the Wilders' agenda.

- Caption: Lord Birkenhead portrait on the front cover of Time Magazine, circa 1920 - 

This isn't about Muslims either. Wilders' British lawyer stems from a family of Sheffield Muslims. It's about the discourse. "The Koran was written in a certain period of our history. That fact should be debated. We must be able to talk about its meaning and proscriptions."

Abhijit Pandya discusses the Wilders's case in legal and philosophical terms. He speaks of reason and Enlightenment, about debates and Galileo. Throughout history people who spoke the truth have been tortured and killed, he states passionately. That doesn't mean, that Wilders - whom he hasn't met - speaks the truth. "But if you silence him, you're killing the debate. We must stop protecting [the sensitivities] of minorities."

Wilders' British allies believe in ultimate laissez fair in social discourse. There should be no prohibitions, says Pandya. Not of [Hitler's book] Mein Kampf, nor of a terrorist's cookery book for bombs. (...)

The young conservative founded the Birkenhead four years ago with a small circle of friends. It followed a bout of social unrest caused by a play in Birmingham in which a Sikh woman was raped. Hunderds of furious Sikhs took to the streets and the play was cancelled. Pandya is still upset about it. "That's bowing to violent intimidation by a minority".

- Caption: Vanity Fair portrait of Lord Birkenhead circa 1900 - 

The same is true in the Wilders case. The Government feared rioting and had him barred. The next session in the legal procedure of Wilders versus the Secretary of State, is on October 12 and 13 at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal in Londen. Much is at stake, asserts Pandya. "I'm afraid we will lose, and that would be a severe loss for Britain."

The Birkenhead is proud of the British heritage. Churchill, Thatcher, Enoch Powell are their heroes. The organization fights political correctness and positive discrimination (affirmative action). "Great Britain is much too protective of the feelings of minorities", says Pandya, the child of an Indian mother and an Ugandan father. "If someone gets racist to me, I tell him he's an idiot. That's it. We cannot shield ourselves from the opinions of others. Mature people ought to debate each other on the basis of arguments."

Does he see the irony in the offspring of immigrants defending an anti immigration politician? Pandya responds annoyedly: "I'm not a racist? Shouldn't we take his case because he's white? That's not the point. The freedom of speech is at stake."

- Filed on Articles in "In Defense of Liberty" -

Geert Wilders: Today's Update

In a debate in Parliament today the Dutch Foreign Minister stood firm by his refusal to discuss in the broader EU political arena, Wilders MP being barred from entering the UK by the Brown Labor Government.

The opposition Liberal Party (VVD) leader led the attack against the Christian Democrat/Labor coalition's refusal to act on a previous motion voted in by House. The Labor Party abandoned its earlier support for the initiative on the grounds that "time had lapsed". Apparently the highest democratic principles have a pretty short expiry date.

The Speaker of the House rebelled against her party, as sole Labor member holding firm in support of the motion.

While individual EU countries have the discretion to bar a persona non grata from their country, refusing entrance to another country's Member of Parliament is almost unheard of!

Wilders' meanwhile has reiterated his opinion that Gordon Brown "is the greatest coward in all of Europe", adding that the Dutch PM and Foreign Minister have the honor of sharing second place. Regretably Wilders is copying the Postmodern debating style, which couples false analogy and gross exaggeration to ad hominem attacks.

Also today in ground breaking news the Dutch Supreme Council has ruled that defamation of a religion is insufficient ground for an indictment. Not even if the faithful "feel" subjectively insulted.

The Court threw out a case in which a man, following the slaughter of Theo van Gogh, had put up a poster reading, "Stop the cancer of Islam". The man was earlier condemned by two lower Courts.

According to the Supreme Court, a distinction must be made between the defamation of a religion or ideology, or of its followers, in which case it's apparently "discrimination". Wilders is indicted by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal on precisely those grounds.

Here's the text again - you be the judge if lumping the Koran with "Main Kampf" is objective truth, a slur to either a religion and/or an ideology, or discrimination of Muslims.

'Chinese Torture' for the Amsterdam Court of Appeal

SITA have started an alternative action against the Amsterdam Court of Appeal's indictment of Geert Wilders for critiquing Islam. A number of commentators have detected the sinister hand of the Organization of Islamic Conferences behind the text of the indictment. Who's to say. Given the state of Eurabia this is a distinct possibility.

SITA opine that signing online petitions books no results whatsoever in the real world. They've chosen an alternative route, foreseeing in a "snail mail" campaign consisting of a steady trickle of real live missives, cartoons, letters and pamphlets.

If you want to let the Postmodern judges know what you think of their subversion of liberal democracy, you can find SITA's suggestions and instructions on this page.

They've enlisted the aid of both Tory Sir Winston Churchill and Leftist Socialist Charlie Chaplin; this combination is less remarkable once you consider the original Radical Enlightenment's attachment to free speech. The current Postmodern variety stem from a reactionary strain which - in its collectivism - is in close proximity to fascism. Hence Wilders' condemnation.

SITA just let it be known that their initiative to date has been a great success. They've registered some 3500 visits to the site, resulting in hundreds of letters, as reported by the Dutch newspaper "De Telegraaf", dumped on the steps of the Court in Amsterdam, at the offices of plaintiff's legal counsel Gerard Spong, and at the Ministry of Justice.

These letters have triggered the interest of the Ministry, who paid a visit recently to the site; according to SITA, proof they've rocked the boat. SITA:

A drop of water which falls regularly on the same spot manages to perforate the hardest rock. Our SITA mailings must continue to sow doubt and uncertainty among the dhimmis of Amsterdam. Now it is necessary to break down their morale by maintaining a regular flow of letters, not necessarily in great quantities but on a regular basis because they must not be allowed to believe that mailings will decrease and eventually stop and that people will end up forgetting GW. They will be surprised that the flow continues!

So we invite all those who took an active part in this action to reactivate it. Bear in mind that there are always new readers who do not know about SITA actions and maybe even about Geert Wilders’ predicament.

What is to be done now?

I) As soon as you come across an article about GW, choose from this page: http://planete-sita.bravehost.com/soutienwilders.html the message inviting to the action in the desired language and copy/paste it in the comments section (sometimes this will require registering which requires a bit of effort).

II) For the owners of sites or blogs which have already relayed our action they can act according to their own wishes. Either they can republish their first article, or rewrite a new one, or simply choose from this page: http://planete-sita.bravehost.com/soutienwilders.html the message inviting to the action in the desired language and copyy/paste it in their web sites.

Remind: The two actions in support to Geert Wilders are at disposal at these pages:
http://tinyurl.com/CBBMQ6 or http://tinyurl.com/CooXBH

- Filed on Articles in "In Defense of Liberty" -

Wilders Wraps up US Tour: CPAC and Capitol

International Free Press Society have the speech Geert Wilders delivered at the US Capitol last night.

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. >>>

One commentator reminds us of Thomas Jefferson's words:

"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:

- Guess What? Wilders=Al Qaeda!
- Wilders Calls for World Wide First Amendment
- Wilders Hits US Talk Show Circuit
- Geert Goes to Washington DC ... and Stays Put
- Why Multiculturalism is Racist and Evil
- A Treasure Trove of Treason
- Liberty be Damned!
- Live Blogging "Geert Goes to London" and Back ...
- Geert Wilders: Let Them Eat Grits!
- Geert Wilders: Persona Non Grata in Britain

- Filed on Articles in "In Defense of Liberty" -

Guess What? Wilders = Al Qaeda!

Today's exploits of a European defender of liberty in Washington:

FrontPage: "Defiant Wilders", by Jacob Laksin

(...) “Formally, I’m on trial, but actually free-speech is on trial,” he told Front Page when asked about the pending case, which could mean a two-year jail sentence if he is convicted. It’s a typically media savvy sound bite that has the added advantage of being true. Agree or disagree with him about the distinctive dangers of Islam – and most Dutch, according to recent polls, share his suspicions that Islam is incompatible with the country’s liberal and democratic traditions – Wilders may be prosecuted for nothing more than expressing an opinion.

For the Dutch appeals court, that opinion is so “insulting for Muslims that it is in the public interest to prosecute Wilders.” In the United States, where the First Amendment holds, such a ruling would not pass the laugh test, let alone proceed to trial. In the Netherlands, it may yet cost Wilders his freedom. To add insult to legal injury, there is the recent unpleasantness in the UK. (...) >>>

Atlas Shrugs obtained a copy of the letter the UK's Embassador's chauffeur handed to Wilders.

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) made a video juxtapositioning Wilders' appearance on O'Reilly with a debate in the House of Lords on Wilders being barred from entering the UK.

The moral inversion today gets full circle: Wilders = blond terror! This is how it works! Facts are irrelevant, reality is silly putty ... read this piece of irrational racism which passes unchallenged by the old media (oops, almost fell into the same trap there - prayers, facial fungus and religious persuasion aren't race specific - the irrational part though, stands!):

CNN/AC360: "This foreign element does not speak Arabic. He does not pray five times a day. He does not have a beard. He is not even a Muslim. He is Geert Wilders, a Member of Parliament from a right-wing party in the Netherlands. Why he’s so interested in amplifying Osama bin Laden’s message that Islam promotes violence and division I don’t know. (...) >>>



On a lighter note: Wilders meets John Bolton at the CPAC ... Atlas has the scoop (go, Girl!): "We discussed freedom of speech, the deteriorating situation in Sarajevo and Kosovo (bad and getting worse), the worsening situation in Europe, Wilders' legal case in The Netherlands."

Islam in Action has another great video of Geert on Tuesday evening after a private screening for ACT for America in discussion with viewers. They also have more on a spot of bother Senator Jon Kyl had with the rage-boys of CAIR.

Related:

- Wilders Calls for World Wide First Amendment
- Wilders Hits US Talk Show Circuit
- Geert Goes to Washington DC ... and Stays Put
- Why Multiculturalism is Racist and Evil
- A Treasure Trove of Treason
- Liberty be Damned!
- Live Blogging "Geert Goes to London" and Back ...
- Geert Wilders: Let Them Eat Grits!
- Geert Wilders: Persona Non Grata in Britain

- Filed on Articles in "In Defense of Liberty" -

Wilders Calls for World Wide First Amendment

Dutch MP and free speech champion, Geert Wilders delivered an address in New York last night. Here's an excerpt (Hat Tip: Atlas Shrugs - see her post for images):



Here's the entire text. It ends: "Our enemies should know: we will never apologize for being free men, we will never bow for the combined forces of Mecca and the left. And we will never surrender. We stand on the shoulders of giants. 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."

Think about the madness that this man, now for years on end, hasn't been able to live a normal life just because he is critical of an ideology - and we all accept that as a given!

Just how far our values and liberties are being sold out by the idealistic collectivists can be gauged from this video (also courtesy Pam at Atlas, interviewing historian and Human Rights Commissioner, David Littman. Read the post here).

The International Free Press Society and Wilders have posted a press release on next Friday's events. Details here:

On Friday, February 27, 2009, Dutch Member of Parliament Geert Wilders, founder and floor leader of the Freedom Party (PVV), and the International Free Press Society (IFPS), in conjunction with the Center for Security Policy, will discuss recent attacks on free speech worldwide, especially the recent legal actions against Wilders and other political leaders and journalists. The International Free Press Society will announce a global initiative to protect free speech from laws that criminalize any criticisms of Islam or the doctrines of Shariah. (...) >>>

Also on Friday night: Wilders will deliver an address at a reception at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, site of the Conservative Political Action Conference, on Friday, February 27, at 6:00PM. (...) The reception is sponsored by the David Horowitz Freedom Center, Atlas Shrugs, Jihad Watch, and Dr. Andrew Bostom. It is open to the public. (...) >>>

Updating throughout.

Related:

- Wilders Hits US Talk Show Circuit
- Geert Goes to Washington DC ... and Stays Put
- Why Multiculturalism is Racist and Evil
- A Treasure Trove of Treason
- Liberty be Damned!
- Live Blogging "Geert Goes to London" and Back ...
- Geert Wilders: Let Them Eat Grits!
- Geert Wilders: Persona Non Grata in Britain

- Filed on Articles in "In Defense of Liberty" -

Wilders Hits US Talk Show Circuit

Rob Piccoli over on Wind Rose Hotel has an excellent post up on the “Premio Oriana Fallaci”, Geert Wilders and the pernicious machinations of one of the most dangerous organizations of our time: the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC).

Some have suggested - amongst others the author of "Eurabia", Bat Yeor - that it is this massive lobby group that has pressured the Amsterdam Appeals Court into indicting Wilders. It says something about the politization of the course of justice that this morning's article in the Dutch paper De Pers states that Wilders is being prosecuted for making "anti Islamic statements". The text of the indictment is less straight forward, but it boils down to precisely that.

You can read a digest on Articles at the moment and here's the entire post. Here's one excerpt:

"(...) The OIC is one of the largest intergovernmental organizations in the world. It encompasses 56 Muslim states plus the Palestinian Authority. Spread over four continents, it claims to speak in the name of the ummah (the universal Muslim community), which numbers about 1.3 billion. The OIC’s mission is to unite all Muslims worldwide (...)"

Here's a clip of Wilders in an interview with Bill O'Reilly on Fox News.



O'Reilly is challenging Wilders that "what good does "Fitna" do, since everyone knows by now that Islamism is a totalitarian ideology". That's precisely the problem, isn't it? They should know and could know, but the psychological mechanism of denial kicks in so that they do not have to deal with a major threat!

If you want and care to keep abreast of the situation re the Third Jihad, there are a few new sites you might care to check out.

Vorzheva of the blog World Challenges of the XXIst Century has taken the initiative of starting an aggregate of the counter-jihadist movement, the Anti Islamist Coalition. You'll find such fine blogs as Infidels Are Cool and Muslims Against Sharia posting there.

Radical Islam.org is a great website, featuring for example Frank Gaffney, Jr exploring the pregnant question, "Where are the Liberal Muslims?" It stresses what we've been saying for some time. It just stands to reason that those in the West who are dancing to the Islamic tune - postmodernists, and a plethora of Leftist groups (Dutch language link) - are actually strengthening, aiding and abetting the radicals, not supporting the moderates. They are left out in the cold with nowhere to go. Check it out! It's outrageous! Read the comments too!

Wilders interview with Glenn Beck underlines another hazard to watch closely: the next stage in the disease called political correctness. Paired to "prosecution for anti Islamic statements" we see there's the tendency since the onset of Obama - and this is visible in Europe as well as the US - that opposition is somehow out of the moral order. This is dangerous stuff we need to keep a close eye on. Listen to Glenn!



Updating throughout.

The Daily Beast in "The Anti-Islam Film Everyone's Talking About" is the first to run against the apparent inconsistency in Wilders' logic. The idea however of a European "First Amendment" is a development that has come up only in the last couple of days.

"(...) Wilders has called for banning the Koran entirely. How does he reconcile this position with his new party platform as free speech martyr? (...)", asks the Daily Beast.

Andrew G. Bostom in an article on American Thinker clarified: "Wilders' demand is simply precision and consistency in the application of the law: "Wilders compared the Koran to Mein Kampf and called it hate speech according to the Dutch Penal Code".

Up next ... this was only to be expected! After just watching this vid as an example of transnational Islamization frankly nothing should surprise us any more ...

Atlas Shrugs: "ACTION ALERT: SENATOR KYL UNDER PRESSURE FOR HOSTING FITNA"

(...) There is a low grade civil war taking place in America. Just because the media is too afraid to report on it doesn't mean it's not happening. (...) Please contact Senator Kyl and declare your support for his courageous decision to show this honest and accurate but politically incorrect film. He needs expressions of support more than ever today! (...)

AN EVENING WITH GEERT WILDERS

Wilders, the foremost defender of free speech in the modern age, will deliver an address at a reception at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, site of the Conservative Political Action Conference, on Friday, February 27, at 6:00PM. (...) The reception is sponsored by the David Horowitz Freedom Center, Atlas Shrugs, Jihad Watch, and Dr. Andrew Bostom. It is open to the public. (...) >>>

Related:

- Geert Goes to Washington DC ... and Stays Put
- Why Multiculturalism is Racist and Evil
- A Treasure Trove of Treason
- Liberty be Damned!
- Live Blogging "Geert Goes to London" and Back ...
- Geert Wilders: Let Them Eat Grits!
- Geert Wilders: Persona Non Grata in Britain

- Filed on Articles in "In Defense of Liberty" -

Geert Goes to Washington DC ... and Stays Put

After the honor of pocketing the freedom award in Italy last week, today Dutch MP Geert Wilders is off to our guarantor of free speech (at least, we hope so), the cradle of Liberty, the United States of America. He does so at the invitation of the influential Republican Senator for Arizona, Jon Kyl.

Last Thursday's event in Rome included a ceremony during which Wilders was awarded the Oriana Fallaci Free Speech Award, an honor that recognizes him, like the late Italian author and journalist, as a “symbol of the fight against Islamic Fascism and a knight of the freedom of humankind.”

Wilders noted the objectives of his "Facing Jihad" world tour:

“This event is part of the ‘Facing Jihad’ world tour for "Fitna" that will serve to expose Islam for what it is: an ideology that preaches terrorism, antisemitism and the oppression of women, homosexuals and non-Muslims”, Wilders said.

“Educating the public about the harsh realities of Islamization is the first step to effectively combating and ultimately defeating Global Jihad”.

But after his confrontation with the UK's Labor Government of Gordon Brown last week which barred him from entering Britain on account of "endangering community harmony", today he's off to the US where he will be showing "Fitna" to the Senate at the invitation of Senator Jon Kyl.

Individual Liberty and the Freedom of Speech being carved into the bedrock in that nation, Wilders doesn't expect any similar problems with Home Office officials there. Neither did he have any last week when entering Italy. It says a lot about the state of affairs in Britain today, no longer great! by any standard save one.

The showing in the American Senate will be followed by an informal discussion, in which the topic will be the state of the freedom of expression in Europe. Senator Kyl in his invitation referred to the enormous controversy sparked by Britain's ban.

Isn't that a first class embarrassment, after the Americans had to bail out Europe from various collectivist adventures a number of times over the last century?! Apparently we're still clueless how to safeguard our own values and keep them.

There has been a debate in The Hague Parliament over the Wilders ban, but the Dutch Government, while initially speaking up for a parliamentarian's right to do his job in any of the EU member states, have now dug in their heels and refuse to bring up the case in the wider political European arena.

The loyalties of the Christian Democrat Government apparently aren't as much to Liberty (not part of their political philosophy, after all) but rather to fellow 'confessionals' under the banner of - as Pat Condell put it - "any religious value in society is better than none".

Wilders will also visit New York and Boston this week, where he will host press meetings, grant interviews and feature in a number of MSM talk shows in order to raise money for his legal fund. While he's having to bear the costs of appealing the British ban, he's also facing mounting legal expenses defending against the indictment for "inciting hatred" extended to him by the Amsterdam Court of Political Correctness and Dhimmidom. (Hit the donate button on top of this page if you want to contribute.)

In an article on American Thinker author Andrew G. Bostom clarifies that what Wilders demands is simply precision and consistency in the application of the law: "Wilders compared the Koran to Mein Kampf and called it hate speech according to the Dutch Penal Code". In a 2008 post Bostom collates Wilders' view with historical comments made by Winston Churchill on the same subject.

He's also breaking the news that Wilders is now proposing a European First Amendment. Well, not a moment too soon to rid ourselves of the politically correct perversion that is 'hate speech'. Short of actual and proven incitement to murder it has no place in a mature society.

Bostom also interestingly calls to mind a very similar case as Wilders' Fitna, compiled in a book by Sita Ram Goel dating back to 1986 known as "The Calcutta Quran Petition" (peruse it here) (buy it here). The given aim of the book reads: "(...) to promote a public discussion of Islam as a religion, particularly its claim that every bit of the Quran and the Hadis has a divine source. This claim is used at present to prevent a close examination of what the book contains and what message Islam has for mankind at large".

Faith Freedom explains:

Three heroic sons of India, namely Sri Chandmal Chopra, advocate of Calcutta High Court, Sri Hamangshu Kumar Chakraborthy and Sri Sital Singh filed an application in the Calcutta High Court (...) to declare each copy of the Quran (...) forfeited to the government. In their petition they stated, among other things, the following reasons:

(...) the book contains words or sayings which promote, on ground of religion, disharmony, enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious communities or which outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India or insult the religion or religious beliefs of that class of people.

Two Hindus were arrested - under Indian law exploited by Muslims to prevent public criticism of their faith - for publishing a poster which simply cited 24 Koranic verses with a caption “Why riots take place in this country.”

The accused were eventually acquitted by a magistrate who opined, that close perusal of the citations shows that they are harmful, teach hatred, and ... how can we put that succinctly ... generally endanger community harmony.

Related:

- Why Multiculturalism is Racist and Evil
- A Treasure Trove of Treason
- Liberty be Damned!
- Live Blogging "Geert Goes to London" and Back ...
- Geert Wilders: Let Them Eat Grits!
- Geert Wilders: Persona Non Grata in Britain

- Filed on Articles in "In Defense of Liberty" -

A Treasure Trove of Treason

British Home Secretary and former "Blair babe" Jacqui Smith explains UK's application for dhimmi status in Pakistan in an interview with German 'mainstream' magazine "Der Spiegel".

It might have provided a good opportunity to explain to the public at large, the embarrassing British bar on Wilders MP, but that would only have provided him with another platform to broadcast his critique of the religion of piece.

And in any case, possible infringements of the human rights of the violators of the Geneva Convention, plucked off the asymmetric battle fields in Iraq and Afghanistan while they were IED-ing our military, are much more important than the basic liberties of the people they claim to represent. [sarc off]

Just how bad the situation is can be gauged from the title of the interview ("No Day This Year without a Terror Trial), but otherwise Ms Smith prefers to uphold the impression that Wilders represents a danger to "community harmony".

Foreign Secretary David Miliband on the other hand admits (see vid) that what Wilders does, is "shouting 'fire' in a theater". But then be an honest man and show some cajones! Do not instead accuse the messenger of being morally abject in raising the alarm!

After all, what the British Labour Government (and others) are proposing, is to let the fire rage on with the audience sitting idly by, while the drama is running its course.

Or is Mr Miliband suggesting that Wilders is 'crying wolf', i.e. is raising the alarm whereas there's no clear and present danger except the ensuing panic as a result of the alarm? That wouldn't pan out very well with Ms Smith's admission in "Der Spiegel" that there's "no Day This Year without a Terror Trial - and "an attack is highly likely and could happen at any time and without warning" ... now does it?

As the Bush administration was well aware, a Government's first obligation is to ensure the safety of the people in whose name they're running the country; not to gag them mentally and physically while the enemy burns down the house!

Der Spiegel: "No Day This Year without a Terror Trial"

In an interview with SPIEGEL, British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith discusses her country's experience in taking in former inmates from the Guantanamo prison camp and how her country is seeking to reach out to young Muslims before they radicalize. (...) How would you evaluate the general situation?

Smith: Severe. We believe that an attack is highly likely and could happen at any time and without warning. On the other hand we see some success. In 2008, we had 50 people convicted in terror-related trials and this year there will not be a single day in the United Kingdom without a terrorist trial on the timetable. (...) >>>

In the following film we see Lord Pearson making an excellent point (3'58" mark). The Wilders objectionists are making two vital errors: on the one hand they're making a psychological mistake in the projection of their own hatred; on the other hand a fallacy in logic is committed by reversing cause and effect (this makes however entirely sense in the postmodern subjectivist narrative that rejects even the existence of causality).

- Filed on Articles in "Dhimmi Pride" -

Liberty be Damned!

The current ones in power may very well be the first generation that makes a clean break with the time-honored nonsense of passing the world on to the next cohort as you found it, having preferably somewhat improved on it.

They may have corrupted their children, put their parents in human warehouses for the elderly, but say what you will - the boomers have very well taken care of themselves. Hence on it's pretty much après nous la déluge (or, after us the diluvial) in the theofascist collective that they are leaving us (all for our own good, of course).

Large chunks of present blog have been taken up by investigations into the causes of the treacherous default mind set of the boomer generation. Presently in power, having done their damnedest to erase history, they are now leading us into the brave new world of neo-totalitarianism after all.

For a while things looked pretty dicey, National Socialism having proved a non-starter and Communism dying of a silent implosion under its own weight. But the onset of mass migration and the violent death pangs of an exploding Islam offer fresh hope of establishing a total state yet on the smoldering ashes of the hated Enlightenment philosophy of individual Liberty.

Freedom be damned:



Should you want to watch Fitna again, here's the link.

And here you can read the entire Geert Wilders' speech, that he would have delivered to the House of Lords, hadn't he been barred from entering Britain.

Read all about the view upon the brave new neotot world on Shona Darress's Notes, from an email she just received from Germany on the dangers of the delusion that it is possible to compromise with evil. You can't, because you will always lose: the good has nothing to gain from evil.

The notion that you can appease it, is equally false. This has the effect of strengthening the fanatics and leaving the moderates in the lurch: you reach the opposite of what you hope to achieve.

But it gets worse. Read here how the West is funding its own subversives, in this case through transnational corporatism under the banner of 'diversity', corporate 'sustainability' and 'responsibility'; amusing how business is using the Marxist and Postmodern dialectics to their advantage.

Michael Ledeen has interesting observations about Socialism and Fascism as management models and in how far these systems have been implemented in recent times in guises, other than we historically have come to know them. Some of the commentary is worthwhile perusing. Freedom be damned! "We Are All Fascists Now".

- Filed on Articles in "Neototalitarianism" -

Live Blogging "Geert Goes to London" and Back ...

... or the diplomatic adventures of a intrepid parliamentarian.

The Channel 4 footage shown here earlier can now be viewed on VodPod.

Wilders' plane took off from Amsterdam Schiphol airport some time before 14:00 hours l.t.

At the other side of the pond a rare occurrence in diplomatic terms, the Dutch ambassador to the U.K. will be present to smooth things over, should that be necessary given the British "presumption in favour of exclusion".

- Caption: Wilders at Schiphol Airport, courtesy Robert Vos, ANP -

This story has the potential to turn into a full blown diplomatic row.

Wilders' party (PVV) has called for an emergency debate in Parliament with PM Balkenende and Foreign Minister Verhagen.

Wilders has been overwhelmed the last few days with letters of support from Brits who see the necessity to stand firm for the freedom of speech. According to Wilders this just goes to show that fear of Islam reigns in the United Kingdom.

A recent poll in the Daily Mail shows that an overwhelming majority of participants think Wilders should be allowed to address the House of Lords (currently at 84%).

Updating throughout:

De Pers is reporting that according to a spokesperson of the UK Border Agency Wilders is currently being held at the Customs area pending his deportation. Wilders will officially protest against his detention.

Before his departure at Amsterdam airport Wilders called for Muslims in the UK - including Lord Ahmed - to participate in a debate. Some months ago Wilders extended the same invitation to Muslims in the Netherlands, but to no avail.

On board the plane to the UK Wilders told a Times reporter he thinks the British Government are the most cowardly of Europe. "It's easy to invite to your country people with whom you agree. Tolerance implies accepting those with whom you don't agree". See footage here aboard the plane.

De Telegraaf is posting that upon arrival at Heathrow airport Wilders was the first to disembark. He was led to a Customs office, photographers and reporters in hot pursuit. "Chaotic scenes" are reported.

Wilders will be on a flight back to Amsterdam within an hour or two. He's texted to reporters: "I'm in the detention center in a small room with a table, a chair and a lamp pending my deportation. They haven't told me what time and what flight I'm on, but they told me I'm to depart within two hours".

Enigma: where is the Dutch ambassador ...? He's surfaced: he's tried until the very last moment in get Wilders into the country and has conveyed to Her Majesty's Government the non-amusement of the other Majesty's Government. In official parlance, "We regret this decision."

Wilders himself is less diplomatic: he has called British PM Gordon Brown the greatest coward in all the Europe"! He's had a 47 seconds altercation with Home Office officials and that was about it. "It's not just a slap in my face, but also in the freedom of expression's"!

In the meantime this BBC site is being bombarded with furious messages from all over Europe (only a selection is posted).

Watch this slide show of the day so far.

De Telegraaf is reporting that Wilders has been escorted back on a flight by a squad of some ten police officers. That plane has already landed safely back at Amsterdam airport.

Dutch public television shows Lord Ahmed as rageboy, fists punching London's clouded skies, living proof that Wilders is indeed inciting hatred ...

... and speech impediments ... British Foreign Secretary David Miliband is running out of superlatives, adjectives and tautologies - he told the BBC that Wilders is guilty of "extreme anti-Muslim hate" (try getting your head around that!) ... when someone starts expressing himself in such terms, you know for sure something has gone terribly wrong in the mental department!

Melanie Phillips in an apt analysis is spot on the reversal of morality that is taking place in the time-honored game of blame the messenger:

The Spectator: "Britain capitulates to terror"

So let’s get this straight. The British government allows people to march through British streets screaming support for Hamas, it allows Hizb ut Tahrir to recruit on campus for the jihad against Britain and the west, it takes no action against a Muslim peer who threatens mass intimidation of Parliament, but it bans from the country a member of parliament of a European democracy who wishes to address the British Parliament on the threat to life and liberty in the west from religious fascism.

It is he, not them, who is considered a ‘serious threat to one of the fundamental interests of society’. Why? Because the result of this stand for life and liberty against those who would destroy them might be an attack by violent thugs. The response is not to face down such a threat of violence but to capitulate to it instead. (...) >>>

Wilders has a new English language site. It also contains a link to a PayPal account where you can donate to his legal fund. This courageous man is standing up for everyone's liberty of speech ... give generously!

Another hero speaks out, Mark Steyn:

NRO/The Corner: "The Arrest of Geert Wilders"

(...) a sad comment on a land that was once a crucible of freedom. As to the judgment of the British Home Office, they have no problem admitting to the United Kingdom the likes of Dr Ijaz Mian, who preached as follows at the Ahl-e-Hadith mosque in Derby: "You cannot accept the rule of the kaffir. (...) You are in a situation in which you have to live like a state-within-a-state - until you take over." And so it goes: Multiculti England will tolerate any intolerance, except the guy who points out the intolerance. We can't tolerate that. >>>

- Filed on Articles in "In Defense of Liberty" -