Comments on: Views from abroad

By: satiricohen

satiricohen — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:25:19 +0000

You can always legislate right wing parties out of politics and make them illegal. That way all of them are criminals - which is really the true stance of the Left.

This has already been achieved in Israel, which is why the country seems so helpless, and it seems that Europe is well on its way to the same solution.

Ignorance is Bliss…

By: ymarsakar

ymarsakar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:09:07 +0000

The intellectuals and bureaucrats have ignored the average folks.

That’s why peasants revolted under European aristocrats, and the aristocrats solved this by lynching and blaming the Jews.

In America, the problem was summed up as “taxation without representation”.

By: expat

expat — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:38:13 +0000

Danny,

Your point about disempowering the middle of the road voice in Europe is absolutely correct. I remember reading that LePen was popular in the Strasbourg area and the later finding out that car burnings had been going on there for quite a while. The same thing happened with in-school fighting in Germany. No one talked about it till an acting principal made it a public issue. The intellectuals and bureaucrats have ignored the average folks.

By: Socratease

Socratease — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:32:35 +0000

If the Muslims really wanted to neutralize the message of this film, they would take the opportunity to organize *peaceful* demonstrations of protest against its message and method of delivery.

But I don’t think the Muslims are smart enough to do that.

By: Ymarsakar

Ymarsakar — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:24:30 +0000

When you are hating on Christianity, you are spreading the love of progressive Leftism. So it is not hate speech.

By: Earl

Earl — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:27:19 +0000

Well, this is a prime illustration of the truth of Animal Farm….some pigs is more equal than others. I don’t see anyone invoking “hate speech” laws when (the equivalent of) elephant dung is spread on a portrait of the Virgin Mary…… Tearing up the Koran? Excrement is spread on the Bible (figuratively, and/or literally) every day in secular Europe.

If you’re going to be part of a modern democratic state, it seems to me that you had better grow a thick skin. True, I would rather that we see NEITHER films in which the Koran is torn up, NOR dung on the Virgin……but when it happens, those whose objects of veneration have been defaced simply MUST suck it up, express their outrage, and go on.

No double standard, and no censoring offensive speech or (harmless) action.

By: Danny Lemieux

Danny Lemieux — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:24:12 +0000

Your last point is very important.

The net effect of PC and hate-speech laws in Europe and Canada is to dis-empower the middle road of public opinion, delegitimize the otherwise loyal opposition, and force people to find voice through the extremist parties. This is what happened in Europe after WWI and the world suffered the consequences.

I had a European relative once voice their shock to me upon seeing television footage of a Klan rally. She told me that such an event would never be allowed in her country.

I responded that, here, we want the Klan to have the freedom of expression to show everyone who, where and what idiots they are. In her country, I noted, the same groups exist but they all operate underground and are, therefore, much more dangerous.

By: Allen L.

Allen L. — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:37:46 +0000

If they are showing images of the Koran being torn up then it would appear they are trying to incite a reaction. Thus, when it happens they can stand back and say “see what they are like?” Self-fulfilling prophecy.

This kind of thing is not helpful.

By: Webloggin - Blog Archive » Views From Abroad

Webloggin - Blog Archive » Views From Abroad — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:05:21 +0000

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