Freedom of speech: not important anymore?

[diana]

"Een volk dat voor tirannen zwicht zal meer dan lijf en goed verliezen, dan dooft het licht..."
H.M. van Randwijk (1909-1966)

I'm very disappointed in the English government.

[Fugitive1979]

Er, there is no English government. But I understand what you mean.

[Vince]

Freedom of speech is important alright. But speaking nonsense about religion is wrong. Hell, i dont believe much in religion, but many people do. This guy slammed the holy book of religion. WRONG thing to do.


Frankly, i care more about Martha Stewart and Snoop Dooggy Dogg (?) not being let into the UK

[Patrick Bateman]

Er, there is no English government.

Exactly. England's run by a bunch of Jocks.

[Fugitive1979]

Er, there is no English government.

Exactly. England's run by a bunch of Jocks.

Now you know what it's like. Anyway, it won't be any more English when the current muppets are voted out next year.

I'm all for an English Assembly. We have one, Wales has one. Why shouldn't you have one for English affairs?

[Radiophonic]

Freedom of speech is one thing, but inciting hatred, as I understand he is facing prosecution for in his own country, is against British law.

[Drico One]

Oh, I think people are free to say what they like. But there's nothing wrong with being held accountable for what it is you choose to use that freedom to say.

Drico.

[diana]

Freedom of speech is one thing, but inciting hatred, as I understand he is facing prosecution for in his own country, is against British law.

He is anti-islam, like there are people anti-communist. He is warning everybody. That has nothing to do with inciting hate.

[StevePSB]

He's a t*t, and his visit would have only served to upset and inflame the Muslim community, much like we've not allowed certain Muslim preachers into this country because their sole purpose is to stir up racial hate.

I don't think there was anything wrong with booting him out. Besides which, he knew it was going to happen before he left, so it was purely a publicity stunt.


StevePSB

[diana]

I will just remind you of this:

"In a very few years, perhaps in a very few months, we shall be confronted with demands with which we shall no doubt be invited to comply. Those demands may affect the surrender of territory or the surrender of liberty. I foresee and foretell that the policy of submission will carry with it restrictions upon the freedom of speech and debate in Parliament, on public platforms, and discussions in the Press, for it will be said — indeed, I hear it said sometimes now — that we cannot allow the Nazi system of dictatorship to be criticized by ordinary, common English politicians. Then, with a Press under control, in part direct but more potently indirect, with every organ of public opinion doped and choroformed into acquiescence, we shall be conducted along further stages of our journey."
http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pag ... ?pageid=42

Thanks.

Edit: and please listen to Pat Condell about this issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJNPHR0jpoE

[landwijn]

He's a t*t, and his visit would have only served to upset and inflame the Muslim community, much like we've not allowed certain Muslim preachers into this country because their sole purpose is to stir up racial hate.

I don't think there was anything wrong with booting him out. Besides which, he knew it was going to happen before he left, so it was purely a publicity stunt.


StevePSB

I was hoping that you kept him....or perhaps we could boot him out too ...but no, we got stuck with this one again

[Dipso]

Britain has enough problems as it is without some ultra right-wing Dutch politician stirring things up even more. I don't think the UK government could win on this one - ban him from entering the UK and risk talk of censorship or allow him in and risk some level of civil unrest.

Anyway, he got lots of publicity for his nasty film so surely he got what he wanted?

[raggatwin]

[quote="Fugitive1979"]Er, there is no English government. But I understand what you mean.[/quo

the Scottish claiming colonised status is an interesting argument given that they built and administered the British Empire for the English......

aye the Campbells...

[dVTB]

Freedom of speech is important alright. But speaking nonsense about religion is wrong. Hell, i dont believe much in religion, but many people do. This guy slammed the holy book of religion. WRONG thing to do.

Wilders has every right to be critical about holy books and about the islam. Religious people can also say all kinds of things about women, gays, etc. When they do so, they just refer to their holy book. The opinion of an atheist is NOT less important as the opinion of a religious person.

He's a t*t, and his visit would have only served to upset and inflame the Muslim community, much like we've not allowed certain Muslim preachers into this country because their sole purpose is to stir up racial hate.

I don't think there was anything wrong with booting him out. Besides which, he knew it was going to happen before he left, so it was purely a publicity stunt.

I agree with your comment that Wilders turned it into a publicity stunt. He's very good at that. The latest political poll immediately shows his party growing.

I disagree with the rest of your comment. Wilders is not convicted for anything; he's only critical about the islam. He was slaughtered by criticasters for making the movie Fitna, which was called hateful. But the problem is: Wilders only shows a collection of intolerant, extremist muslims.

Wilders is a EU citizen, Wilders is a member of Parliament in a country that's part of the EU. Whether you agree with his opinions or not, the man has a right to speak. I find it worrying that the fear for muslims who might be upset about his visit causes this decision from the UK government.

BTW, the Dutch phrase in the opening post of this topic, means the following:

There is of course more than just the spoken word, as today we gather around the more physical legacy presented by war monuments. One of the most impressive can be found in Amsterdam where former Dutch resistance fighter and poet H.M. van Randwijk's succinct words immortalized the essence of losing freedom and the importance of remembering:

A people that bows to tyrants

Will lose more than life and belongings

Then, the lights will go out

[Danny C]

Freedom of speech is very important, one of the most important freedoms we enjoy - he should have been let in and it's disappointing that we now seem to have handed over cotrol of our borders to the Muslim lobby.

For the record, I think Wilders is a bell-end, but if anyone is going to cause a riot because of something he says or writes, that's a problem with those people, not with him.

Also, how many people here who are criticising Wilders have actually seen Fitna, and are even qualified to criticise him?