Althouse: "Dutch populist Geert Wilders acquitted of hate speech."

June 23, 2011

"Dutch populist Geert Wilders acquitted of hate speech."

"The case was seen by some as a test of free speech in a country which has a long tradition of tolerance and blunt talk, but where opposition to immigration, particularly from Muslim or predominantly Muslim countries, is on the rise."

38 comments:

Daniel Fielding said...: Good news, the dutch Judges did the right thing in not buckling to pressure from Islamists and Dutch leftist apologists for Islamist misbehavior.; 6/23/11, 1:43 PM
Patrick said...: "acquitted of hate speech." The thing is, even if it was "hate speech," he shouldn't have to be acquitted of it. Seems there used to be a time when this wouldn't have been controversial in the US, anyway. One wonders how Wilders would have fared against some of the speech codes of some of our "better" universities.; 6/23/11, 1:43 PM
Scott M said...: Woot.; 6/23/11, 1:46 PM
edutcher said...: Places where "tolerance" is supposed to be a showcase trait seem to be the ones least able to practice it.

Let's hope he lives to enjoy his win.; 6/23/11, 1:47 PM
NitneLiun said...: Now that Wilders will not be sanctioned with a prison sentence, the Muslims will have no reason not to kill him. I hope his personal security team is pretty good. We don't need another TvG on our hands.; 6/23/11, 1:56 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Truth is a defense.; 6/23/11, 1:58 PM
Fred4Pres said...: At least he did not make a movie or a cartoon, because then he would have to die.; 6/23/11, 1:58 PM
coketown said...: "The acquittal means that the right of minorities to remain free of hate speech has been breached. We are going to claim our rights at the U.N.," said Mohamed Rabbae of the National Council for Moroccans.

Muslims are such drama queens. Nag, nag, nag. If the UN doesn't convict Wilders, maybe they could try the Lollipop Guild.

Whoa, Geert Wilders is ugly. I was expecting him to look like Gene Wilder. I dunno.; 6/23/11, 2:04 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: We can't have the Dutch people acting in their own interests with regard to immigration. That would be racist or something.; 6/23/11, 2:05 PM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)

My thinking is, any place that makes a big deal out of “tolerance” isn’t really tolerant…just like any place that has “Democratic” or “People’s Republic” has NOTHING to do with Democracy or the People.; 6/23/11, 2:05 PM
Anonymous said...: Seen by SOME as a test of free speech?; 6/23/11, 2:12 PM
Carol_Herman said...: But the EURO won't be acquitted.

Just a question of which european country decides to go first?

Oh, and does mohammed's turban still explode?; 6/23/11, 2:13 PM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)

Seen by SOME as a test of free speech?

Of course others saw it as “Hate Speech” didn’t you read the article, you silly….; 6/23/11, 2:14 PM
Scott M said...: Just a question of which european country decides to go first?

My sense is that, if it does happen, it will be a cabal of three or four acting together.; 6/23/11, 2:14 PM
Lance said...: just like any place that has “Democratic” or “People’s Republic” has NOTHING to do with Democracy or the People.

So what does that say about the "United" States of America?

Or is it the United "States" of America? Hm. United States of "America"?; 6/23/11, 2:14 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Wasn't it Scalia that noted that political correctness and "tollerance" is more about control than freedom.; 6/23/11, 2:23 PM
X said...: if it's a free speech test the Dutch have failed by even having a trial.; 6/23/11, 2:24 PM
Anonymous said...: "Islamic groups said they would now take the case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee ..."

Oh, the old "It's not over till they win" strategy.

Do you see where Democrats like Russ Feingold is getting his political strategy from?

Islamic militants.; 6/23/11, 2:25 PM
Anonymous said...: "... if it's a free speech test the Dutch have failed by even having a trial."

This is the correct answer. The court ruled that the speech didn't rise to the level of hate that is outlawed.

But it's still illegal and that's a shame. Free speech should be a right enjoyed by all Dutch. Sadly, it is not.

Thankfully, we have a Bill of Rights in this country that allows us to freely point out that Islam is an evil death cult that aims to annihilate all Jews ... just like Hitler. And then Christians.; 6/23/11, 2:28 PM
Anonymous said...: "The acquittal means that the right of minorities to remain free of hate speech has been breached."

Cool. Do we all get to pick speech we want to remain free of? Because my pick is global warming speech. I claim my right not to have to listen to that insulting trash talking. Where do I sign up to officially register my choice? And when can the prosecutor get started?; 6/23/11, 2:29 PM
traditionalguy said...: If I recall, the strategy of the Muslims is to bankrupt the free speaker with never ending series frivolous law suits. The got the idea from the Alaska Dems.; 6/23/11, 2:30 PM
MadisonMan said...: Do you see where Democrats like Russ Feingold is getting his political strategy from?

Islamic militants.

Riiight. That's such a huge voting bloc in Wisconsin.

Re: this ruling: Good for the Dutch, good for Europe. And Coketown is absolutely right: The Muslims are being drama queens.; 6/23/11, 2:30 PM
Wince said...: Dutch populist Geert Wilders acquitted of hate speech. The case was seen by some as a test of free speech in a country which has a long tradition of tolerance and blunt talk, but where opposition to immigration, particularly from Muslim or predominantly Muslim countries, is on the rise.

"There are only two things I can't stand in this world: People who are intolerant of other people's cultures and..."; 6/23/11, 2:31 PM
mariner said...: That country abandoned its tradition of tolerance and blunt talk, or this case could never have happened.; 6/23/11, 2:36 PM
PatHMV said...: No kudos for the Dutch court from me. They took the opportunity in the decision to criticize Wilders and to say he skirted right up to the legal line... which means that they believe there are SOME things you are not allowed to say, just because others might find them offensive.

Fuck anybody who doesn't condemn the actions of those who brought this case against Wilders, including the Dutch judges. The system of "justice" in most of Europe has become a laughingstock. Fuck anybody who uses being offended by somebody as an excuse to try to take legal action against them merely for speaking words.; 6/23/11, 2:40 PM
george said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/23/11, 2:41 PM
george said...: The article has it all exactly backwards. Geert Wilders was not on trial here. The Netherlands was.; 6/23/11, 2:43 PM
virgil xenophon said...: You realize, don't you, that Wilders can now NEVER walk alone in his own country..some "victory" when one's freedom is decided by the whim of one man--and one's safety guaranteed by no one...at least as long as there is a single male Muslim alive and residing in Holland..; 6/23/11, 2:46 PM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)

Fuck anybody who doesn't condemn the actions of those who brought this case against Wilders, including the Dutch judges. The system of "justice" in most of Europe has become a laughingstock. Fuck anybody who uses being offended by somebody as an excuse to try to take legal action against them merely for speaking words.

Listen up you C*ck-Sucker, I don’t much care for that kind of foul F@ggoty-@rsed language, so if you’d just shut your pie-hole I’d be thanking you or be prepared to hear from my Solicitor.; 6/23/11, 2:48 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: A trial for 'hate speech'. Christ can they get more Orwell?; 6/23/11, 2:56 PM
Bart Hall (Kansas, USA) said...: The Dutch have a tremendously bi-modal situation with Islam. There are the Indonesians (a former Dutch colony) and there are the rest of the Muslims.

My wife is a dual Dutch-US citizen and the Indonesians there are almost universally well-integrated. We often have Indonesian meals in our home, and her grandfather spent years as a sea captain out there before WWII.

The connections are deep enough that on a cruise in 2006 the young Indonesian steward could speak decent Dutch -- 60 years after independence.

The Dutch problem is with North Africans, and it increases as their countries of origin move eastward from Morocco. The Swedes have the same trouble (in spades) in places like Malmö.

It seems to me as though the closer you get to the heart of Islam, the darker it is. The Dutch are struggling to make sense of a pattern that surprised them after generations of generally amiable relations with Indonesia.

In America we have a weak reflection of the same problem with Mexicans. Sinaloa, Sonora, and the Bajas have been bandito country for centuries. They are very different people than the ones in central Mexico who come through Texas.

As one who speaks Spanish with near-native fluency I can tell you, a Mexican from Aguascalientes or Morelia is not at all the same creature as one from Sonora.

Geert Wilders was, if you will, looking at the Sonoran Muslims whilst the establishment was remembering those from Morelia.

Thankfully the court called BS, because Wilders is correct.; 6/23/11, 3:00 PM
Joe said...: (The Crypto Jew)

I see your point Bart, BUT let’s not forget the South Moluccans who had a distressing tendency to commit terrorism in Holland, though after the Dutch shot a bunch of them on a train they got better about it….; 6/23/11, 3:06 PM
Lipperman said...: I remember the 1977 treinkaping bij De Punt very well, because I was living there at the time.
I don't believe you are equating the children of brave Malukun fighters to the scumbag children of Berber immigrants, because that would not be a fair. They couldn't be more different.; 6/23/11, 3:47 PM
PatHMV said...: I'm F***ing offended by your threat to call a solicitor, Joe! That's hate speech against those who are too poor to afford a lawyer. How dare you, you hate-filled a**! I will be filing a complaint with a hate crimes prosecutor near you soon!; 6/23/11, 3:58 PM
Anonymous said...: Gotta love the therapy speak:

"You see that people feel more and more supported in saying that minorities are good for nothing...Some will feel this as a sort of support for what they feel and as justification."

Drama queens, indeed.

come on althou.se! tim maguire; 6/23/11, 3:59 PM
virgil xenophon said...: I must say here to Bart Hall, et al, that I overlooked the Indonesian experience in Holland, of which you rightly point out the Dutch have a long, largely favorable experience.
I was of course focusing on N. African Muslims when I made my statement about a "single Muslim."
Sorry.; 6/23/11, 4:02 PM
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