Wednesday, January 21, 2009

“I Will Not Stand Trial Alone”

There’s one thing you can say about the Dutch political establishment: it is thoroughly immune to irony.

The images of burning cars and firebombed synagogues have barely faded from the TV screens of the Netherlands.

The cries of “Heil Hitler!” and “Jews to the gas!” that mingled with “Allahu akhbar!” are still echoing in the glass-strewn streets.

Yet Geert Wilders — who speaks out against these barbaric forces, and proposes to halt the Islamization of his country in order to put a stop to them — is the one who is being prosecuted for “hate speech”.

The true heirs of National Socialism rage unimpeded through the streets of Europe, while Geert Wilders is the one who “incites hatred” and “insults groups of people”.

Go figure.

According to Elsevier, as translated by our Flemish correspondent VH:

Wilders: Court decision is an assault on free speech

By Claudia van Zanten

The PVV leader said he was deeply affected by the ruling of the court in Amsterdam. The court decided Wednesday to prosecute PVV leader Geert Wilders for “discrimination, incitement to hatred, and insulting groups of people.”

“This is apparently is the way the Netherlands sticks together. If you give your opinion, you run the risk of being prosecuted. Taking part in the public debate has become a dangerous activity,” Wilders said in a response.

Islamization of the Netherlands

“If I have to stand trial, I will not be alone, stand trial alone, but also with the hundreds of thousands of Dutch people who reject the Islamization of the Netherlands,” says the PVV leader.

“Their opinion is only represented in The Hague [parliament] by the Party for Freedom. Who else will stand for our culture when I have to remain silent? This strengthens me in these harsh days,” he continues.

Wilders is worried of the costs of the court case. “We depend on small donations. The PVV is the only party that is not conditional on making itself dependent on subsidies. The ruling of the Court will endanger the survival of the Party for Freedom. The hundreds of thousands we will loose on the costs are impossible for us to afford.”

“A Black Day”
- - - - - - - - -
The PVV leader considers today “a black day.”

The court is of the opinion that the statements on Islam and Muslims produce a “reasonable suspicion of guilt”. Therefore, the Criminal Judge has to pass a judgment on it, the court finds. The Judge must also pass a judgment on Wilders’ comparison of the Quran with Mein Kampf.

Concern

The VVD [Liberal party] calls it worrisome that a parliamentarian is being prosecuted for statements which he makes as a politician. It is the task of member of parliament let his views be heard in society, according to VVD MP Fred Teeven.

“It is good that the justice is going to express itself in a debate that increasingly polarizes,” PvdA [Labour] member Ton Heerts says.

13 comments:

spackle said...

The zeal in which they go after Mr. Wilders would have you think he was public enemy number one. This trying to find "anything that will stick" is usually reserved for Mob bosses.

Me thinks thou doth protest too much.

Apparently Mr. Wilders wields more power then they like. I think they have just showed their hand.

The 1st Earl of Cromer said...

As I said on my own blog earlier, they may well have over-played their hand here. If Wilders didn't let death threats stop him, I think he'll find a way round this. I hope that there are willing (big) donors out there, and that he can bank on the backing of the silent majority.

If he has his day in court, we'll find out just who is all spin and no substance.

It should never have come to this though. It demonstrates just how far we've sunk.

heroyalwhyness said...

COPIED FROM IBA

==>The first is the statement Wilders' party has published:
“We depend on small donations. The Freedom Party is the only party in Parliament that does not accept any government funding. This court decision jeopardizes the very existence of the Freedom Party. We simply cannot afford the enormous legal expenses.”

And the second is a law passed by Dutch parliament some days ago:
The Dutch parliament wants the government to prosecute antisemitic and anti-Islamic statements, now that emotions about the Middle East are again flaring up. Only the SGP, the Christian Union, the PVV (Party for Freedom) and the VVD (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy) voted against this motion of the D66 Thursday.

Both worsen even more the prospects of Islam's criticism in the Netherlands.
<==

****

Time to post the FITNA Rosetta Stone . . .a form of free advertising if you will . . .all in the interests of full disclosure regarding the basis for the suit.

****

I suppose we will also read about this Courts decision to bring suit against Netherland's socialist-party MP Harry van Bommel for calling for 'an intifada against Israel' -- and by leading a Hamas protest meeting where hate-speech chants against Jews such as "Hamas, Hamas, all the Jews Must be Gassed"

Right?............. RIGHT?

heroyalwhyness said...

Re: Wilder's statement: "“We depend on small donations. The Freedom Party is the only party in Parliament that does not accept any government funding. "

If someone will provide the mailing address, I will donate to his defense fund.

Lan Astaslem.

ENOUGH.

Old Atlantic Lighthouse said...

We should not let this distract us from our real enemy, Vlaams Belang. Remember, our plan is to find the last Nazi in the most northern town in Norway as the Muslim world closes in behind us.

X said...

That's right! Disregard the insanity surrounding us, it's only a distraction form the quest of finding The Real Nazis™ hiding in plain sight everywhere, disrespectfully refusing to have their heads chopped off. The sheer crass bigotry!

Fellow Peacekeeper said...

Indeed, along with the earl and spackle I feel they ahve overreached ... theres a touch of desperation that may backfire not a little.

I do humbly suggest making preparations for a bleg to support a defence fund .... GoV is as good a venue as any ... there will be takers, every bit helps, moral support helps more, and bringing out and involving the populus helps even more ...

X said...

In other news, I notice that a certain bike-riding guitarist has taken the opportunity to use this story as an exscuse for another round of Euro-bashing. Geert is apparently occupying the bed he made for himself, if commenters there are to be believed...

Vladtepesblog.com said...

Well of course the first issue is one of selective enforcement and the consequent arbitrary assignation of criminality to a given idea. Specifically, should they choose to examine the comparison of Hitler's book with Quoran its quite possible that they would find it a reasonable comparison to make. Most of us would. Which almost certainly means they will not allow that comparison. But what if they did? would this mean preaching from Koran would be illegal hereafter? Chances are this will be as Canadian Human Rights Commission trials are. Decided before they begin. Clearly the cost to the Dutch Government should a court find in favour of Geert would be unthinkable to them.
As to the arbitrary enforcement its too obvious to mention. None of the protesters demanding jews to the gas seem to be under any form of legal prohibition.
Lastly what bicycle riding guitarist? I really want to know.

Captain USpace said...

.
This is BIG, this is REAL BIG! SPREAD THE WORD to the world everyone! The EU Mandarins have crossed the line! If this goes to court, how much more of the public will become aware of this tyranny?

All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. If there is no freedom of speech, then there can be no real freedom.

The Christians and Jews don’t riot when somebody makes fun of Christ or Jews. People must learn to be civilized, and held to account when they are not. Muslims included.

Geert Wilders is a hero spreading the painful truth. He MUST be protected!
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
weak and insecure is BEST

the best way for religion
KILL those who question it

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe wants
Islam for everyone

submit to glorious life
slavery and servitude

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
outlaw self-defense

exposing violent crimes
shall be deemed hate speech

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
outlaw most bloggers

license all the rest
monitor their writing

.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
pretend to defend

human rights while stopping
speech defending human rights

.
All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech there can be no real freedom.
.
Film 'Fitna' Spreads Across World
.
'Fitna' Film Post in Arabic
.
Philosophy of Liberty Cartoon
.
Help Halt Terrorism Today!
.
USpace

:)
.

X said...

@Vladtepesblog.com

Charles at LGF. There's plenty of info out ther eon the subject so I'll not go into it here. Suffice to say he's adopting the "balance" of the MSM in reporting on european matters.

Skalman said...

This is outrageus. Is there any place where one can make a financial contribution? I refuse to let the EU tyrants have their way without a loud and clear protest.

Since all of us, at least those of us living within the borders of the EU, may well be the next to face the political guillotine we should start to defend ourselves by helping defend Geert Wilders.

If he goes free(which I certainly hope if we are to call ourselves a democratic community honoring freedom of expression) we will face a real chance of making it. If he gets convicted we will all fall in the end.

Old Atlantic Lighthouse said...

Whether statements incite is either subject to proof or it can't be the basis of legal prosecution. Do the statements incite is not how the judges feel subjectively. The judge's feelings are not proof. Nor are insulted Muslims.

Do Wilder type statements actually incite violence? And compared to what? TV shows? Events in the Middle East? A t-statistic has to be computed for the alleged incitement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daubert_standard

"
A Daubert motion is a motion, raised before or during trial, to exclude the presentation of unqualified evidence to the jury. This is a special case of motion in limine, usually used to exclude the testimony of an expert witness who has no such expertise or used questionable methods to obtain the information.
"

The case should be dismissed because there is no actual evidence of incitement. Proof of incitement to meet the Daubert standard means a scientific proof of incitement. That means real evidence. That means the type of evidence that is valid when you try to convict someone from bloodstains. Its not how the judges feel about the bloodstains.

Even though Daubert is a US rule of law, the equivalent should be asserted in this case. There is no scientific standard for incitement of violence by a film or TV show. There is no expert who is qualified because there is no body of public science on that subject.

There are no scientific journals on it. Nor has any scientific journal published a paper on scientific tests of incitement to violence. Thus the case has to be dismissed as being junk science.