Thursday, February 12, 2009

He’s Leaving on a Jet Plane…or Is He?

Here’s one version of the story, in which British Midland Airways is supposed to have taken away Mr. Wilders’ flight privileges:

BREAKING: Wilders’ Plane Ticket Cancelled

Bye Bye Flying Circus Of Geert Wilders

It just became known that the ticket with which Geert Wilders wanted to go to Britain has been cancelled.

Bomb threat? Defect on the landing gear? Qassams on the beach of Scheveningen?

No such thing. The reason is that airlines have the right to refuse passengers when the country of destination has already announced that the passenger is not welcome. That is why the airline “British Midlands” decided to strike out the best paid airline ticket of the year. [GeenStijl bought last minute expensive tickets]

The report by Rutger [GeenStijl TV reporter] will have to wait a while. As soon as Wilders got himself a ticket for the ferry to Dover, you will hear from us.


And here is another:
- - - - - - - - -
Wilders: I know nothing…

AMSTERDAM - Wilders is confident he will be traveling in a few hours by plane to England. He responded this way to rumors that he will be refused on the British Midland flight to London. “I know nothing” said the PVV-leader.

The airline insinuated yesterday evening in the program Nova that Wilders, due to strict enforcement of the rules, very likely would be refused boarding. This because airlines reserve the right to refuse passengers who are denied entrance in the country of destination.

Wilders himself doesn’t know anything. “I haven’t been called, so I am confident I will be travelling to Schiphol airport in a few hours to fly.” The PVV-leader added that the British company never contacted him about his planned flight.


Meanwhile, at his desired destination, the Times Online opines:

Let Him In

… For all the obvious hollowness of Mr Wilders’ credentials as a defender of free speech, the cause is a good one. It is a common notion that the right to free speech must be held in balance with the requirement to avoid needless offence. That is a mistake. The right to oppose, mock, deride and even insult people’s beliefs is essential to a society where bad ideas are superseded by better ones. There is no right to have one’s emotional sensibilities protected, for it is no business of government to legislate for people’s feelings. Mr Wilders’ views are obnoxious, and (not but) his freedom to express them must be defended. It is regrettable that Mr Wilders faces not just ostracism but prosecution in the Netherlands because of his comments about Islam.

The Home Office judges that Mr Wilders’ presence in the UK would threaten public order and has banned him from entering the country. Last year Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a Muslim cleric with inflammatory views on Jews and homosexuals, was denied a visa to visit the UK. Mr Wilders’ politics are no less inflammatory.

But that is not enough to warrant a ban. Demagogic speech is a test of the liberal political rights on which the culture of a liberal democracy rests. Let Mr Wilders exploit them. His political posturing is so self-evidently preposterous that, if he is permitted to speak freely, he will be arraigned before the best court in the land - the court of public opinion.


Thanks to our Dutch translators for the stories, and the Times for its opinion.

48 comments:

Czechmade said...

Some years ago the strongest argument for joining the EU thing was the argument of "no borders".

Now Geert might join some Afghans in Callais in their tents to get in UK
under a truck...

He needs to grow a beard and colour his hair....his Afghan brothers are the only ones to help him. They will feel a real compassion with a white guy who got in the same troubles.

Because of "feelings" - not immigrants, terrorists or economics - the borders have been reinstalled.

Matthew Cain said...

I really don't understand why we in Britain give platforms to people who offend, apologise but trade off their notoriety:

What is "Occupation" said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
The 1st Earl of Cromer said...

What is Occupation:

You're too harsh. Empires and dominant powers are a force of history; if there'd been no British Empire I'm sure far worse forces would have filled the void. For example, I think you'll find India actually went through a pretty dark period immediately prior to British rule, at the hands of the 'Pakistanis' and their Muslim conqueror forebears on the other side of your metaphorical coin. If there'd been no British Empire, it's arguable that there might not even be recognisable American hegemony today.

Please bear in mind that ordinary English/British people deserve what is happening to them no more than the Israelis of Sderot and Ashkelon do, and think before you speak.

Sagunto said...

@the first Breaking story (Geen Stijl):

UPDATE: The Times: Let. Him In.
UPDATE: Vliegmaatschappij haalt bakzeil. Tickets nu wél gewoon geldig (Transl.: Airline comp. backs down, tickets valid after all.)

Sag.

Sagunto said...

Oh well, Wilders travels fast and so are the updates flyin' in:

Wilders takes to the sky (13:40, Amsterdam time)

Sag.

Anonymous said...

I'm afraid The Times deserves no thanks at all. It goes to great lengths to explain why Geert Wilders' opinion is evil and should be opposed.

The Times is supposed to be a conservative daily. This is an unsigned editorial, expressing the views of the newspaper; not just an editorialist's opinion.

This does not bode well.

Spinoneone said...

Well, give "The Times On-line" credit for getting the part about 'not having a right to be offended' stated correctly and for the record. Remember that Islam demands no one be allowed to "insult Allah, Mo, or the rest." To the extent that Wilders speaks nothing but the truth, no matter how embarrassing or distressing for practitioners of Islam in today's PC atmosphere, he must be allowed to do so. After all, anyone who has ever read ahadith, the Qu'ran, or any of the multiple bios of Mo will learn that he was a paedophile, multiple rapist, and cold blooded murderer. These are historical and Islamically accepted truths that cannot be papered-over by claiming to be "offended".

X said...

Just fyi, the Wilders saga was the headline story on the Jeremy Vine show on bbc radio 2. It's a "talk radio" style block, one of the most listened to shows in the country. He got immense coverage. The muslim apologists they had on were all pasted by the free speech supporters. So much for my prediction that the bbc wouldn't cover it...

You can read it here. The "listen again" feature should have the show up in a couple of hours.

I've been thinking this year might mean a change of pace. Perhaps this is a sign of it.

What is "Occupation" said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
X said...

Out of respect for the hosts I will not say what I'm thinking about you right now, mate.

But answer me this: if we have a history of jew hatred, how is it that we had a jewish prime minister a century ago? Jews in prominent positions in government for much of the 19th and 20th centuries? How is it that we were considered as a refuge by jews for centuries?

You think we "deserve" our fate? Go take a running jump.

Unknown said...

UPDATE 15.30 — After his arrival in London, Geert Wilders was led directly to an office of the British immigration service. Since then he has a conversation with various officials.

Wilders was immediately invited for an interview at the office of the Home Office, the British immigration service at Heathrow Airport. "I'm not nervous, but curious about what will happen. I still hope they will let me in".

Unknown said...

There might be live images now on GeenStijl-Live [beta]. According to GeenStijl, SkyNews might have a live report as well — at the moment there is a heated debate on Sky News Live on the subject.

The 1st Earl of Cromer said...

VH:
I just turned on Sky News and they claim he was presented with the letter banning him and has been denied entry. He will be sent back to The Netherlands.

What is "Occupation" said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
What is "Occupation" said...

ANd now? Let us look at your great haven for Jews... EX-IDF special forces have to be hired to protect Jewish kindergardeners and school kids from the moslems that are destroying your nation...

And just last week, this gem about Rowan Laxton, head of the Foreign Office's South Asia desk stating lovely things about the jews...

It's interesting your myopic viewing of British history, a select individual here, a nice paper there and that should erase 900 years of English intolerance and vile?

Graham: You think we "deserve" our fate? Go take a running jump.

I did, I live ACROSS the pond in the USA. Your nation is crumbling as we speak...

Enjoy your radical hotbed of terror (SO much in fact that our CIA & NSA has been asked to help lookin on over 20,000 brit citizens of paki descent AT THE REQUEST OF YOUR GOVERNMENT) England is the main place for Islamic terror in the west...

Yep, enjoy your radical imams, your new improved police uniforms that have the jihab for women, enjoy the removal of Christmas from your schools, the over all islamisifaction of good ole endland..

Yep your days are numbered as a western nation...

blame the messenger all you wish, hate me if you wish, in the morning you will wake to millions of palestinians, pakis, arabs & company changing your nation and I will be happy knowing you dont like me anymore... boo hoo...

Unknown said...

Wilders tolf Times Online during the flight that the government in England os "the largest pack of cowards of Europe".
"It's easier to invite people you agree with than people you do not agree with. This case proves that."

UPDATE 16.00 In an office of the British immigration service Wilders was shown the home office letter and told that he is not allowed to enter the country and has to turn back. They said to escort him to the next available flight to make shure he leaves the country.

Czechmade said...

Next step: Take the Lords on a ship and circumnavigate the territorial waters of UK with Fitna on board.

You might create a floating cinema and let the democratic folks come with their yachts and boats to view it and discuss.

Floating House of Lords might be an attracion for years...the waves would serve as a dramatic background.

Can the House of Lords capsize? No!

Unknown said...

@ The Venerable 1st Earl of Cromer: Sorry I missed your comment! But you are right, Wilders is refused entry and has to leave.

Czechmade said...

Another step might be to ask for "political asylum" in UK. In fact he is persecuted in NL unable to enjoy his fundamental rights like shopping, walking, showing up, fitnaing.

What is "Occupation" said...

Here is a great column about jew hatred in england

http://www.george-orwell.org/AntiSemitism_In_Britian/0.html

The 1st Earl of Cromer said...

VH:
No problem, thanks for all your updates. I noticed this news is conspicuously absent from Sky' website, I had to turn on the TV.

The reporter said 'they literally can't wait to get him out of the airport' because he's creating a 'media circus'. Let's hope these images are broadcast around the world and the miserable, po-faced cowards of current British officaldom are shown up for what they are.

What is "Occupation" said...

Last year the number of anti-Semitic attacks in England rose alarmingly by over 40% -- the steepest rise in Europe -- to its highest level ever. But it is not the level of street attacks that I find most frightening. Rather it is the openly expressed loathing for Israel and Jews among a large swath of Britain's elites. It was the complete collapse of German elites before Hitler and his lumpenproletariat followers that allowed Hitler's rise to power in the most civilized nation in Europe. The German elites were infected with the same anti-Semitism as the uneducated sign painter.


http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/jewishsociety/UK_Anti-_Semitism.asp

read it all

What is "Occupation" said...

The Rev George Pitcher is a serving cleric of the Church of England.


And this Sunday, he's been telling us that he's "almost as disgusted by the BBC as he is by Israel."

Not the Israeli government. Not the Israeli armed forces. But Israel.

http://adloyada.typepad.com/adloyada/2009/01/church-of-england-cleric-tells-you-how-disgusted-and-sickened-he-is-by-israel.html

What is "Occupation" said...

http://www.city-journal.org/html/17_4_anti-semitism.html

Britain’s Anti-Semitic Turn
Melanie Phillips

A new manifestation of the oldest hatred demonizes the Jewish state.

In August 2006, as the war in Lebanon raged, a gang of teenage girls confronted 12-year-old Jasmine Kranat and a friend on a London bus. “Are you Jewish?” they demanded. They didn’t hurt the friend, who was wearing a crucifix. But they subjected Jasmine, a Jew, to a brutal beating—stomping on her head and chest, fracturing her eye socket, and knocking her unconscious.

According to the Community Security Trust, the defense organization of Britain’s 300,000-strong Jewish community, last year saw nearly 600 anti-Semitic assaults, incidents of vandalism, cases of abuse, and threats against Jewish individuals and institutions—double the 2001 number. According to the police, Jews are four times more likely to be attacked because of their religion than are Muslims. Every synagogue service and Jewish communal event now requires guards on the lookout for violence from both neo-Nazis and Muslim extremists. Orthodox Jews have become particular targets; some have begun wearing baseball caps instead of skullcaps and concealing their Star of David jewelry.

What is "Occupation" said...

British academians ban Israeli Universities...

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/archive/index.php/t-205212.html

The 1st Earl of Cromer said...

What is occupation:

What is your problem? You think I'm going to agree that my own country doesn't deserve to exist because of things that happened in 1290?

Incidentally, who is overwhelmingly responsible or the attacks you're harping on about? But what I'm most interested in is why you single out England.

Synagogues have guards in Venezuela, Sweden, France, Germany - so do you hate these countries too?

Based on your obsession with the past, I'm going to take it for granted that you hate Germany, but the others?

You're like an anti-semite; you hate an entire nation/group based on their alleged past actions, perceived or real.

As for my comparisons to Israeli civilians; some people think they have that coming. I DON'T, but based on your logic anyone who is against Israel might. Let's get one thing straight here - the current elites of Britain hate us more than you ever could. I don't know why, but they do.

Please stop going on about our demographic situation; Israel's and America's isn't exactly great either. The difference is I see these two countires as friends and allies in the same boat, and I would take no pleasure from their destruction, unlike you in regards to my nation.

The 1st Earl of Cromer said...

What is occupation said:
The Rev George Pitcher is a serving cleric of the Church of England.
And this Sunday, he's been telling us that he's "almost as disgusted by the BBC as he is by Israel."
Not the Israeli government. Not the Israeli armed forces. But Israel.

I, an Englishman, abhorr these words. He doesn't speak for the majority, whatever you think.

But, what's your point? Some people take the actions of a government and a people as interchangeable, a bit like... well, you with England really.

Some people even want said nation to 'bite it'. A bit lik, well again, you with England.

Aren't you morally superior!

What is "Occupation" said...

Aren't you morally superior!

lol.........

Who said anything about moral superiority?

I am saying England is DYING because of it's import of millions of islam faithful...

England brought most of this on it'sself by it's own policies for centuries...

The USA HAS a growing islamic jihadic movement too!

But the issue at hand and on topic is europe and england's double standards against those who speak out against islam...

Who has a right to be a nation?

great question...

Certainly the Kurds and possibly not the palestinians...

Certainly the Jews but maybe not the Jordanians...

Certainly the English in England, Scottish in Scotland and the Irish in all of Ireland?

DO the Arabs deserve to have 20 nations squatting on other's lands do to their successful empire of conquest?

Do not the Coptics, the Berbers, the true Lebanese not deserve their homeland?

What of the Jews of Arabia?

YOur issue seems to fall back on that old canard...

" you think your morally superior than us"

well look in your country's collective history and think what have we really given the world...

What is "Occupation" said...

said...
What is occupation:

What is your problem? You think I'm going to agree that my own country doesn't deserve to exist because of things that happened in 1290?

you miss the point not what happened (myopic) IN 1290, but what happened daily 24/7/365 for centuries....


said
Incidentally, who is overwhelmingly responsible or the attacks you're harping on about? But what I'm most interested in is why you single out England.

dont feel like i SINGLED out poor little England.... I have problems with DOZENS of countries

What is "Occupation" said...

said
Synagogues have guards in Venezuela, Sweden, France, Germany - so do you hate these countries too?

Based on your obsession with the past, I'm going to take it for granted that you hate Germany, but the others?

yes in fact you missed many more countries you could add to that list, even the good ole USA, but it's england today that is the hotbed of islamic jew hatred supported by widespread israel and jew hatred, not germany today...

Unknown said...

UPDATE 16.40 Geert Wilders calls Gordon Brown "the biggest coward of Europe".

"This is a very black day, they bow to Islam by denying the critics access to the country, says Wilders who told to have had a conversation on expelling him of exactly 47 seconds. When Wilders arrived they instantly told him: "you are not allowed in and you are going out as soon as possible."
Wilders said: "I am now on my own in a hut in a detention center where I can not get out. It has never happened that a parliamentarian had been kicked out the country. I expect Balkenende [Dutch PM] to speak hard words to Brown [Brit PM] on this." Wilders wants as soon as possible a special debate on this and demands the Dutch government to act against Great Britain.

———

@ The Venerable 1st Earl of Cromer: Thank you!

The 1st Earl of Cromer said...

Well, we agree on one thing; England is dying, yes. However what I took from your 'bite it' comment is that you're indifferent to that or think it's a good thing, and obviously we must disagree there - whatever you feel England has done in the past, others have done worse.

I'm glad you have problems with dozens of countries, because rising anti-semitism in Europe does need to be addressed. I've read about severe problems with it in Germany, France, Holland and Sweden.

I must tell you, I think the vast majority of the British leftist elite are against Israel. This is not necessarily because of anti-semitism however; to them, Zionism is nationalism and therefore always evil and wrong, just as a nation robustly defending its own people and borders is. There is also the 'path of least resistance' argument; the authorities are scared of the Muslims, but not the Jews.

I personally feel Israel should defend itself more, not less, however. We pretty much agree when it comes to the Arabs protecting their conquests; I support Israel's right to exist and defend itself, and I support the idea of a Kurdish state.

As I said, at the end of the day the entire West, Jews and Christians alike are in the same boat, and wishing death and destruction to settle old scores won't help.

Fjordman said...

"What is Occupation" is a classic troll, and I request that his anti-British and anti-European spamming gets deleted if he continues with posting it.

Go somewhere else if you cannot contribute anything positive, WiO.

Unknown said...

LAST UPDATE 16:30 Wilders has been released from the hut in the detention centre at Heathrow and escorted to the plane. Due to delay, departure now sceduled at 16:45 [UK time]

IgnorantInfidel said...

It appears that England is officially a Muslim caliphate. According to BBC headline news Widers Sent Home.

The threats by the Islamic/Muslim radicals to actually demonstrate the tactics depicted in FITNA only prove how accurate FITNA is. Can the rest of Eurarbia be far behind? Will Parliament be dissolved and replaced by a madrass?

CarnackiUK said...

I agree with Fjordman.

What is "Occupation" said...

I am not a troll...

I have been here long before most of you ever popped up to join the blog rolls...

I am KNOWN to the Baron & Company for years....


Said: As I said, at the end of the day the entire West, Jews and Christians alike are in the same boat, and wishing death and destruction to settle old scores won't help.

It's not about settling old scores... If that were the case the vatican should be bulldozed as well as the dome of the rock...

It's karma...

England and europe's behavior to my tribe over the centuries has created the very issues today over the islamic invasion of the same...

Dymphna said...

What is Occupation:

See the header on the comment box:

Gates of Vienna's rules about comments require that they be civil, temperate, on-topic, and show decorum....

Please limit each comment to about 500 words; if you need more, leave a link to your own blog


Thus, I deleted your 1,500K comment, and the ones using offensive language.

I did leave in some of your vitriol, but I'm not sure it was a wise idea since you repeatedly violate the principles of civility, temperateness, and decorum. However, I try to err on the side of caution, so they stay for the moment.

You have several valid points to make, but they are lost because the ratio of vitriolic noise to signal to is so high that it quite drowns your message. Your apparent Anglophobia obscures whatever facts you put forward.

Everyone is now clear about your pov re anti-semitism and Britain. Time to move on. You're beating a dead horse and it's getting rather ugly.

It would help to keep in mind that communication is the act of the recipient. Thus, it doesn't matter what one says, it is what your interlocutor hears that is the message.

The subject of this post is Geert Wilders' attempts to speak in Britain. The subject of the post is not anti-semitism, though I may be putting something up on that (if I don't have to keep monitoring the comments and stamping out fires).

Less heat and more light, please. Otherwise this comment thread becomes focused on you and not on the subject of the post.

No more comments on anti-semitism in England or I will delete them as being off topic, which they are.

Czechmade said...

What is Oc,

"England and Europe..."

The behaviour of a troll implies insulting anyone around.

For ex. Czechoslovakia provided the weapons/airoplanes necessary for your survival after 1947, from 1918 independent Czechoslovakia never developped any sort of antisem. policy. Even now my country keeps backing you in many ways and Israeli businesses are all around here flourishing. The Israelis or Jews love to intermarry with us and respect us.

Still you insult me. Should I say "sorry for helping your "tribe"?

You are like an African or Asian blaming the "white guy" for this or that. But this blame involves me automatically. I am not part of such an equation. You must be a troll.

Afonso Henriques said...

I just made a +600 comment mostly in response to What is Occupation but I will only resume it in 6(0) words or so:

What is Occupation, I don't believe you are a troll, I believe you are a honnest Jew mad at the current situation. However you seem to "Semiticly" "spit on the plate that feds you".

Europeans have behaved pretty well towards Jews despite Jews have abused Europe now and then. In the end, that ended in expulsions from virtually every Nation and some massacres. It also ended up in the horrible Holocaust that Jews (and others) use to equate any small shade of European Nationalism or "self-love" as evil, and that is what brought us to this very situation.

Europeans, in a sort of saying sorry to the Jews, even offered Israel to the Jews...

However it seems that it is not a good idea to have (many) Jews in Europe, and I think you and I will agree that most Europeans and Jews don't want that. That is why a Jewish Nation is so important. We should be allies. However, given the latent hatred Jews (as a group) have towards Europeans and the past experiences, what will happen if Israel ceases to exist? Where will all the Jews go?

The destiny of Israel/Jews is distinct from that of Europeans/The West. Think about it, how will the Jews live?

Therefore, any Jew that does not want to live like a parasite or that wants a Nation for himself ought to support the various sort of European Nationalisms (the healty ones) and should not confuse Anti-Semitism (irrational and stupid hatred of Jews and Arabs) with an Europe free of Multiculturalism (not seeing any benifit with having a potentially destructive Jewish influence in Europe).

That's it. After all, the best friend of Jews have always been Christian Europeans...

Take it easy, man!

Dymphna said...

Afonso--

Sometimes your comments are utterly jaw-dropping. This particularly dismissive sentence is mind-blowing:

Europeans have behaved pretty well towards Jews despite Jews have abused Europe now and then.

Ummm...somehow I missed the porgroms that the Jews have instituted since time immemorial against Christians. What did they do, ride in on their horses and cut down all the Christians and take their land?

Hear me now:

NO MORE COMMENTS ON SEMITISM, ANTI-SEMITISM, OR ANY ANCILLARY SUBJECTS.

LAST WARNING:

One more comment from anyone about the Jews and I'm deleting it.

Yeah, Afonso, "take it easy, man"...

What is "Occupation" said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Czechmade said...

Dymphna,

this is not a Happy End.

X said...

I'm sorry, I just... the way you twisted my words speaks volumes about your moral standards. You use anything as a pretext for your hatred of my people, even if you have to make it up.

I've said all I want to say on the matter, except this.

I am here right now taking part in any way I can to restore my nation to sanity. Where are you? I am here, considering certain courses of action that will most likely risk my life and freedom in perhaps a year or two, or three, in order to try help propel my nation back toward a sane course. I use my real name in all of my postings on the subject of Islam. I am almost certainly on someone's watch list already (low down, under "mostly harmless" no doubt, but certain there). Where are you? Hiding. You're just a coward, sir. A sneaky little coward hiding away from the real danger and sniping at people you despise for no reason other than because they're don't meet your exacting standards, or because they "deserve it". You're no better than Johnson, though he at least has the courage to attach his own name to his libels.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Afonso Henriques said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Dymphna said...

I meant it: don't derail the thread with your obsessions.

Afonso Henriques said...

Okay Dymphna, I just hope you understood what I meant.