Regular readers will recognize the names of many of the speakers and participants, and there will be special addresses by Rep. Louie Gohmert, Rep. Tom Rooney, and Sen. Jim DeMint.
The conference will focus on the threat to free speech coming from the OIC via the UN and the EU, as well as on growing de facto censorship by Western governments in the interests of political correctness.
International Legal Conference on Freedom of Speech and Religion
October 27 and 28, 2009
Congressional Auditorium
U.S. Capitol Visitors Center
Washington, D.C.
| Presented by: | The International Free Press Society The Liberty Legal Project International The Center for Security Policy | |
| Co-sponsored by: | The Horowitz Freedom Center The Florida Security Council The O’Leary Report |
The conference is free of charge to the public. To register, go here.
The jurisdictions to be surveyed include the U.S., Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Sharia-compliant nations. The conference will also analyze international norms under existing conventions, as may be appropriate.
| Program Chair: | Ann Fishman | |
| Moderators: | Ann Fishman Frank Gaffney Lars Hedegaard | |
| Special Appearances By: | U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) U.S. Representative Louie Gohmert (R-TX) U.S. Representative Tom Rooney (R-FL) U.K. Lord Pearson of Rannoch EU Member of Parliament Morten Messerschmidt |
Conference Agenda:
DAY ONE
9:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Opening Statements
Lars Hedegaard — International Free Press Society, President
Ann Fishman — Liberty Legal Project International, Founder and Director
9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Comparative Survey of the Substantive Law Establishing Free Speech
- - - - - - - - -
| A. | Express guarantees in National Constitutions and Basic Laws, International Conventions and Supranational Conventions | |
| B. | Citizen versus Press; Press/Reporters Privilege | |
| C. | Insult Laws and Media Crime Laws | |
| D. | Survey of Freedom of Press Around the World | |
| E. | Hate Speech Laws |
David Harris — Canada
Dr. Karin Karlekar — Freedom of Press Around the World
Morten Messerschmidt — EU Conventions
Ellis Washington — US
Elizabeth Samson — International Conventions
10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Technology, Speech and the New Media Outlet: Bloggers
| A. | Is E Speech Free Speech? Survey of Freedom on the Net | |
| B. | Bloggers Rights | |
| C. | Now that e companies are insulated from liability, governments can outsource data mining to Social Networking Sites: Facebook and the White House, Facebook and the Florida Bar — Would this even be permitted under EU Directives | |
| D. | China and Cisco and Sun Microsystems and the Great Firewall of China and Policenet | |
| E. | US Bloggers shut down or filtered for “controversial opinions” | |
| F. | What is the impact of the proposed Cyber Security Act of 2009? |
Bob Corn-Revere — US
Pamela Geller — US
Dr. Karin Karlekar — Survey of Freedom on the Net
David Sobel — E-Speech
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Limitations on Free Speech
| A. | Speech versus Conduct | |
| B. | Advocacy versus Imminent Incitement of Lawlessness & Violence | |
| C. | Advocacy of Terrorism & Sedition; Speech and National Security Issues |
David Harris — Canada
Morten Messerschmidt — EU
Robert Muise — US
Diana West — US
David Yerushalmi — US
12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Luncheon in the Atrium
Sponsored by the Horowitz Freedom Center
1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Censorship of the Media via the Fairness Doctrine
| A. | Fair Debate or Free Speech Battle? | |
| B. | The Fairness Doctrine: Resurrected via the Durban Amendment or Buried by the Broadcaster Freedom Amendment |
Bob Corn-Revere — US
Joyce Kaufman — US
2:00 to 2:30 p.m. Special Address by U.S. Senator Jim DeMint
2:45 to 3:00 p.m. Special Address by EU MP Morten Messerschmidt
3:00 to 3:30 p.m. Special Address by Congressman Louie Gohmert
4:00 to 4:30 p.m. Special Address by U.K. Member of Parliament
Lord Malcolm Pearson, “The Geert Wilders Case From the Inside”
4:30 to 4:55 p.m. Special Video Presentation by Dr. Michael Savage
5:00 to 5:30 p.m. Special Address by Ellis Washington
”Censorship by Banishment: The Michael Savage Case”
DAY TWO
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Comparative Survey of Freedom of Religion under the law
What is a Religion?
| A. | U.S. Constitution First Amendment: Free Exercise Clause & Establishment Clause | ||||||||||
| B. | Free Exercise Clause: Beliefs versus Practices | ||||||||||
| C. | Religions that Demand Action | ||||||||||
| D. | Establishment Clause: Separation, neutrality and accommodation | ||||||||||
| E. | Religion in
|
Horatio Mihet — US
William Wagner — US
Andrea Williams — UK
Elizabeth Samson — International
10:45 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Limitations on Freedom of Religion
| A. | The Intersection of Religion and Another Person’s Right to Disbelieve and Criticize | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| B. | Blasphemy Laws: Does the Almighty really need police protection? Do they force nonbelievers to honor what they don’t believe in? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| C. | Establishment versus Accommodation of Religion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D. | Different standards for Christianity and Islam?
|
Pamela Geller — US
Robert Muise — US
Horatio Mihet — US
Andrea Williams — UK
David Yerushalmi — US
Noon to 1:00 p.m. Lunch in the Atrium
Sponsored by The O’Leary Report
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) & Libel
Tourism
Libel Tourism: Is Libel Tourism Destroying the First Amendment by Proxy?
Cases
| A. | Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld | |
| B. | Paul Sharkey | |
| C. | Dr. Paul Williams | |
| D. | Ezra Levant |
SLAPP Suits
| A. | State law legal actions for defamation, interference with advantageous relationship, interference with contract, etc. aimed to chill free speech and public debate | |
| B. | Is Event Cancellation the Latest Form of Censorship in cases of controversial or unpopular speakers? What is the remedy? | |
| C. | Anti-SLAPP legislation | |
| D. | Cases: Joe Kaufman, Ezra Levant, FSC vs. Marriott |
Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld — US
Brooke Goldstein — US & International
David Harris — Canada
Adam Hasner — US/Florida
Dr. Paul Williams
3:00 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. Special Address by Congressman Tom Rooney
3:30 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. Special Address by Diana West on Academic Censorship
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Special Panel
| A. | Is criticism of religion ever permissible? | |
| B. | Is religion entirely insulated from public or political debate? | |
| C. | Is the Bible Hate Speech? | |
| D. | What is the status of Criticism of Islam as defamation (OIC resolutions) and racism (Durban resolutions) | |
| E. | Children’s’ Rights of Freedom of Speech and Religion |
Brooke Goldstein — US & International
Robert Muise — US
Sam Solomon — Shari’a
William Wagner — US
David Yerushalmi — US
5:00 p.m. Closing Statement
Bjorn Larsen — International Free Press Society/Canada, President
2 comments:
Geert Wilders's speech at Columbia University, October 21, 2009
Main points here
Ladies and gentlemen, time is running out, we need to act. As I already said, we need less Islam, and more freedom. We have to protect our most important right, our right to free speech. We have to protect our liberties. That is why I propose the following measures, measures to preserve our freedom:
First. We have to end all forms of cultural relativism. For this purpose we need an amendment to our Western constitutions stating that our cultural foundation is the Judeo Christian Humanistic culture, and not Islam.
Second. We have to stop the mass immigration from Muslim countries. Because more Islam means less freedom.
Third. I have a clear message to all Muslims in our societies: If you subscribe to our laws, our values and our constitutions you are very welcome to stay and we will help you to assimilate.
But, if you cross the red line and commit violent crimes or the implementation of shariah law and start practicing jihad, you are not welcome anymore, then we will expel you if possible the same day.
Fourth. We have to strengthen our laws regarding freedom of speech. In Europe we urgently need some kind of American First Amendment. And we have to resist UN-resolutions that intend to weaken our right of free speech in another attempt to appease the Islamic world.
Fifth, last but not least. We have to elect brave leaders. Real leaders. We enjoy the privilege of living in a democracy. Let us use that privilege by replacing weak leaders with heroes. Let us have fewer Neville Chamberlains and more Winston Churchills! In short, ladies and gentlemen, my main message of today is that we have to start fighting back. No defence, but offence. We have to fight back and demonstrate that millions of people are sick and tired of losing, of giving in, of appeasing. We must make clear that millions of freedom loving people are saying: enough is enough.
Geert Wilders's speech at Columbia University
Read it all.
@ First. We have to end all forms of cultural relativism. For this purpose we need an amendment to our Western constitutions stating that our cultural foundation is the Judeo Christian Humanistic culture, and not Islam. --Geert Wilders, cited above.
One of the reasons that moved me to write the Quetzalcoatl book, which section on the Aztecs is forthcoming, is the omnipresence of cultural relativism in pre-Hispanic studies. In the academia, pre-Columbian Amerindians have been idealized beyond recognition.
The best way to debunk cultural relativism is precisely through psychohistory. All non-Western cultures practiced heinous forms of infanticide before they were colonized by us. Historians, anthropologists and ethnologists have buried their heads deep into the sand as to the psychological consequences of infanticide for the surviving siblings. And this is precisely the rock upon which the psycho-historical edifice rests: unprocessed childhood trauma.
In addition to Wilder’s mention of Islam in the above quotation, the rest of the non-Western cultures should be included.
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