Friday, January 14, 2011

ESW: Thoughts Before a Trial

Gagged

The “hate speech” case against Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff is just the latest example in a series of legal persecutions against Europeans who speak out against the Islamization of their countries, their continent, and their civilization.

Before Elisabeth came Lionheart, Tomashot, Jussi Halla-aho, Dahn Pettersson, Gregorius Nekschot, Paul Belien, Bart Debie, Geert Wilders, and Jesper Langballe. More are coming up soon: Lars Hedegaard will go on trial January 24 for talking about the high incidence of family rape among Muslim immigrants in Denmark. Geert Wilders will face trial (again) on February 7 for his many statements about Islam and Islamization. At some point in the future, Tommy Robinson, Guramit Singh, and other members of the EDL will appear in court for their statements about Islam.

Outside of Europe, we have seen Mark Steyn and Ezra Levant hounded repeatedly in Canada. Similar cases have been brought in Australia. In Dearborn, Michigan, several Christians were arrested and charged for handing out religious tracts on a sidewalk in a Muslim neighborhood.

The list goes on and on — there are many more than I can possibly specify here — and all of the victims have one thing in common: they were charged in a court of law for criticizing Islam. Not for violent acts. Not for inciting others to violence or rebellion. Not for intimidation or threatening violence against any individual or group.

No, they simply told the truth about Islam and the Koran, and stated their opinions about Islamization. Saying such things is now a crime in virtually the entire Western world.

On Tuesday, January 18 — just four days from now — Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff will go on trial in Vienna for “hate speech”. She has written a brief essay for Gates of Vienna about what she is experiencing now, and what is facing her next week.

ESW Copenhagen Nov. 2010
(photo ©Snaphanen)

Thoughts Before a Trial
by Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff


With just a few days remaining before the next stage of my trial, I had two interesting encounters with two quite different friends. Both kept me thinking very hard even after we parted ways.

Allison is the mother of twin girls who went to kindergarten with my daughter. Allison and her husband are liberals in the sense of “live and let live”; they have no connection with religion, any religion, and they believe that everyone should have the freedom to believe in whatever he wants, to dress in any way he wants, to eat whatever he wants. We have had many a discussion about what I do and what I believe in, and although we are friends, they have always told me that they think that what I do is wrong in the sense that I am unfairly attacking Muslims.

Allison called me the other night. We talked, and when I told her that I was sad that she and her husband had chosen the United Arab Emirates for their next vacation, she answered that I am a radical. I asked, somewhat surprised, why she thought that.

“Well, I see the hatred in your face when you see a woman in a headscarf on the street.”

“What?” I answered. “How can you tell? Can you read my mind?”

In any case, I do not hate people, but I criticize the ideology that forces women to cover up, that takes away a woman’s right to choose her life and her destiny, an ideology that enslaves women. I inform people about the contents of the Quran and am thus a hate preacher. Or, in other words, by teaching the Quran I am preaching hate. And people listening to me will feel hatred.

“But you also hate the woman, I can see that,” she replied.

I then told her the following: “Allison, once again: how do you know that? Can you read my thoughts? Furthermore, your belief in ‘live and let live’ can only work if everyone adheres to it. But Islam does not call for ‘live and let live’. In any case, you are actually saying what the prosecutor is saying, that this woman hates Muslims, hates Islam, incites other people to hate Muslims by feeling hatred towards Muslims. You should be hoping for a guilty verdict, because you believe you know what I feel.”

She was shocked. Apparently I had nailed her. “No, not at all. I want to you to win, with all my heart. You need to win.”

“But you’re saying something very different, Allison.”

“Well, actually I want you to win for your daughter’s sake.”

Note that she didn’t say: I want you to win because you’re right. Or: You have the right to your opinions, even though I may not agree with them. No, she said: For your daughter’s sake.

“I want you to win because your daughter should not have to deal with a mother who was found guilty in court. She won’t understand it.”

We then decided to change the subject, but afterwards the conversation continued to linger in my mind. What had happened here? Was I wrong? And still, I can only repeat myself for the umpteenth time that I do not hate Muslims (as a matter of fact, I do not hate, period), but liberals do not believe people like me. No matter what I say or do, it seems they are projecting their own bigotries upon me. I am merely holding up a mirror. What they see is not my — non-existent — hatred, but their own.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

The next day I met my neighbor and friend Samantha. During our neighborly small talk I told her that I was busy preparing for my case, and this prompted her to say in a near-whisper, “You know, I have been following your case, and though I wasn’t always so sure about what you stood for I can tell you now that I think you’re spot on. I admire you. I do not have the courage to do what you are doing, but you are doing the right thing. I also tell my friends that I think you are right and you need to be supported. They criticized you heavily before, but they are also starting to understand.”

Not only did Samantha’s words move me to tears, but I was amazed at her honesty in admitting that she had actually studied my words and found them to be the truth. And this is what I hope the court will also conclude after careful study of my arguments. One may not agree with my statements, but they are still true. No matter how painful the truth may be, it must remain what it is: the truth.


Visit the Save Free Speech for the latest on Elisabeth’s case and related matters.

Previous GoV posts about the hate speech case against Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff:

2009 Dec 5 Fighting a Hate Speech Charge in Austria
    11 Heckling the Counterjihad
    14 Whose Law?
    17 Defaming the Muslims of Pinkafeld
2010 Mar 11 A Mother and an Activist
    20 An Austrian “Hate School”
    22 Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff at the Freedom Defense Initiative
    29 Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff and the Wiener Akademikerbund
  Sep 9 “Islam is a Political Ideology Disguised as a Religion”
    16 “Justice Must Not Be Made the Handmaiden of Sharia”
    17 The Truth Does Not Matter
  Oct 11 Interview With Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff
    16 Is the Truth Illegal in Austria?
    20 A Court Date for Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff
    21 BPE Press Release on Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff
    22 Elisabeth’s Voice: An Appeal
    23 Elisabeth’s Voice: A Follow-Up
    24 Raising Our Voices
    25 Elisabeth’s Voice is Growing
    27 Elisabeth’s Voice: More Information
    27 A Bit More Media Attention?
    28 We Are Elisabeth’s Voice
    30 Elisabeth’s Voice in Amsterdam
    31 Mark Steyn Joins Elisabeth’s Voice
  Nov 2 Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff: Target of Western Shariah
    6 Anatomy of a Discussion with a Leftist Journalist
    8 ESW in the WSJ
    10 “The Left is Very Much the New Far Right”
    11 Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff Versus the State of Denial
    17 Elisabeth’s Voice: An Update
    15 The New English Review Interviews Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff
    20 Live-Blogging the Trial of Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff
    20 The ESW Defense File
    23 The Trial of Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff, Day 1
    27 The Time That is Given Us
    28 ESW at Trykkefrihedsselskabet
  Dec 5 An Oasis of Civilization in a Desert of Barbarism
    22 An Unusual Hobby
    23 In Demand Everywhere

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's nothing wrong with hating people. What's debatable is whom you hate.

All those bleeding-heart liberals who accuse you of "hate" have no problem at all hating the rich, the police, conservatives, "racists", Jean-Marie Le Pen or Adolf Hitler.

The hypocrisy is staggering.

Nilk said...

Unfortunately, Elisabeth's first friend is more common that we'd like. Particularly in my experience.

It is remarkable how someone who would "like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony" (just like the song says), doesn't get that some people are tone deaf or like a different sound.

I'm always amazed by those who ask a leading question, and when I answer are taken aback because I don't toe the party line.

When the Crusades and the Evil Christians are (inevitably) brought up in comparison to things like the latest beheading or riot or outbreak of Sudden Jihad Syndrome, I just ask the questioner to point out to me where in the Bible it says that it's okay to beat your wife.

When I can quote Sura and verse 4.34 back to them, they never seem to have an answer and the conversation peters out.

I'm not Elisabeth, but I would probably have asked Allison if she was happy with the idea that her daughters also would have to wear a head scarfe in the near future.

After all, in order for us to all get along, if we don't stand up now, our daughters will be the ones paying the price.

Not us.

Watchful said...

Does anyone know what happened to the people who were arrested in Dearborn for handing out religious materials in a Muslim neighborhood? What was the charge?

Patto007 said...

I notice that you have not mentioned Nick Griffin, MEP, in your list of 'legal persecutions'. He has already faced a number of prosecutions for his outspokenness on Muslim issues' one which is proving to be correct right now: the rape and grooming of young white girls by Muslim men in Britain. Those speaking out about it now are considered to be 'brave' while Griffin, when he spoke out about it was prosecuted. Hmmm, makes one think.

Baron Bodissey said...

Watchful --

The charges were "breach of the peace" or something similar. The judge threw the case out when it got to court.

The fact that the arrests were made at all is what's telling. This is, after all, the Land of the Free. Or so I was always told.

Baron Bodissey said...

Patto007 --

I never said my list was comprehensive. In fact, I said just the opposite. I was well aware that someone would chide me with "You left out [my favorite case]!"

I wasn't aware that Nick Griffin was charged with the same thing. There are probably others I'm not aware of.

I do know, however, that there are at least two others in Finland, one in Sweden, one in Denmark, one in France, one in Belgium, and God knows how many more in the UK.

Perhaps I will call on the distributed intelligence of our readers, and have them send me all examples where people have been (1)arrested, (2) charged, (3)convicted, or (4) notified of a possible charge for (1) "incitement to racial or religious hatred", (2) a "racially or religiously aggravated public order offence", (3) "insulting a religion", or (4) "incitement of an ethnic group (hets mot folkgrupp in Sweden and Finland) for (1) making statements, (2) writing fiction, (3) creating images, or (4) making films about (1) Islam, (2) Muslims, (4) the Koran, (4) Mohammed, or (5) the religious practices of Muslims. These events must have occurred in the Western democracies, which may be said to include (1) all members of the European Union, (2) Switzerland, Norway, (3) Iceland, (4) Canada, (5) the United States, (5) Australia, and (6) New Zealand.

Within those limits, we should be able to create a list that is not unmanageably big -- maybe getting into 3 digits, but not too far.

It's a project worth thinking about.

S said...

Like a farmer seeing a fox on his property, Elizabeth can see what is coming. Her neighbor is like the greenies who say, leave the fox alone, it won't hurt your chickens since there is a fence. The farmer knows the fox will find a way and wants to kill it before it kills his chickens but the live and let live greenie won't let him because after all the fox hasn't done anything yet. And it's cute, too!

Some people just don't learn.

Nick said...

The more I think about it, the more I think that Elisabeth is right when she says that the 'liberals' are projecting their own hatred on to others - that is to say they hate others who disagree with them (despite all their sugary talk about 'tolerance'). And when someone stands up and - here's the important part - criticises THEM - and this is what Elisabeth is doing when she points out that their worldview is flat out WRONG - their own hatred of that person comes out in a psychologically perverted way. They accuse the 'other' of that which they are now experiencing themselves, but which they cannot admit, let alone face up to and address.

Freyja's cats said...

Hate is a natural emotion. So is fear.

And anxiety. Apprehension. Heightened awareness.

Emotions are generated by the limbic system.

The purpose is self-preservation, and the preservation of one's kind.

It is important not to confuse the word "hate" with the word "dislike."

I "dislike" wearing a burqa...but I *hate* people who want to impose their rule upon me at the expense of my own freedom and survival instincts.

Hate is natural. And the Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist-Maoist left REALLY hate it when you hold up a mirror to their own hate and desire for domination.

Expose their tactics and underlying strategy.

Then you'll really see some hate.

Michael Servetus said...

People like Ms. Wolff's first friend do the exact thing to conservatives that they accuse conservatives of doing to Muslims and say that they consider it wrong to do and call hate. They find fault and criticize conservatives for what they consider wrong or hateful. Yet when they do it they do not judge themselves. Yet the ironic truth is that conservatives are capable of such intelligent and incisive criticism without being unjustly hateful while the liberal camp is actually guilty of unjust hate by assuming bad motives on the part of conservatives, without any basis in action ; while overlooking the fact that conservative criticism is legitimate and based on observations and well recorded actions. It is not Islam or Muslims as names in themselves that have any meaning but the behavior and teachings. The name and race of which is accidental.
It is also true that there is nothing wrong with hate or hatred. The Bible has the saying thou shalt not hate your neighbor without a cause which is a informative statement filled with wisdom and perception. It recognizes that we can hate without a cause or reason which is unjust and which is also the essence of prejudice which implies the pre-judging of something without knowing it. This leads to the inference that post judgement based on experience is not to be condemned.
Of course we should as a people hate what is evil and bad, even if it is evil and bad for us this is what Muslims do and all vigorous and healthy life engendering organisms do. We must recognize what is evil for us even if we think it is of limited validity because it pertains only to us for the fact that it pertains only to us does not take away from the equal fact of the matter that it is indeed evil, for us. Evil in this case meaning life and freedom endangering.

Nick said...

Freya's Cats,

On another note, regarding a comment of yours a couple of days ago: I was talking to a Finn last night & the subject of mythology and religion in Finland came up (as it does!). Apparently there is still a huge 'following' in Finland for the old beliefs; knowledge of the old deities, the god of the lakes, and so forth, is still there. Lots of businesses etc. use these names, apparently. So apparently the old ways are still playing a part in Finland today.

Nick said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
doxRaven said...

The term "heat" has become an ideological signature term of the left.
An ideological terms has lost all its conventional meaning and must, instead be understood in terms of a device, or weapon to attack and put down their ideological opponents. I will capitalise the term to indicate the left-wing meaning.
A left-wing ideolog will point the finger and say - this one is a Hater and this signal to the horde standing behind the accuser. They nod approvingly, with pitch fork in hand, and implicitly understanding what the next steps of the left-wing fascists machinery must be brought to bear against the accused.
It is the modern form of the accusation - "she is a Witch" - ahh, yes, now we know what to do .
This connection should hardly be surprising, since the secular left-wing ideology is highly religious in its operation - there are tenants that are beyond reason (beliefs) and reason is no defence. So, Geert and Elizabeth, just confess to the crimes against the ideology and the inquisition will show mercy.
A left-wing ideolog is not capable of Hate. They have only Pity when they take you down. Hate is really some metal defect of the Right. Haven't we recently seen great examples of this reflex 'reasoning' of left-wing political stooges.

Nick said...

I think you have a good point too about one who is evil hating it when someone strips away their mask and their true face is revealed.

I have in my own life managed to expose two people in this way fairly recently. It was an incredible event. The purity of the hatred which flowed from these two people after I had exposed them was not something that can be explained rationally.

There are indeed evil people walking on the earth today. And they gravitate towards positions where they can influence events and control others.

They practice deception and cruelty as easily as you or I draw breath. The vision of the world (this world, natch) they preach is not one of peace and tolerance. Those are just words used to deceive their followers.

In reality the world they desire is a corrupt, stinking dungheap.

They want to push their followers down into the manure, and sit atop that dungheap as the flies buzz around their heads.

Richard said...

Elizabeth is right when she says the left projects their hatred on us, just as they project their racism on us. They know how racist and hateful they are and since in their minds they are the good guys they think we have to be truly evil to be worse then they are.

doxRaven said...

Sorry, first sentence in my comment above is supposed to be:

The term "hate" has become an ideological signature term of the left.

Robert said...

The German-Jewish poet Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) envisioned the Spanish Reconquista much differently: “On the tower [in Cordova] where the muezzin called to prayer there is now the melancholy tolling of church bells. On the steps where the [Muslim] faithful sang the words of the Prophet, tonsured monks are acting out their lugubrious charades.” For Heine Islamic Spain — here represented by formerly Muslim Cordova, reconquered in 1236 — had fallen victim to “the dark tricks of history,” and the Reconquista, far from being a righteous European triumph over an alien and expansionist adversary, marked a terrible cultural disaster. The Spain that emerged from her national victories was spiritually impoverished and intellectually desolate, filled with the sterile ceremonies of mindless Catholicism. Spain, in short, was better off Islamic. The wrong side had won.

Heine sympathized with the Muslim invaders of Europe because he disliked Europeans. His enemy’s enemy was his friend. Empathy for Islam was hostility to Christian Europe. Thus at the end of “Almansor” the poem’s Muslim protagonist, though baptized a Christian (a formality that Heine himself would undergo in 1825), feels the growing anger of Cordova’s famous cathedral, once a mosque in the happy days of Islamic occupation, and dreams of seeing the desecrated mosque crash vengefully down upon the Spanish congregants below, “while the Christian Gods shriek and wail.”

laine said...

Hatred is a healthy part of one's survival mechanism when an enemy threatens you and yours. That libs blithely preach against it one- sidedly fits with their work to disarm the West quite literally of their weapons. Libs never lecture Muslims, the people actually killing civilians in the hundreds of thousands around the world on curing THEIR hatred. Since libs themselves are an anathema to the West's would be conquerors and would be the first ones killed under a caliphate, it's clear that liberalism IS a mental disturbance that interferes with the most basic instinct of survival. They cannot think or reason, only emote. Their need to think well of themselves is greater than their survival instinct. To adapt an old slogan for neo-libs' beliefs, "Better dead than admit hatRED".

goethechosemercy said...

Quote:
Heine sympathized with the Muslim invaders of Europe because he disliked Europeans. His enemy’s enemy was his friend. Empathy for Islam was hostility to Christian Europe.
end quote.

Thanx Robert.
Good description of the present-day Left and justification for their multiculturalist dogma.

Peter Clemerson said...

To Baron Bodissey

Your project is worthwhile. As a matter of interest, clause 14 of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 provides for "the freedom of expression" and this "includes the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinion of any kind in any form."

This freedom is constrained by clause 61 of The Human Rights Act 1993 which prohibits verbal hostility and contempt directed at anyone "on the ground of colour, race and ethnicity or national origin....." This clause does not include religion. A far as I am aware, it is not illegal in NZ to criticise in public either a religion or anyone adhering to a religion on the grounds of their religious belief. In practice, public life here is relatively free of religious criticism or religiously based claims for privilege.

However, I am not a lawyer so there could be case law which expands on the clauses I quote.

How might your proposed project be progressed? Do we need a dedicated web-site?

Regards

Peter Clemerson

Baron Bodissey said...

Mr. Clemerson --

I'm working on an essay right now about this project. I hope to post it later this evening.

A dedicated website for it would be wonderful, but someone other than myself would have to do that.

In the meantime, I'll attempt to get the ball rolling.