Dutch court: Geert Wilders has free-speech right to criticize Islam
posted at 8:20 pm on April 7, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Amazing, the things that are litigable these days. This wasn’t the public prosecution hinted at by the Dutch government last week but “merely” a private suit filed by the Netherlands Islamic Foundation to have criticism of Islam deemed an “incitement” under Dutch law and thereby worthy of being censored. Note the rationale:
The NIF wanted to know if Wilders had broken the law with his public declaration in August last year that the Koran is a fascist book and comments that Mohammed was a barbarian.
According to the judge, the term fascism must be seen in a broader context. The NIF associated it with the Holocaust and ‘other evil practices from Nazi Germany’. But fascism should, said the judge, be seen as ‘a collective term for ideologies which fundamentally embrace a totalitarian political system which leaves no room for people with other ideas’.
When it came to Mohammed, the NIF was unable during the hearing to deny that he was a barbarian, reports ANP. Furthermore, the organisation was not able to disprove the fact that Islam consists of beliefs that are in contradiction to democratic principles, the judge said.
Exit question via Sugiero: Will the judge be fatwa’d next week?
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Ewww…. the Judge stuck his finger in the Dike…
Romeo13 on April 7, 2008 at 8:27 PM
What the hey, Allah? It’s only Monday. Why wait until next week?
sondiehl on April 7, 2008 at 8:27 PM
Latest, Wednesday.
amerpundit on April 7, 2008 at 8:30 PM
Oh, to be a Dutch speaking fly on the wall for that little debate.
bar·bar·i·an /bɑrˈbɛəriən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[bahr-bair-ee-uhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun
1. a person in a savage, primitive state; uncivilized person.
2. a person without culture, refinement, or education; philistine.
3. (loosely) a foreigner.
4. a guy with a bomb in his turban.
trubble on April 7, 2008 at 8:36 PM
I’m sure the EU will have some court trump the Dutch court by the end of the week. Gotta hand to the the judge though.
He had the gumballs to pull out a bit of common sense and ask the NIF to do an examination.
Limerick on April 7, 2008 at 8:38 PM
Don’t you mean how long before the cowardly dhimmis of the government try to remove him from the bench?
TheBigOldDog on April 7, 2008 at 8:39 PM
Good lord are the Jihadys waiting for legal
clarification before they light up their
firestorms of PEACE!
They were stuck on defining what a Barbarian is,
geez this is simple enough.Show the movie that
Arnold was in,then show the movie 300.
Then point out to the Jihadys,or the Islamic
don’t tread on our religion group,that the
Barbarians are the bad guys in movie number 2,
that being 300,oh if they have very sharp and
pointy swords with them,do it by tele-conference
that way you will only hear a lot of screaming!
hahahahha.
Oh ya,the Judge got Fatwa’d like yesterday!
canopfor on April 7, 2008 at 8:47 PM
A weak pulse, but a pulse nonetheless.
JoeAvg on April 7, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Smart judge. This one is worth a print out and framing.
The Qur’an is a fascist book according to the judge and Muhammad was a barbarian according to the NIF. What more proof does anyone need?
Connie on April 7, 2008 at 8:50 PM
At the rate this is going, Europe is going to have
a new East Germany feel to it,a la KGB Muslim goons
enforcing the Koran.
What a nightmare that vision would be!
canopfor on April 7, 2008 at 8:51 PM
If he doesn’t end up like Theo Van Gogh first.
Kafir on April 7, 2008 at 8:53 PM
No doubt his name was put on someone’s list……..
Seven Percent Solution on April 7, 2008 at 8:54 PM
A judge with judgment.
Wonder of wonders.
Wilders wins.
profitsbeard on April 7, 2008 at 8:55 PM
They’re after him here, they’re after him there
Those Islamos are after Geert everywhere
He tells it like it is, how Islam’s such a vile pest
And the Islamos go into complete mental arrest
Maybe he can count on one righteous judge among the Dutch
But the rest may be as useless as a rubber crutch
If those Islamos should do him bad
We will all be very mad
But for now be an appreciative man
And drink all the Dutch beer that you can
MB4 on April 7, 2008 at 9:11 PM
Of course he does. We all have the right to free speech as it is an inherent part of being human. It’s sad that there are many governments that don’t recognize that right.
rbj on April 7, 2008 at 9:15 PM
Would’ve loved to have been at that hearing.
Judge: So, the fact that Mohammed instructs his followers to kill infidels means he is not a barbarian?
NIF: Praise be Allah!
Judge: And, the restrictions on women, honor killings, fatwah and jihad are not contrary to the beliefs and laws of a democratic society?
NIF: Praise to Allah!! Allah Akhbar! We win, right?
BacaDog on April 7, 2008 at 9:19 PM
Amazing. I wish some of the judges in this country were as thoughful, intelligent and brave. Instead of legislating “whatever feeeeels good” from the bench, this jurist actually expected the litigants to provide proof of their claims. Color me stunned.
HawaiiLwyr on April 7, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Excellent news. I can’t stand all the Eurabia-fatalists like Mark Steyn who essentially argue that Europe is done for. Hopefully this ruling will help fight the fatalistic urge in some.
Wayne Clark on April 7, 2008 at 9:48 PM
Its nice to hear some good news once in a while. Wilders is great.
aengus on April 7, 2008 at 9:50 PM
They actually had to take this court.
Good Lord, please help Western Europe.
At least they (the all-knowing eurocrats) didn’t bend over and kiss the collective feet of radical islam.
Montana on April 7, 2008 at 9:57 PM
I am urging all the Dutch non believers who are working against the Netherlands Islamic Foundation of Allah to surrender their free speech immediately.
Otherwise, we will hold them responsible for their actions. Any attempt to fight the Netherlands Islamic Foundation of Allah is pointless. We are committed to putting all of the Netherlands under our jurisdiction.
You cannot have free speech if it means acting against the will of Allah. Any group that tries to fight the Netherlands Islamic Foundation of Allah will be destroyed. The Netherlands Islamic Foundation of Allah will overcome the Netherlands’s infidel stooges.
Aleph on April 7, 2008 at 10:07 PM
But fascism should, said the judge, be seen as ‘a collective term for ideologies which fundamentally embrace a totalitarian political system which leaves no room for people with other ideas’.
Oh, you mean like ISLAM?!
O/T: The Vets for Freedom Tour hits D.C. tomorrow! I got my GPS and I hope to meet some fellow HotHeads there!
Tony737 on April 7, 2008 at 10:08 PM
There, fixed!
The Dutch judge just confirmed the truth. There is no love in Islam. It is the religion of death. Nothing more, nothing less.
I ain’t one to be bible quoting or anything, but the bible did warn us about this. Why the surprise? (no offense AP..I am not a practicing one).
Anyhoo, who do I place my bet with?
lsutiger on April 7, 2008 at 10:11 PM
Me neither, except it isn’t fatalism its schadenfreude. Which is worse.
aengus on April 7, 2008 at 10:28 PM
Maybe The Netherlands will make it after all.
Johan Klaus on April 7, 2008 at 11:22 PM
F**K Islam! I reserve that right to say that.
awake on April 7, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Watch us.
venividivici on April 7, 2008 at 11:55 PM
And I, to second it.
profitsbeard on April 8, 2008 at 1:07 AM
Awesome! Since the NIF would be using Mohammed himself as the standard of what constitutes barbarian behavior and the Dutch (so far) don’t, it was obviously tough to deny.
As for the exit question, sure it’ll happen - regardless of whether the judge gets fired or not.
infidelpride on April 8, 2008 at 1:48 AM
Gee, I am so glad we got that straightened around… A member of the Dutch Parliment is entitled to free speech. What a milestone…
Babs on April 8, 2008 at 1:57 AM
Smart judge. It’s a shame he won’t be around to make further rulings like this.
labrat on April 8, 2008 at 3:28 AM
Que Rageboy (both one and two)…
Checklist for Friday prayers throughout the Muslim world:
1) Buy Ducth flags for burning - get them at Achmed’s Falafel and Infidel Flag stand
2) Find believer to make signs in Dutch and English
3) Alert Al Jazeera
4) Burn anything that looks like it came from the Crusaders
5) Prepare for the Caliphate that will materialize the next day…
darkpixel on April 8, 2008 at 5:20 AM
I’m pretty sure that kind of thing isn’t allowed in polite society anymore. It’s all about the irrational freakout followed by the even more irrational reaction.
MannyT-vA on April 8, 2008 at 8:08 AM
They were unable to disprove that Mohammed was a barbarian?
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAH! That’s too funny.
Kevin M on April 8, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Good - I do think that Geert is a bit of a attention-whore, but he has a RIGHT to be one! :)
A Axe on April 8, 2008 at 11:13 AM