COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Monday, October 04, 2010

Geert Wilders, hate speech trial for comparing Mein Kampf to Qur'an




Wilders challenges his trial judge

Published on 4 October 2010 - 12:42pm
Radio Netherlands



The trial of Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders was suspended until further notice after his lawyer Bram Moszkowicz challenged the presiding judge after less than two hours on the first day of the proceedings.

At the start of his trial on charges of inciting hatred against Muslims, Mr Wilders invoked his legal right to remain silent, which prompted the presiding judge to remark that the court also read newspapers and watched television, and that it seemed as though - as noted in the media before - Mr Wilders prefers to avoid discussion.

Mr Moszkowicz said it was inappropriate for the presiding judge to give his interpretation of his client’s decision to remain silent. He pointed out that Mr Wilders is already facing a court ruling “which resembles a conviction”. The case against the politician was initially dismissed by the Public Prosecutors’ Office, but charges were filed following a court order issued in a special complaints procedure. The court rejected the accusation of bias and will not recuse itself, i.e. will not declare itself incompetent to hear the case. A separate section of the court will assess the merits of Mr Moszkowicz’s challenge to the presiding judge.

Sick ideology

If convicted, Geert Wilders, who looks set to become a shadow partner in the next Dutch government, risks up to one year in jail or a 7,600-euro fine for calling Islam "a fascist ideology" and likening the Qur'an to Hitler's Mein Kampf.

He is charged with five counts of causing religious offence to Muslims and inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims and immigrants of non-Western origin, particularly Moroccans. In comments made between October 2006 and March 2008 in Dutch newspapers and on internet forums, prosecutors say that Wilders described Islam as "the sick ideology of Allah and Muhammad" and its holy book as "the Mein Kampf of a religion that seeks to eliminate others".

Fitna

Among the evidence is Mr Wilders' 17-minute film Fitna, which allegedly depicts Islam as a force bent on destroying the West and prompted protests in much of the Muslim world when first published in the Netherlands in 2008.

Geert Wilders arrived at the Amsterdam district court minutes before the start of the hearing. About a dozen protesters had gathered outside the court building with a large placard accusing him of "division and polarisation". A large contingent of police, some in riot gear, were also present. "The different colours of our society is what makes us rich, but that is being threatened by Mr Wilders," Mustafa Ayranci, one of the group's organisers and head of the Turkish labour association, told AFP.

Propping up the next government

Geert Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) emerged as the third largest part in the June elections, with 24 of the 150 seats in the lower house of the Dutch parliament. Under a coalition deal being finalised, the PVV will give parliamentary support to a minority cabinet of the Christian Democrats (CDA) and conservative VVD in return for a voice in policy making.


32 comments:

  1. The man tells the truth. The multi-culturists have their own truth. One of them is a liar or a fool.

    It is is not Geert Wilders. Geert Wilders tells the truth. He should be given the Medal of Freedom.

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  2. If you can take the time to watch this, you should.

    Islam is no more of a religion than the Waffen SS was.

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  3. Hey Islam, if you can read this?
    I wanted you to know that we all understand that you will cut off our heads if we call Islam a religion of violence.
    So be warned, every mosque, community center & Islamic burial site will have bacon bits sprinkled on it, we will mock you and Mohammed behind your back forever.
    We have learned to fear you and as such we will do everything to lead your children astray. We will send our gays after your boys & men, we will tempt your wives with stripper poles and the concept of rights, you have declared war on us?
    Well baby bring it on you 7th century reject, bring it on

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  4. I wrote a while back that Bush's terror program went sideways after it seemed like someone had put a horse's head in his bed.

    As I remember that was right after he used a term like "Islamic terror" or some such... He retracted quickly and, again as I remember, he and the administration started the Global War on Terror thing instead...

    That whole 180 degree change of course always bothered me...

    It seemed that he became tamed or neutered almost overnight...

    I found myself thinking about things like "lost nukes" hidden in US cities... Things like that...

    Still do, for that matter...

    Difficult to understand our foreign policy otherwise...


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  5. .
    My. My. My.

    The boys are running amok at the Eleph...

    At the...

    Sorry.

    I forgot. What was this bar called?

    .

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  6. I figured it out and am reasonably pleased with the design.

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  7. I noticed you liked art and wanted to share my new blog with you! Love your page.

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  8. Could this be the October Sueprise that we have all dreaded?


    "The presidents of Iran and Syria agreed in Tehran Saturday, Oct. 2, to support a Hizballah military takeover of Lebanon's power centers, including the capital Beirut, right after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ends his controversial two-day visit to the country on October 13-14."


    Will this be the opportunity of crisis that Obama will use somehow to get folks to rally around the country?

    How could this play out.....

    Hezbollah seizes key ADDITIONAL areas of Lebanon including areas of Beirut not seized last year in a bloody take over... This forces the UN troops to flee in the south, Hezbollah "allows" them safe passage to get out...

    Obama all the flutter sends American Marines to evac AMerican citizens as other nations do the same...

    Those same Marines are ordered to take the Airport in some stabilizing excuse?

    Then after the elections?

    withdraw.

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  9. Your header is PERFECT that is exactly what I was aiming for the first time you put those things up there.

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  10. Sorry Deuce.

    The header looks great.

    I would have liked it a lot had I not seen the previous elephants.

    The other header was bolder, more in your face.

    This one depicts a 'herd mentality' to me, group think.

    Just saying. Whatever.

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  11. Makavetis.

    I took a look at your sight.

    Very nice. Don't know an awful lot about art so it would be worth my while to visit occasionally.

    Hope management here decides to link it.

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  12. Oh and the rest of the place looks nice, too. Except that your email shouldn't be first the hosts should be first then you contact info.

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  13. The elephants look kind of dusty and faded and you seem to be emphasizing the "passing in droves" aspect of the Diogenes statement rather than the "you've got an audiance" part with the other elephants.


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  14. Don't listen to him its perfect.

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  15. Please see also the Geert Wilders trial video of today (includes subtitles):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6zzdNRysgs

    (His statement for the courts, including the judge his reaction that put the judge himselve on trial).

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  16. Sorry Melody.

    It looks like a parade of ghost elephants on their way to the elephant's burial ground.

    Or some forced march out of the Kalihari during dry season.

    In either case, it is not an "up" kind of picture.

    Too subtle, too artsy.

    Neighborhood bars last. Upscale joints? No so much.


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  17. Mmmmmm...

    Comments have an oddly animatronic feel. Flat aspect from one to the next.

    In addition to being just plain odd. Not like last week's odd, mind you. Freshly odd.

    Second recent reference to that especially garish scene in the Godfather. Egad.

    Bleached-out elephants. Gosh I miss the old ones.

    Quirk's added another period.






    There suddenly seems something almost comforting and wholesome and carefree about Bob's balls.

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  18. I appreciate the comments. Now that I have figured out a technique to work with the art, I will keep tuning it.

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  19. Now, THAT'S some Serious Eliphents.



    uh, Deuce, ol' buddy, uh . .



    about them tits?

    :0

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  20. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  21. Redecorating again,,,I LOVE it,

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  22. Yes, just as much as the ghost walking elephants does that satisfy you senses, Quirk?

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  23. .
    Deuce, the two at the 1:11 mark on the first video are kind of what I had in mind although there are others that are pretty cool.

    Elephants A Go Go

    Tusk


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  24. Seriously, Deuce, Great Job.

    You tube links, and everything.

    Rockin'.

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  25. .
    Oh, my senses are much better now, Mel; however, my sensibilities are a little out of whack after being called a puppet by Trish.

    (I had to look up what animatronic meant.)

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  26. I thought you would like the aggressiveness of those elephants.

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  27. I thought you liked the passive elephants?

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  28. Agressive is good, too. And I feel right at home since I just did my living room in all of those colors.

    It couldn't have been done better if I did it myself.

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  29. Nice job, Deuce, you put a lot of time and energy into that you deserve recognition. There is no need to change anything now.

    Party Friday night.

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  30. .

    Deuce, just got a look at the new layout on the home page.

    It looks great.

    Good work.

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    ReplyDelete
  31. .

    Japan's central bank cuts key rate to around zero

    "TOKYO -- Japan's central bank has cut its key interest rate to a range of zero to 0.1 percent, effectively introducing a zero interest rate policy.

    The unanimous vote came Tuesday after a two-day meeting of the Bank of Japan's nine-member policy board.

    The central bank had not changed the overnight call rate target since December 2008, when it set the rate at 0.1 percent. The decision underscores growing worries about the Japanese economy, which is being battered by a strong yen and persistent deflation. Recent economic indicators point toward weakening growth."


    WaPO Business

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