1. The Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas refuses to recognize Israel as a Jewish State - refers to it as a provocation - even when President Obama spoke in Turkey about the two state solution, he referred to "a Palestinian state and a Jewish state”.
2. The Durban II farce is almost upon us. A group of true human rights advocates has gathered in Geneva to protest the charade that is about to unfold. (though true to form, a group of the usual suspects has gathered to counter-protest). Meanwhile, back in the real world, it is indeed encouraging that Holland and Australia have decided to boycott Durban II. Israel and Canada decided to do so long ago, and the US has finally decided not to attend.
3. Victor Davis Hanson writes about the lessons to be learned from President Obama's recent European trip
4. David Horovitz reflects on what now passes for free speech on campus - to which I can add my own experience from last month, when Dr. Yossi Olmert was treated by shocking rudeness and antagonism while speaking at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
5. Hypocrisy Alert - from Jihad Watch - Islamic scholars will meet to discuss religious tolerance under sharia in Mecca, where non-Muslims cannot enter
Britain seems to be taking the lead in permitting people to say anything - well, not all people, but certain radical Muslim groups - at a rally in London, Dr Imran Waheed of Hizb ut Tahrir, told followers that there could be "no peace" with Israel and urged them to "fight in the way of Allah".
Hizb ut-Tahrir, which has been banned in Saudi Arabia, also distributed leaflets calling for the elimination of Israel. The reaction from the Brits has been politically correct nonsense - Patrick Mercer, the Tory chairman of the Commons Counter-Terrorism Subcommittee, said Dr Waheed's comments appeared to represent "incitement to violence" - pardon me - "appeared to represent"?
Also - a bureaucrat stated that "the group's status was being reassessed in light of the latest remarks but said that the decision to proscribe an organisation must be "proportionate"...." - whatever the heck that really means.
And, in my humble opinion, observing the right of free speech is not the same as allowing people to say whatever they want. I am pretty sure that if someone were to present the directly opposite view (not that I advocate it), the reaction would be much more vigorous.
"In the context of freedom of expression, the Court has stated that this ‘constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society, indeed one of the basic conditions for its progress and for the self-fulfilment of the individual." Subject to paragraph 2 it is applicable not only to ‘information’ or ‘ideas’ that are favourably received or regarded as inoffensive or as a matter of indifference, but also to those that offend, shock or disturb the State or any section of the population”
ReplyDeleteSeemingly, this is true if one is a Muslim with a hatred towards Jews and Christians.
I take your point that in the UK certain radical Muslim groups say what they like and we only need to look at the Geert Wilders fiasco to understand that the government of the UK is fearful of any Muslim reprisal.
It would seem Patrick Mercer is not willing to upset any of his Muslim friends and so the hateful homicidal rhetoric of Dr Waheed, only appeared to represent incitement to violence. Mr Mercer’s comments appeared to represent a failure to call a spade a spade or any true feeling of concern furthermore such supine condemnation of Dr Waheed's comments only serves to reinforce my belief that our politicians, for the most part, side with a most troublesome people against the best interest of the indigenous population. Jobs, housing, freedom of speech etc. etc.
You can be sure that had an Englishman said, fight all Muslims and drive them into the sea, to sleep with the fish. That man would be promptly arrested and before the judge in a matter of days but then an Englishman is nowadays made to feel like a foreigner and much too fearful of consequents, take Lionheart, he said some truthful things about the danger of Muslims in his country, and damn quick, there was a warrant for his arrest.
thanks for your comment
ReplyDeletePlease note this from Wikipedia - which I have not researched further -
"In 1998, the United Kingdom incorporated the European Convention, and the guarantee of freedom of expression it contains in Article 10, into its domestic law under the Human Rights Act. UK law imposes a number of limitations on freedom of speech not found in some other jurisdictions. For example, its laws recognise the crimes of incitement to racial hatred and incitement to religious hatred." (my emphasis)