February 25, 2009

I Will Defend to the Death Their Right to Silence You

By Peggy Shapiro

According to Shariah law, it is a crime to engage in speech or writings that ‘defame' Islam or otherwise offend its followers. It is a crime, not only in Muslim states, but in Western democracies, and may soon be coming to a city near you unless we stand up to the worldwide attacks against free speech. It appears that some brave souls, including a U.S. Senator, are pushing back against the global effort to stifle our freedom of expression.

In Amsterdam, the capital of freedom and tolerance, a Dutch Muslim nearly decapitated filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who had made a movie that criticized the mistreatment of women in Islam. Dutch cartoonist Gregorius Nekschot's depiction of Mohammed set mobs of Muslims in a rampage not only in Holland, but all over the world. Dutch Member of Parliament Geert Wilders produced a 17-minute film Fitna, which juxtaposes quotations from the Koran and documentary footage of Islamic leaders inciting violence (jihad) based on those quotations. Wilder is on 24-hour police protection since al-Qaeda issued a fatwa calling for Wilder's murder.

Who are the criminals? The critics. Wilder now faces a fine of 55,000 euros for hurting the feelings of a radical Dutch Imam and criminal prosecution by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal for his political views on Islam.

Holland is not the only European nation where free expression about Islam is both dangerous and criminal. Last week Wilder was refused entry to England. Oriana Fallaci, Italy's most well-known journalist, was prosecuted for allegedly libeling Islam. Austrian parliamentarian Susanne Winter was convicted of incitement because of her anti-Muslim statements and also found guilty of humiliating a religion. There are also hundreds of lawsuits in U.S. courts claiming similar libel. The call for curbs on freedom of expression to prevent critical discussion of Islam is now being codified in the planning of the U.N. Durban II conference.

There is some pushback. Despite the threats to his own life, Geert Wilders has come to the U.S. this week to make the case for an "International First Amendment." Wilder and the International Free Press Society, in conjunction with the Center for Security Policy, are speaking out against the he insinuation of Shariah legal codes and practices into Free World.

Apparently some in Congress still understand the need to protect Free Speech. Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has invited Geert Wilders to present the film Fitna to the United States Senate this Thursday in the Senate office once used by Lyndon B. Johnson. Our gratitude goes to Wilders and to Kyl and a strong message to those who are sacrificing freedom for political correctness. The credo of Western Liberty must not be distorted to read, "Islamists disapprove of what you say, so I will defend to the death their right to silence you."

Wilders' movie has been pulled from the web many times, but here is a link to Fitna the movie.