Geert Wilders isn’t the only enlightenment-minded European facing severe penalties for expressing his views.
Austrian Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff is an English teacher, a mom, and a self-described “classic conservative libertarian,” who is active in a group called Pax Europea, a “non-partisan, not political” human rights organization that “focuses specifically on the growth of Shariah law in Europe, and the erosion in Europe of free speech in relation to Islam.” In 2009 a reporter saw her giving a speech at a seminar and promptly reported her to the Austrian authorities; she was charged with hate speech, and now faces a three-year prison sentence for “defamation of religion.”
She didn’t exactly have a parochial upbringing. The daughter of a diplomat, Sabaditsch-Wolff has lived in Iran, Iraq, Libya, and Kuwait. She makes clear in this interview that she’s not afraid of Muslims, only of “political Islam,” and that her goal is to “preserve Europe and it’s democratic and secular values.”
She believes she has a right to speak her opinion of the spectre of political Islam in Europe; in this speech at the Freedom Defense Initiative in Washington D.C., she expressed her belief (in German) that she alone decides what she will think and say.
She questions the validity of the case against her:
“Where am I currently preaching hate when I say I’m a defender of democratic values, of freedom of speech and of conscience, of individual self determination?”
It will be interesting to watch for further developments in her case.
Yet another indication that Europe is waking up. Bit by bit, they are beating back the wall of political correctness, which is probably thicker and more difficult to scale than the Berlin Wall.
“In 2009 a reporter saw her giving a speech at a seminar and promptly reported her to the Austrian authorities;….”
Seig Heil!!!
A clear example of what can happen when one doesn’t have constitutionally protected right to freedom of speech. I’d be curious, though, about the number of islamofascists who have been prosecuted under the “inciting hatred against a religious group” statute for their “death to Jews” and similar signs at the numerous rallies bemoaning the plight of “oppressed” palestinian meatware bomb delivery systems.
I wish her well and hope she gets the financial support she needs to win this fight against idiot dhimmi statists.
“defamation of religion.” ?? Then prisons should be full of leftists.
This is a slightly re-arranged part of a comment I just made in response to a troll (I know, I know) on a post below, but noone will read that so:
There was a lefty ex-nun at Thanksgiving dinner tonight; she pronounced many idiocies (I remained largely schtumm; there were children present and I’m fond of her husband), but this stuck out for me: re. the proposed “FOXNews North”, she opined that there’d been too much freedom of press in Nazi Germany, because if there had been someone responsible for ensuring “truth” in reporting then the Nazis would not have been able to get away with lying about the Reichstag Fire and so on. I kid you not. This woman has degrees, she’d consider herself part of the intelligencia.
loki,
zero,
it’s a free ride for them……….pc and all that,and that which entails that.
makes no sense what so ever.
what ever happened to schwinn bikes and red flyer sleds?
I don’t know what to make of that, my idiocy meter is already pegged to maximum input. I can scarcely recall a family turkey dinner that’s gone off problem free.
I’m amazed that the concept of “defamation of religion” is recognized in any free western nation.
Those who will eventually become reporters can be detected at an early age in their first few grades of school. Just look for the pupil who combines three talents: teacher’s pet, tattletale, and class sneak thief.
Posted by: Sounder >
“”defamation of religion.” ?? Then prisons should be full of leftists.”
Right on! There it is in a nutshell.
I wonder how long it will be before the average Canadian huddles away his day locked away in his house that is barred and locked like a Detroit ghetto home. People afraid to step out for fear of violent crime or worse, saying the wrong thing to someone who becomes offended.
That day seems much closer today than it did a decade ago.
If they put her away, do you think Amnesty International will have her back?
“I’d be curious…about the number of Islamofascists who have been prosecuted under the ‘incited hatred against a religious group’ statute for their ‘death to the Jews’ and similar signs at the numerous rallies….” – Loki
I keep abreast of events in Europe – I read a lot of online European newspapers, including non-English ones by using Google Translate – and all I can say is that if any Islamist has been arrested for his writings/utterings, I certainly haven’t heard about it. And if it had happened, I’m pretty sure I would have read about it, either in the form of a) coverage of the subsequent threats/riots, or b) outraged progressives accusing the police/prosecutors of “racism.”
EBD,
That’s very interesting. I find it hard to believe that people can be charged for quoting “Man shall not lie with man” type bible quotations, but preaching “Kill the unbelievers” type rhetoric straight through the prophets mouth doesn’t so much as raise an eyebrow of indignation.
Perhaps it is strange enough that there are good reasons. Not merely ignorance, but confluence of ideology. Perhaps a shared sort of philosophy. In “The Closing of the Muslim Mind” I often wonder if the voluntarism which so poisoned islam is not rather like the counter-enlightenment of the materialists.
It will be interesting to watch for further developments in her case.
It sure will . So called Democracies imprisoning their own people for the Master Religion.
What gutless obscenities that pass for leaders today.
JMO
As I see it, Hate Speech is a term for speech that is intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against any person or group of people that dare to speak the un PC truth about any person or group of people who do not want the truth spoken.
What sounder & Sgt Lejaune said
From the linked article: “If the authorities in the states of the EU have taken note of this axiom [that the truth cannot be illegal], the Viennese state attorney has not. He has taken an even more sinister approach to prosecuting Mrs. Sabaditsch-Wolff: No statements are listed in the indictment. Instead, her entire three-part seminar has been designated as incriminating.”
And: “The three-part seminar on the ‘Islamization of Europe’ that led to her being prosecuted, was delivered at the taxpayer-funded Freedom Education Institute, an organization attached to the Austrian Freedom Party …”
Meanwhile: Toronto Star, Monday. Far-right sees support surge in Vienna elections.
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/873512–far-right-sees-support-surge-in-vienna-elections
Can’t imagine why.
As I recall, when the Freedom Party under the late Joerg Haider briefly made strong electoral gains at the end of the last century, all the EU types were horrified and vowed never to deal with them (or even with Austria for the duration), despite the democratic vote. On the other hand, when the terrorist group Hamas wins a democratic vote, the EUs fawn all over it. The left revels in its hypocrisy, and indicates again that its only goal is to seize power for its own sake.
This is all leading toward one end. Bloodshed. On a scale like never before. I admire Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff. Seems to me the women are the ones with the cojones these days. We men could take a lesson from them. Time to be men again and stop all this pc metrosexual bullshit that’s infected the west. Fight or be killed under sharia, that’s the choice. Time to get off the fence folks. You don’t talk to rattle snakes.
@ TERRY ANDERSON!!
Again i have said that so many times on here . the only forseeable way of this ever ending is a revolt or revolution or some sort of multi civil war in several countries arount the west a complete us vs them type of scenario .
I have told so many of my fence sitting friends and they just can’t fathom it .
I tell them sooner or later everysingle person will have to pick a side there will be no more fence sitting …we or you will have to draw your line in the sand the time is getting closer .
I can just feel it this is getting to the tipping point wehere we will either live in tyranny and oppression or we will fight and be free and set an example to the rest of the world.
Somehow i think the slaughter of several hundred million muslims around the world will actually be a by product of fighting for what is good,right ,and just . I fear this is have been feling it for the last few years ever since i woke up so to speak.
And i think the slaughter will pale in comaprison to the loss of human life in around the world fighting for what is again good right and just .
I saddens and frightens me but i don’t see how it can end anyother way .
In the political world you can stand up as an independant conservative or you are tossed out ,to man corrupt figures and to many on the dole in govornment’s the world over i know it has alway’s been like that but not this bad and not on this scale .
In 22 years it has become a ten fold growth of govornment palm waxing beurocrats who litteral will sell out there own countries for what they percieve and a safe haven from hard work so on and so forth . politicians will sign any contract that gives them lot’s of money and more power it is falling apart. I hat e to say it but blood will be spilled probly sooner rather than later.
If defamation of religion is a crime, then all Islamists should be in the slammer. By the way, it’s = it is. The possessive of it is its.
I guess the Italians really did get it right. By not recognizing Islam as a religion (goes against so many human rights) that whole defense is taken away from them. Lays it all kind of naked there, doesn’t it, without the cloak of ‘religion’ to hide behind.
She’s not afraid of Muslims, only of “political Islam,” and that her goal is to “preserve Europe and its democratic and secular values.”
That needs to be said repeatedly over here too. We can handle immigration of all sorts provided we make it clear what we expect the immigrants to assimilate to, i.e. equality of men and women and the separation of religion and state.
In reply to Grok – when my sister and I were in Italy, the Italian police were on to a Muslim man and his wife (way of dress, her headscarf) at the next train stop after they had boarded at a previous stop. Clearly, someone had alerted the authorities. They were the only ones quizzed on the train, had to show their travel/legal documents. My sister and I did not speak Italian well, but from the body language, it was clear that the police were asking “where are you from”,” how long are you going to be in Italy” and what is your travel itinerary (sp?)”. Italy had enough problems with terrorism in the 70’s and early 80’s and the Pope was shot by a deranged Muslim man, so they were NOT taking chances.
I also agree with Paul in Calgary, there is a coming war between radical Islam and the West. Hopefully, the West will be prepared.
Welcome to the 21’st century. Blasphemers will be prosecuted.
@Paul in Calgary – word, bro.
How do you say “Sturmabteilung” in Arabic?
The authorities made a decision — a conspirational one: to flood the west with 3rd world barbarians in order to a) lock up power for good and b) to enlarge, if you’ll excuse the pun, the parochial sandboxes in which they play. (see Bat Ye’or).
Don’t look at this as hypocrisy. Look at it as crowd control. There is no need to criminalize anti-infidel bigotry ‘cos the targets of this brand of bigotry aren’t wont to riot. See Kate’s remark about not rioting being a failed conservative strategy. A profound observation if you ask me.
Let’s stop citing examples of hypocrisy on the socialist/commie/islamist left. Hypocrisy citations are trite, facile and pointless. You can turn a leftist with a citation of hypocrisy. Being Higher Purpose Persons, operating on a higher moral plane, they’re entitled to their inconsistencies.
can’t turn a leftist …
I find it hard to believe that people can be charged for quoting “Man shall not lie with man” type bible quotations, but preaching “Kill the unbelievers” type rhetoric straight through the prophets mouth doesn’t so much as raise an eyebrow of indignation.
I don’t. Liberals love diversity so long as that diversity doesn’t include conservatives, Christians, or folks who happen to hold traditional views on sexuality.
I’m not surprised leftists are twisting themselves into knots to appease Muslims, ignoring from imams what the local Christian pastor couldn’t get away with. Why? Because I believe the following:
1. Liberals think all religions are the same, essentially, they just happen to support the one that looks more “diverse.”
2. Liberals believe political correctness regarding Islam will help crush Christianity in the public sphere faster than calling Christians bigots/homophobes/sexists will. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” after all. Remember that and repeat it: Islam loses only if Christianity — orthodox Christianity — confronts it. Since lefties wet themselves at the thought of orthodox Christianity (“THEOCRACY!!!”), they side with Muslims.
3. Liberals genuinely believe if they kiss enough imam rear they’ll somehow get an exemption from shari’a law. Of course, this is just stupid, but it will prove highly entertaining for the rest of us to sit back and watch as leftists go, “Hey, you can’t close down my gay bar/abortion clinic/feminist bookstore. We tolerated you!” Shari’a law will have them begging for the non-existent Christian theocracy they hysterically warn us about every election cycle.
According to Atlas Shrugs, Wilders is found NOT GUILTY.
Not guilty.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2010/10/find_wilders_not_guilty_of_ins.php
Me No Dhimmi, bluetech – splendid! When the law Wilders was charged under is abolished and he’s elected PM we’ll know the Free World is getting somewhere, hopefully not way too late.
I am slightly surprised that the prosecutors in some of these cases have not be made the first ‘casualties’, in a reaction of self-defence. Or the judges who *ordered* that Gert Wilders be tried. If the jihadis can scare people, then so can those who believe that the tree of freedom needs watering, every once in a while with the blood of tyrants.
And indicting someone for an entire series of speeches IS a tyranny. So it actually *would* be self-defence to remove the tyrant.
And I would not bet against it NOT happening soon.
As K.S. says “Not rioting is not a good strategy”.
“It will be interesting to watch” is what brought this mess on us.