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22 Free Speech Today<br />
Free speech is a bedrock principle <strong>of</strong> free societies everywhere. It is no coincidence that nations<br />
which have historically protected free speech are nations such as the UK, USA, most <strong>of</strong> Western<br />
Europe, Canada, Australia, etc. Those which restrict free speech include the likes <strong>of</strong> Burma, North<br />
Korea, China, Russia, and all <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Islam</strong>ic countries including Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Pakistan, etc.<br />
Western nations have protected free speech since before most <strong>of</strong> us were born. Many, if not most<br />
people seem to think that they always will. These people haven’t been paying attention, so please<br />
sit up because this is where things start to get scary.<br />
57 majority <strong>Islam</strong>ic Nations form an organization called the Organization <strong>of</strong> <strong>Islam</strong>ic Cooperation<br />
or OIC. This is the largest voting bloc in the United Nations, and for years it has been working to<br />
persuade UN member countries to ban criticism <strong>of</strong> religions (specifically <strong>Islam</strong>). Recently these<br />
efforts seem to have been bearing fruit.<br />
When I grew up, people understood that you couldn’t call the police just because someone<br />
<strong>of</strong>fended you. In fact, it was considered childish to be overly concerned with insults.<br />
In recent years however, a combination <strong>of</strong> Multiculturalism and Political Correctness has been<br />
steadily eroding this freedom. Today, people who speak out against <strong>Islam</strong> are likely to find<br />
themselves in court, fighting for their freedom, or even in jail.<br />
In Denmark, the president <strong>of</strong> the “Danish Free Press Society”, Lars Hedegaard was forced to<br />
appeal a conviction for “Hate Speech”.<br />
Here are some highlights from an article posted at the Gatestone Institute 22 (emphasis mine)<br />
Editor's note: On April 13[2012], Lars Hedegaard, President <strong>of</strong> the Danish Free Press Society,<br />
appealed to Denmark's Supreme Court to overturn his conviction by Denmark's Superior Court on<br />
May 3, 2011, after two years in lower courts, on charges <strong>of</strong> alleged Hate Speech. Under<br />
Denmark's Article 266(b), it is immaterial if what one .says is true; evidence in support <strong>of</strong> the truth<br />
is inadmissible. All that matters is if someone has said something in public that might cause<br />
someone to "feel <strong>of</strong>fended," or if the prosecutor thinks someone might be justified in "feeling<br />
<strong>of</strong>fended." After Mr. Hedegaard spoke privately about the Muslim treatment <strong>of</strong> women, a tape <strong>of</strong><br />
his remarks was disseminated, apparently without his knowledge or approval. The accuracy <strong>of</strong><br />
what he said was not in dispute. A verdict is expected this week.<br />
The following is an edited transcript <strong>of</strong> his courtroom defence:<br />
If our Western freedom means anything at all, we must insist that every grown-up person is<br />
responsible for his or her beliefs, opinions, culture, habits and actions.<br />
We enjoy political freedom and we enjoy freedom <strong>of</strong> religion. This implies a largely unlimited<br />
right to disseminate one's political persuasion and religious beliefs. That is as it should be. But the<br />
price we all have to pay for this freedom is that others have a right to criticise our politics, our<br />
religion and our culture.<br />
22 http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/3011/hate-speech-charges<br />
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