Posted on 12/22/2005 1:04:50 PM PST by Abathar
Not if the poll gets over 50% affirmative "for" votes. Democracy - the mob rules.
If you're thinking about Hitler, if we think you're thinking about Hitler, if we think you're THINKING of thinking about Hitler...
"It truly is un freakin believable that you can get jail time for the words that come out of your mouth.
Europeans are really stupid."
Hasn't it usually been that way, over there? They've had different types of regimes throughout its history, but when have they explicity stood up for unregulated and free political speech?
Agreed!
Big BUMP to the top!
Those societies are unfortunate to have felt the heel of the tyrant's boot since medieval times and have smelled the odor of his death camps. They have seen their constantly changing borders governed by those who were able to force allegiance through fear and compulsion while suppressing opposition with unrelenting violence.
Thus, while it would seem a natural and inevitable event to have present governments extend the freedom they enjoy to include the voice of any and all dissent, the traumatic experiences of the mid-20th Century are still an echo in too many citizens' ear and the grave markers of those killed by the Nazi terror are still too visable for the allowance of freedom of expression to that degree.
In the past few weeks there have been many posts on FR that, though outlandish and irresponsible, (not to mention patently unconstitutional) long for the days when the USA had a sedition act from the 18th Century and resurrected during WW I. That logical and philosophical inconsistency should illustrate the irony of the mind set that expresses bewilderment at the article from Austria while, at the same time, wishing to impose something far more sinister on the American public for those who openly disagree with current governmental policies. Or, is the entire matter of freedom of the speech we hate an issue of situational ethics and ad hoc policy that can be molded to fit that speech with which we disagree violently enought to punish those with the temerity to utter it?
Curious conumdrum, no?
If the intent is to erase the cultural memory of national socialism in places like Austria and Germany, by banning such speech in its defence or deference, it's ironic, then, that being a fan of that movement is something for their younger people to do to be subversive or cool. ie. the opposite of the intended effect.
Allied bombardment of NAZI cities and troups had more of an effect in discrediting national socialism, than banning liberty.
Is this what Bill Clinton sees when he's asleep and dreaming?
Well said.
I know, but the problem is we don't officially "decalre" these very real wars in which American lives in unform are put on the line.
Does the fact that we have no declared war mean we don't have "enemies" and that people like Fonda aren't "adhering to them, providing them aid and comfort"?
I think this fine distinction was one that was only made during the Democrat Viet Nam fiasco and the fact that we actually were winning the war on te hground didn't mean anything in the long run becasue we allowed traitors like Fonda, the Berrigans, et al to undermine public morale.
War can be won on the battlefield and lost in the arena of public opinion - especially in Democracies and our enemies know that.
I don't know what the solution is, but I'd like to hang these people.
I used to think that was funny.
Then MoveOn.org and their ilk started calling Bush a "Nazi" and "Hitler".
Then I realized that only Hitler is Hitler.
It's tiring, immature and we can't seem to be able to outgrow it and move on to other things.
(But that's just my silly opinion.)
I'd like to hang a few myself. I am equally sure this feeling is mutual on their side. We should bring back duels of honor. Not that they have any, but hopefully a few would get plugged anyway. The herd needs culling badly.
Except for 60 days before a national election (per Campaign Finance Reform.)
Austrians... I remember this austrian coworker in Germany happy about getting this new hightech job in Chicago... but then asked rather candidly and shockingly: "I love America and Americans, but what is wrong with them having so many n&&s?"
I don't know about Chicago's problems, but Austrians seem to still be institutionalized by deep sin and racism.
[Europeans are really stupid.]
Actually it was the American and other Allied occupiers who insisted that the Germans and Austrians outlaw Naziism. Here in Germany, it is still illegal to own a copy of "Mein Kampf". That was basically an American occupation law institutionalized. It is a legacy of a once-important theme.
If America gets nuked, it is possible that "Fahrenheit 9-11" will become illegal in the USA...or the Koran...?
However, I do support a law that makes it a criminal offense to tell outright lies in order to destroy the character of a person or entity in this county.
The punishment for doing so should be, public humiliation of that person, along with fines and some stiff jail time.
That should be all it takes to put the Democrats and other perverted political parties out of business here.
30% think we should have that law.
Baaaah, 30% think we have that law ALREADY!
Absolutely! Can't have phrases we don't like being uttered all willy-nilly now, can we? On an unrelated note, isn't it a shame that those two tall buildings in New York collapsed?
I suppose I should be alarmed that 30% favor such a move, but I have to admit that I was relieved it was not a majority.
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