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EU lawmakers, in unusual move, pull the plug on racist talk
Associated Press (AP) ^

Posted on 02/27/2017 3:54:50 PM PST by Lorianne

BRUSSELS (AP) — With the specter of populism looming over a critical election year in Europe, the European Parliament has taken an unusual step to crack down on racism and hate speech in its own house.

In an unprecedented move, lawmakers have granted special powers to the president to pull the plug on live broadcasts of parliamentary debate in cases of racist speech or acts and the ability to purge any offending video or audio material from the system.

Trouble is, the rules on what is considered offensive are none too clear. Some are concerned about manipulation. Others are crying censorship.

"This undermines the reliability of the Parliament's archives at a moment where the suspicion of 'fake news' and manipulation threatens the credibility of the media and the politicians," said Tom Weingaertner, president of the Brussels-based International Press Association.

After Britain's decision to leave the European Union, the rising popularity of anti-immigrant candidates like Geert Wilders in the Netherlands or far-right Marine Le Pen in France is worrying Europe's political mainstream. Le Pen, who is running for the French presidency this spring, has promised to follow Britain's lead.

At the European Parliament, where elections are due in 2019, many say the need for action against hate speech, and strong sanctions for offenders, is long overdue.

(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: eu
Sound like a ploy to shut down speakers they don't like, like Nigel Farage for example.
1 posted on 02/27/2017 3:54:50 PM PST by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne
Well,Farage and Le Pen can kiss goodbye any future appearances on the EU’s version of C-SPAN.
2 posted on 02/27/2017 3:58:34 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (Deplorables' Lives Matter)
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To: Lorianne

Great — the last thing we need is Europe giving the American left new ideas about how to shut down free speech.


3 posted on 02/27/2017 3:58:43 PM PST by ItsOnlyDaryl
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To: Lorianne; All

Yes. It is overt censorship. That is the whole purpose of “hate speech” nonesense.

Censorship of views the left does not want heard. If someone can be shut down because what they say is “offensive”, there is no free speech. Anyone can claim “offense” over anything, then the people in power simply get to chose what they want to believe is “offensive”, which conveniently, keeps them in power.


4 posted on 02/27/2017 3:58:55 PM PST by marktwain (We wanted to tell our side of the story. We hope by us telling our story...)
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To: Lorianne
Sound like a ploy to shut down their country.

How in God's name did we get this stupid???

5 posted on 02/27/2017 4:03:05 PM PST by lizma2
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To: Lorianne

This is nothing new, they have been doing this for years. All they did was just increase their power to do so more in the open now and stop any dissension from escaping their EU borders. I think this move is to try to prevent Trump from telling the truth about what is happening throughout the vast majority of Europe.


6 posted on 02/27/2017 4:04:34 PM PST by Robert DeLong
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To: Lorianne

Euro Weenies feeling the Heat! Gonna throw a Weeny Fit!


7 posted on 02/27/2017 4:05:06 PM PST by Hostage (Article V)
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To: Lorianne

Farage, Le Pen, and Wilders will be among the first casualties.

“Racism” is an excuse of the devil to get exactly what he wants. Same goes for the SJW’s here - sons of the devil.


8 posted on 02/27/2017 4:06:11 PM PST by Roman_War_Criminal (Man says: I'll believe when I see. God says: Believe and you will see.)
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To: Lorianne

islam is a totalitarian death cult founded by a child rapist.


9 posted on 02/27/2017 4:11:31 PM PST by Uncle Miltie (The Washington Post is Jeff Bezos' Fake News unregulated SuperPAC.)
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To: Lorianne

...so they can unleash a certain minority on the European population.


10 posted on 02/27/2017 4:26:33 PM PST by Crucial
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To: Lorianne

so...if anyone mentions anything remotely suggesting national heritage, they get the gong? That’s one way to strip identity. I imagine having a Queen will quickly become “racist”, too.


11 posted on 02/27/2017 4:39:04 PM PST by blueplum ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017)
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To: Lorianne

Big Brother will shut you up and throw you in the slammer if you even SUGGEST that there might be a difference in behavior by race, religion, or ethnicity.

Unless you’re condemning Christians and Jews, of course.

Then it’s okay.


12 posted on 02/27/2017 5:13:38 PM PST by Jack Hammer
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To: Lorianne

When a dictatorial legislature censors itself you know that the inmates are now in control of the asylum.


13 posted on 02/27/2017 5:33:53 PM PST by fella ("As it was before Noah so shall it be again,")
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To: Lorianne

Every liberal is a totalitarian thug.


14 posted on 02/27/2017 5:46:32 PM PST by stinkerpot65 (Global warming is a Marxist lie.)
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To: Lorianne

What is unusual about suppression and censorship from this parasitic, secretive, globalist monstrosity?


15 posted on 02/27/2017 6:19:02 PM PST by Psalm 144 (Ace McCain, the Songbird. Nearly sank an aircraft carrier all alone, now tender midwife to ISIS.)
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To: Lorianne
Unusual move? Snort. From December...

Internal Documents Reveal Bizarre Face

16 posted on 02/27/2017 6:28:45 PM PST by mewzilla (I'll vote for the first guy who promises to mail in his SOTU addresses.)
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To: mewzilla

Full title of above link: Internal Documents Reveal Bizarre Facebook Rules for Censorship of ‘Hate Speech’

Bertelsmann, Arvato, Facebook related...


17 posted on 02/27/2017 6:30:11 PM PST by mewzilla (I'll vote for the first guy who promises to mail in his SOTU addresses.)
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To: Lorianne

Very smooth, EU. Now, just shut up whoever you don’t like listening to.


18 posted on 02/27/2017 6:54:23 PM PST by jim35 (The Tree of Liberty is coming in to bloom again.)
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To: Lorianne

Big brother is watching.....obvious censorship. Farage, Wilders and LePen will be sued repeatedly - hope they are lawyered up.


19 posted on 02/27/2017 7:32:20 PM PST by Some Fat Guy in L.A. (Still bitterly clinging to rational thought despite it's unfashionability)
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To: Lorianne

Conveniently, the eu communist members, their handlers, brokers and backers just bought and injallowed RD4U², whether they want it or not!


20 posted on 02/27/2017 9:43:26 PM PST by Torquay
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