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The voice you silence may be your own
CFP ^ | March 14, 2005 | Klaus Rohrich

Posted on 03/14/2005 7:56:33 AM PST by MikeEdwards

I really don’t understand how perfectly rational, sane and kind-hearted individuals could subscribe to the idea that so-called "hate-speech" must be silenced. The world is not a better place because we punish people who say things that we, as the current mainstream, do not like and that fly in the face of decency, if not sanity.

B’nai B’rith was ecstatic over the expulsion of Ernst Zundel from Canada. Zundel, you may recall, was the nut bar holocaust denier who for 40 years ranted that the murder of 6,000,000 Jews during World War II was a fabrication of the International Zionist Conspiracy. Needless to say, Ernst was not popular among Canadians, as his outspoken lunacy offended a lot of people’s sensibilities.

So we finally deported him to Germany, where he is now imprisoned for "spreading hate".

I believe that the keystone of a functioning democracy is the equal treatment of everyone under the law. The method in which Zundel was silenced was neither democratic nor lawful. And the B’nai B’rith cheering section has done itself a great disservice in applauding the ouster of Zundel because they are supporting a precedent that could result in some startling unexpected results. . . . .

(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: censorship; correctness; firstamendment; freespeech; hate; hatespeech; political; speech

1 posted on 03/14/2005 7:56:36 AM PST by MikeEdwards
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To: MikeEdwards

Noam Chomsky, darling of the left has been saying it for years.


2 posted on 03/14/2005 7:58:43 AM PST by traderrob6 (http://www.exposingtheleft.blogspot.com)
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To: MikeEdwards

Thomas Jefferson: “Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.”


3 posted on 03/14/2005 8:00:36 AM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Legislatures are so outdated. If you want real politcal victory, take your issue to court.)
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

Thanks. That's a good quote to remember.

If only there were more reason in the world. If only more people could actually reason.


4 posted on 03/14/2005 8:04:19 AM PST by garyhope
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To: MikeEdwards

Well, I for one am glad Zundel is gone. There's countless people like him lining up to take his place anyway, and Zundel was a dangerous man, in my opinion.


5 posted on 03/14/2005 8:08:08 AM PST by Ashamed Canadian
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To: MikeEdwards

Hate Speech. Hate is the adjective and speech is the noun which puts it unquestionably in the category of free speech. If something is truly "hate speech" and you can't crush it in the arena of ideas then shame on you.

In this case, it all boils down to citizenship. If this guy was a German citizen, he has no inherent right to be in Canada. He was a guest and should have behaved accordingly. Of course if the point is to emphasize the limited freedoms enjoyed under the Socialist governments of our great allies in Europe, I concur.


6 posted on 03/14/2005 8:10:34 AM PST by Ragnorak
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To: MikeEdwards

The irony is that the railroading of Mr. Zundel by the joint efforts of the US, Canadian, and German governments tends to re-enforce the conspiracy theory which Mr. Zundel espoused.


7 posted on 03/14/2005 8:18:43 AM PST by twas
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To: MikeEdwards

He's in prison for talking? I didn't know Hitler was still alive. Must have come back from Argentina. I'll bet he left a lot of friends there.


8 posted on 03/14/2005 8:23:25 AM PST by henderson field
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To: Ashamed Canadian

I am curious why you think he was dangerous. Was it his ideas?


9 posted on 03/14/2005 8:29:50 AM PST by concrete is my business (keep your friends close and your enemies even closer)
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To: Ashamed Canadian

I agree that Zundel should have been deported years ago but he should have been deported when he was convicted of income tax evasion and for the number of times decades ago he tried to encite people to commit violence.

He is dangerous and I am glad he is gone too but I am concerned why it took so long and why it wasn't done for the earlier reasons.


10 posted on 03/14/2005 8:37:38 AM PST by MikeEdwards
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To: MikeEdwards

Statement by Martin Niemoeller. (1892-1984). He spent seven years in a concentration camp for defying Adolf Hitler.
"First they came for the Communists,but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists,but I was neither,so I did not speak out.Then they came for the Jews,but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me."
It is a long way from Ivan Pavlov and his Pavlonian theory. Someone has carefully studied his Pavlonian response.


11 posted on 03/14/2005 8:49:56 AM PST by Peter Libra
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To: concrete is my business
I am curious why you think he was dangerous. Was it his ideas?

I just think that the current atmosphere in the world, all the veiled anti-semitism in our media, that this guy's presence is just not needed. I don't agree with the premise of this article, I think this type of stuff needs to be made an example of. Believe me, we've had our share of disturbing anti-semetic incidents here in Canada as well, and they keep getting misreported and covered up.

12 posted on 03/14/2005 8:59:11 AM PST by Ashamed Canadian
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To: concrete is my business; MikeEdwards
Canada's so-called "hate speech" edicts have proved beyond any doubt that they are discriminatory. It has become an Orwellian nightmare to those who are made an example.

In November 2004 Engineering Professor Mohamed Elmasry, also president of the Canadian Islamic Congress appeared on television. He made the statement that, anyone in Israel irrespective of gender should be considered valid targets of suicide bombers. This included civilians. He did regret "misunderstanding" over remarks later.

He then, supported the killing of civilian Jews now. He still has his highly paid position. He is not proscecuted. My conclusion is that Zundel was an EASY target. Politically correct watchers note- I do not say whether I agree with Zundel. There is worse in Toronto- a poor man, a Major Keyvan Nourhagighi posts on IRANSEEK, an almost demented diatribe against Canada. I am sorry for him. Canada runs scared though.

13 posted on 03/14/2005 9:31:47 AM PST by Peter Libra
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To: Peter Libra
I want to know exactly what they think.

One of the better ways to fight them is with their own words.

14 posted on 03/14/2005 9:39:41 AM PST by concrete is my business (keep your friends close and your enemies even closer)
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