Posted on 03/14/2005 7:56:33 AM PST by MikeEdwards
I really dont 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.
Bnai Brith 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 peoples 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 Bnai Brith 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 ...
Noam Chomsky, darling of the left has been saying it for years.
Thomas Jefferson: Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
Thanks. That's a good quote to remember.
If only there were more reason in the world. If only more people could actually reason.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I am curious why you think he was dangerous. Was it his ideas?
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.
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.
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.
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.
One of the better ways to fight them is with their own words.
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