Posted on 06/16/2004 9:10:24 AM PDT by Pharmboy
PARIS (AP) - Experts gathered in Paris on Wednesday seeking a common approach to combatting racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic propaganda on the Internet, believed to be a chief factor in rising numbers of hate crimes. Officials from more than 60 countries were attending the two-day conference aimed at finding ways to keep racist information off the Web without compromising free speech and freedom of expression.
The dilemma, acute because the Internet is both global and tough to regulate, was shown by the widespread and illegal sharing of music online that has confounded record companies. Terror groups have also used the Internet to plot attacks.
Officials in countries like France, which has experienced a surge in anti-Semitic violence in the past several years, are pushing for tougher regulations to curb online hate speech.
"We are at a particular, 'hinge' moment in our common fight against intolerance," French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said in opening remarks to the conference.
"Our responsibility is to underline that by its own characteristics - notably, immediacy and anonymity - the Internet has seduced the networks of intolerance," he said.
France has noted a "clear relationship" between racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic propaganda and hate crime, he said.
U.S. Assistant Attorney General Dan Bryant acknowledged the American approach differs from that of other countries.
"We believe that government efforts to regulate bias-motivated speech on the Internet are fundamentally mistaken," Bryant said. "At the same time, however, the United States has not stood and will not stand idly by, when individuals cross the line from protected speech to criminal conduct."
Bryant said the United States believes the best way to reduce hate speech was to confront it "head on" by promoting tolerance, understanding and other ideas that run counter to racism.
Many conference speakers said part of the problem was that Web sites with anti-Semitic or racist propaganda are often housed in the United States.
And, experts noted, there are signs that the problem of online hate is getting worse.
Barnier cited a recent report in Britain that showed the number of "violent and extremist sites" had ballooned by 300 percent in the last four years in 15 OSCE countries surveyed.
In Denmark, a computer virus tracking company said Friday that junk e-mail with right-wing slogans in German hit computer users in three countries claiming that foreigners were bilking social security and bankrupting public health services.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a 55-country body that promotes security and human rights, organized the conference with French government backing. Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia have also sent envoys.
The meeting is one of three OSCE conferences on anti-Semitism and racism this year. Berlin hosted an anti-Semitism conference in April and a meeting on racism is scheduled in Brussels in September.
Organizers said the meeting is primarily designed to lay out alternatives for cooperation, but that an agreement was not likely by Thursday's closing sessions.
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This is the same BS they held last year......when the Jews weren't allowed to attend.
What tolerance!
"France has noted a "clear relationship" between racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic propaganda and hate crime, he said."
Namely that all of the above in spades?
*Namely that FRANCE has all of the above in spades?
My fingers appear to be too fast for my brain. My apologies.
How interesting that racism against Jews is rising in France and yet they host this conference. How about getting the 2 by 4 out of their own nation's eye before hosting and participating in the conference? But of course, it's France. There's little hope for any self-awareness, intellectual honesty, or true "tolerance" beyond anti-American PC lip service.
Yes we have - as many countries where antisemitism is on the rise. Pardon my incomplete fluency of American English, but does "to have something in spades" mean "to have lots of it" ?
You are correct, both about the meaning of having something in 'spades' and anti-semitism being on the rise in many countries. However, the frequency and virulence of anti-Semitic behavior in France makes it a popular subject on these boards; the irony of France scapegoating right-wing propaganda as the reason, rather than the lax and inviting policies towards rabid Islamofacists, should be especially apparent to you.
YES, exactly.
It's more of an expo, really. Free seminars, tips and tricks, vendors. And above all, a chance for anti-semites to network.
Just another effort by the friends of democracy to control thought, expression and discourse deemed to be 'hateful'.
In other words, goodbye Free Republic, hello DU.
Is it going to be a 'how to' rid your country of jews?
I just worry about Lance Armstrong a little, the Tour starts soon doesn't it?
They're gonna email everybody.
The dilemma, acute because the Internet is both global and tough to regulate, was shown by the widespread and illegal sharing of music online that has confounded record companies. Terror groups have also used the Internet to plot attacks.
Yes, of course, only to the french: music is global and terrorists are hard to regulate.
France has noted a "clear relationship" between racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic propaganda and hate crime, [French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier] said.
If he means that france is the global center of all four - yes, I suppose he's right.
In Denmark, a computer virus tracking company said Friday that junk e-mail with right-wing slogans in German hit computer users in three countries claiming that foreigners were bilking social security and bankrupting public health services.
Actually, I got a few of those in the past week. A pain to 'babelfish' them, and they rambled quite a bit.
...and a meeting on racism is scheduled in Brussels in September.
Just for the record: is belgium 'for' or 'against' it?
I would hope that such a conference would focus in particular on the PLO and on other entities such as the Communist Red Chinese, who foment the worst sorts of anti Semitism. They also need to explicitly detail the demographics and areal distribution patterns of Mein Kampf and draw conclusions based on it. Geopolitical conclusions, up to and inclusing preemptive thermonuclear war against sponsoring states and entities of the comming next Holocaust should be the final delivered product. Oh sorry, I am dreaming again, what came over me? Naturally, this conference will be more worried about microscopic percentages of Western countries, particularly the US, who are Nazis and skinheads and will ignore the real threats.
FYI....
The arson is on more than rare occasions. And you left the murders completely off your list.
No, I counted them as physical aggression, as a matter of fact. And I maintain the arsons are rather rare.
Define 'rather rare' Put a number to it.
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