Trial over Italian Islam 'insult' : the battle of Oriana Fallaci

BBC NEWS europe ^ | 25th may 2005 | an italian

[an italian]

Controversial Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci is to face trial for allegedly insulting the Muslim faith in her latest book, a court in Italy says. Ms Fallaci is being sued by the head of the Muslim Union of Italy, who says The Force of Reason is defamatory.

The journalist caused an uproar with The Rage and the Pride, published two weeks after the 11 September attacks.

In it, she said Western culture was superior to Islam and Muslim immigrants in the West had "multiplied like rats".

Her lawyers have defended her right to express controversial opinions.

"At the heart of her thinking is the following reasoning: the fight against Islamic terrorism is made more difficult by intellectual terrorism cloaked in anti-racism," Gilles Goldhagen, said in 2002, when a French judge was hearing a case to ban The Rage and the Pride.

'No good Islam'

The Force of Reason is said to have gone to print about 24 hours after the 11 March 2004 train bombings in Spain.

In it, Ms Fallaci argues that Europe is turning into "an Islamic province, an Islamic colony" and that "to believe that a good Islam and a bad Islam exist goes against all reason".

Italian preliminary investigative judge Armando Grasso ordered the formulation of charges against the author, saying the book had expressions which were "unequivocally offensive to Islam".

Adel Smith, president of the Muslim Union of Italy, sued the writer on 8 April 2004. He says Ms Fallaci has been advocating and spreading hate against Islam and Muslims, sometimes by allegedly distorting real historical facts and inventing others.

The case is being tried in the northern town of Bergamo, where the book was published. The prosecution has 10 days to come up with a charge.

Ms Fallaci, who lives in New York, was a Resistance fighter in World War II and a former war correspondent.

[milford421]

It is yet another step in the process of dhimmitude...

[Gritty]

Islam can't stand the truth!

[bboop]

I'm all for Oriana too. She's a feisty one, greatly needed in these times.

[Bigh4u2]

Apparently the 'good' Congressman missed the part in the Constitution that says "Congress SHALL MAKE NO LAW...etc."

I don't see this going anywhere.

[Aquinasfan]

"to believe that a good Islam and a bad Islam exist goes against all reason".

Sanity is a crime in Italy?

[JasonC]

I don't think there is any jail involved. Unless I am mistaken, this is a civil lawsuit. Also, she lives in New York - what is she being sued in Italy for? Also, would the bailiff please kick the nutjob plaintifs in the butt? If they collect for Islam, I've got some bills to present.

[milford421]

I wish I could share your optimism, but too many advances have been made recently.

Resolutions have been known to have "slipped through" and have become law.

Conyers seems to be off, for the most part, most American's radar screens...

[Bigh4u2]

I understand your sentiment, but if such a law were to pass through Congress I believe it would be overturned by the SCOTUS.

The First Ammendment of the Constitution makes it very clear that they cannot propose ANY legislation for or against religious bias.

If they let this slip through then our country is done as a Republic.

[milford421]

"If they let this slip through then our country is done as a Republic."

Yup...

[Aquinasfan]

The combination of islamic aggressive public relations and the acquiesence to Europeans to the role of guilty oppressors is the perfect political storm to let the muslims prpogate their lifestyle to the point of over-running what was once the heart of Christiandom.

That's it in a nutshell. And there's no way out of this unless Europe is hit by a series of 911s. Bin Laden overplayed his hand, and almost provided a much needed wake-up call for Europeans.

[AlbionGirl]

Claudia,

She comes from a long line of partigiani. Her father was in the resistance during WWII, and I love the fact that she calls herself a Christian atheist. Not because I'm an atheist, but because I know exactly what she's trying to get at with that phrase as it relates to her polictics, both recent and past.

I don't think her health is all that good. Thought I remember reading that she was diagnosed with cancer a few years back. May she continue to live and write well.

Signed,
another Italian
nato al '56, emigrato al '58.

[EternalVigilance]

"I do not believe in vile acquittals, phony appeasements, easy forgiveness. Even less, in the exploitation or the blackmail of the word Peace. When peace stands for surrender, fear, loss of dignity and freedom, it is no longer peace. It is suicide."

- Oriana Fallaci

[an italian]

Well... you're one of the few FReepers who accepted the idea of a Christian atheist. Well done. I'm one of them too.

Oriana is a great woman. Oriana herself fought as a partigiano. She fought in the movement of "Giustizia e Librtàà" ("Justice and Freedom") with the nickname of "Emilia". She was an Italian soldier. My generation has to be thankful.

Everybody in Italy comes from a family in which there are someone who fought Fascism in the WWII. That's why we are better than France. ;-)

[Publius6961]

If they let this slip through then our country is done as a Republic.

Not without a real fight.

[AlbionGirl]

As I said, I'm not an atheist. The influence of Jesus Christ in my life is immeasureable.

There is an old saying that goes, 'better an atheist who acts like a Christian, than a christian who acts like an atheist.'

Her beliefs are her own, but her phrase 'christian atheist' is an acknowledgment that Christianity, for all the faults of its adherents, is not to be easily dismissed, and has given the world so much more than people realize or are willing to admit.

She's honest, and there is no greater quality or aspiration than honesty when you are a journalist. And perhaps that's true for any profession.

[an italian]

Well guys: that's what.

I just adore her. She's, I've already said it, the myth of my young years. I grew up with her books. From them I started to love Freedom and to fight for it, no cares what's the price. Thank her now I'm interested in Politics, I respect Politics. I started to love my Country thank to Oriana Fallaci.

I've read all her books, and I fell in love with her ideas. When I read "A man" (the book about her lover, Alekos Panagulis, the hero of the Greek Resistance, I fell in love with him) I stand with her, with America today. Just because her books have moved me.

She's a great woman, and no one can touches me Oriana Fallaci. No one.

[Barney Gumble]

Islamist have brainwashed Italian liberals into believing that any writings critical of Islam should be banned. I've read the Rage and the Pride. Although its translation (her own) is a bit awkward at times , the anticdotes are interesting and informative. She is able to provide an insight into the back areas of third world countries that mainstream media passes by.

[an italian]

Honesty is not the greater quality of journalism... Is the greatest quality of Life...

[aquila48]

Adel Smith, president of the Muslim Union of Italy

Isn't this the same guy that tried to get crucifixes removed from schools? Do you know what happened in that case?

I thought Italy had pretty strong freedom of expression laws - I'm surprised something like this is going to trial.

What do you think the outcome will be and what is the feeling of most italians regarding this case - doe she have a lot of popular support?

Aldo

[an italian]

Do you want really to know how the story ended? They won. And in my Country (the Country in which lives the Pope!) we can't show our religious symbols. Not in schools, not in hospitals.

I'm an atheist, but I'm Italian. And I'm proud of my Country. i recognize Italy has strong Christian roots. My classmates are all very religious people: why they have to not say it? In respect of who? The Islam? The religion that kill us like flyes and that can stone you if you say a "pater noster" on their land??? (By the way who cares their lands??? Only deserts and nothing.).

That's not just. And that's not intelligent too.