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Oriana Fallaci goes on trial for anti-Muslim book
United Press International ^ | 10/9/2005 | Elizabeth Bryant

Posted on 06/27/2005 2:53:40 PM PDT by Cincinna

PARIS, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- A second author Wednesday went to trial in Paris in as many months on charges of inciting racial hatred for a book that has denigrating passages on Islam.

The latest case involves "Rage and Pride," a best-selling novel by Italian writer Oriana Fallaci.

One plaintiff, the anti-racist group MRAP, wants the book banned from France altogether. Two others, including the Human Rights League, simply want disclaimers that its disparaging passages on Islam don't accurately reflect the Muslim religion.

Fallaci, 72, who has cancer, was not present during the opening hearing. But her lawyer, Christophe Bigot, denounced the trial as a campaign for political correctness, to the detriment of free expression.

Fallaci "has been very shocked by recent events, notably Sept. 11," Bigot told France-Info in an interview Wednesday. "She wanted to raise a cry of alarm against fundamentalism."

In her book -- a best-seller in Italy and Spain -- Fallaci characterized Muslims as "vile creatures, who urinate in baptistries" and "multiply like rats."

But Bigot argues Fallaci was targeting extremism, rather than the Muslim religion as a whole.

"She's attacking a certain manner of expressing it," he said.

The anti-racist associations argue otherwise.

"When one finishes reading the book, one recognizes the right to kill any Muslim on the street," argued Hacen Taleb, the lawyer representing MRAP, in a statement to the court.

In June, another French judge refused MRAP's request to ban the book in France.

The Fallaci trial echoes another opened last month against controversial French novelist Michel Houellebecq. Like Fallaci, Houllebecq faces charges of "provoking discrimination, hatred or violence" toward a group because of their religion.

But this time, the charges revolve around Houellebecq's anti-Muslim statements during an interview, rather than the passages in his book. A verdict is expected on Oct. 22. Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International

http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20021009-121437-7274r


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: eurabia; fallaci; france; islamofascism; muslim; orianafalacci; rageandpride; wot
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Oriana Falacci's book will be published in the US shortly. It is already # 14 on Amazon. This is a courageous woman. Her freedom of speech, and freedom of the press should be defended by all Americans. Shame on France and Italy for making book burning legal. Savanarola? Hitler? Next, it will be a crime to read a book.
1 posted on 06/27/2005 2:53:40 PM PDT by Cincinna
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To: Cincinna

Next, it will be a crime to read a book.

It is in school. The bible!!

I want to read this book sound like something I would read and enjoy.


2 posted on 06/27/2005 2:56:33 PM PDT by handy old one (It is unbecoming for young men to utter maxims. Aristotle)
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To: Cincinna
On the Inernet, people in the UK and Europe always used to argue that they didn't need to have freedom of speech and freedom of the press in their constitutions because they weren't in danger without them being spelled out...
3 posted on 06/27/2005 2:56:54 PM PDT by Question_Assumptions
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To: Cincinna

I see a certain irony that her lawyer's name is Bigot.


4 posted on 06/27/2005 2:57:13 PM PDT by SittinYonder (Tancredo and I wanna know what you believe)
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To: Cincinna

Inciting racial hatred? Here's an idea: Go to downtown Paris wearing a sign that says, "I'm from Brooklyn!" See how many times you hear "Juif!" either whispered or said outright. Just wait until an iron fist takes over France in response to all of this garbage. Vichy II.


5 posted on 06/27/2005 2:59:32 PM PDT by Das Outsider
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To: handy old one

Worth the read.


6 posted on 06/27/2005 3:00:27 PM PDT by Lord Nelson (Zionist and proud of it)
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To: handy old one

Worth the read.


7 posted on 06/27/2005 3:00:37 PM PDT by Lord Nelson (Zionist and proud of it)
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To: Cincinna; mikrofon; Charles Henrickson
A second author Wednesday went to trial in Paris in as many months on charges of inciting racial hatred for a book that has denigrating passages on Islam.
...
But her lawyer, Christophe Bigot, denounced the trial

OK, so he wouldn't have been my first choice as defense counsel in a racial hatred prosecution.

8 posted on 06/27/2005 3:01:01 PM PDT by martin_fierro (I'm just sayin'.)
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To: Cincinna
...Two others, including the Human Rights League, simply want disclaimers that its disparaging passages on Islam don't accurately reflect the Muslim religion.

Isn't that a juvenile attitude to take on a national level? Isn't "accuracy " a matter of opinion when describing primitive murderous behavior on a cultural level?

Are they really trying her on a 4 year old book or is this trial over her new book, The Force of Reason?

9 posted on 06/27/2005 3:01:31 PM PDT by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are ignorance, stupidity and hydrogen)
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To: Cincinna
...Two others, including the Human Rights League, simply want disclaimers that its disparaging passages on Islam don't accurately reflect the Muslim religion.

Isn't that a juvenile attitude to take on a national level? Isn't "accuracy " a matter of opinion when describing primitive murderous behavior on a cultural level?

Are they really trying her on a 4 year old book or is this trial over her new book, The Force of Reason?

10 posted on 06/27/2005 3:01:33 PM PDT by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are ignorance, stupidity and hydrogen)
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To: Cincinna
...Two others, including the Human Rights League, simply want disclaimers that its disparaging passages on Islam don't accurately reflect the Muslim religion.

Isn't that a juvenile attitude to take on a national level? Isn't "accuracy " a matter of opinion when describing primitive murderous behavior on a cultural level?

Are they really trying her on a 4 year old book or is this trial over her new book, The Force of Reason?

11 posted on 06/27/2005 3:01:38 PM PDT by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are ignorance, stupidity and hydrogen)
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To: Publius6961
No, I did not post that three times.
Honest.
12 posted on 06/27/2005 3:03:20 PM PDT by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are ignorance, stupidity and hydrogen)
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To: Cincinna
Read this, go to the link for the entire story.

Oriana Fallaci: Anger and Pride

13 posted on 06/27/2005 3:06:25 PM PDT by Indy Pendance
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To: Cincinna
"When one finishes reading the book, one recognizes the right to kill any Muslim on the street," argued Hacen Taleb, the lawyer representing MRAP, in a statement to the court."

I've read the book and I've yet to kill any Muslims. But if I were a Muslim, I certainly might feel justified in killing "infidels" after reading the Koran. And IN FACT, NO Muslim has been killed by someone who has read Fallaci's book, but THOUSANDS have been killed by Muslims who have read the Koran and followed its mandate to kill the infidels. The wrong book is on trial in Italy.
14 posted on 06/27/2005 3:08:13 PM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: Cincinna

"Rage and Pride" is about three years old and is already available here. I think it's her knew book that isn't yet available in the USA (in English, that is).


15 posted on 06/27/2005 3:11:06 PM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: Cincinna

Proof positive that European society is degenerate. It hasn't been so bad since the third century.


16 posted on 06/27/2005 3:11:36 PM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: SittinYonder

"I see a certain irony that her lawyer's name is Bigot."

It's Beee-GO, dammit... Bee-GO!!! (cue up Millicent Bucket, errmm, Bouquet, LOL)


17 posted on 06/27/2005 3:11:37 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry (Esse Quam Videre)
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To: Das Outsider

"Inciting racial hatred? Here's an idea: Go to downtown Paris wearing a sign that says, "I'm from Brooklyn!" See how many times you hear "Juif!" either whispered or said outright. Just wait until an iron fist takes over France in response to all of this garbage. Vichy II"

How about wearing a yarmulka or a Star of David? Prohibited in government offices, schools, etc. Jews in France have been attacked and hassled in a tremendous upsurge of anti-semitic incidents.

I guess that is not racial hatred.


18 posted on 06/27/2005 3:12:01 PM PDT by Cincinna (BEWARE HILLARY and her HINO)
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To: Publius6961

"Are they really trying her on a 4 year old book or is this trial over her new book, The Force of Reason?"

Signora Falacci os obviously on their hit list. Her first book was actually a novel.

Shades of the fatwah put on Salman Rushdie by the Ayatollah Khomeini for writing Satanic Verses.


19 posted on 06/27/2005 3:14:32 PM PDT by Cincinna (BEWARE HILLARY and her HINO)
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To: Cincinna

I seem to recall this writer being heavily praised by certain liberals pre-9-11; I definitely recall her books being given lots of room in bookstores, as she could be seen as a feminist by those who choose to see everything in that way. Funny how I don't seem to see such attention from those corners these days.


20 posted on 06/27/2005 3:16:33 PM PDT by Darkwolf377 (Don't suffer fools gladly? I don't suffer them at all.)
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