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
Okay...I agree she is fantastic. But I would hardly classify her as a conservative.
True story: In the early 1980s I'm in a barbershop waiting for a haircut and pick up a playboy magazine. After looking at the pictures I stumble across this 10,000 word interview with her. I read it in shock and awe, then actually bought the outdated magazine for $20.00 from the barbershop.
For many, she's best remembered for playing mind games with Henry Kissinger and getting him to make the confession that he sees himself as a hero on a white horse...or wants the publc to see him that way. However, her opposition to Vietnam was bitter and extended and she thought America's involvement in Afghanistant was a mistake -- she would have prefered to let the Soviets have it...etc,. etc.
To me her best book is "a man"...
I'm certainly not aware that Muslims are rapidly reproducing.
Have you read Inshallah? That's brilliant.
Maybe on BizarroWorld, but down here, it's spot-on.
Okay, my favorite fallaci story. About ten years ago I'm walking down West 57 Street in NYC. And striding (striding!) towards me amid the lunch time crowd is Fallaci. She was wearing this cape like thing that was fluttering out behind her and taking long strides. I was about to stop her to say how much I like her books, when I noticed the expression on her face, which was, "Don't even think of talking to me." People were actually getting out of her way...
I don't speak Italian...
pardon?
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
The link you gave me was a post in Italian
Oh no... the post was only a wish to an happy birthday to miss Fallaci... It was not in Italian...
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