Mark Steyn: What is a crime? It's a matter of opinion

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 12/13/05 | Mark Steyn

[Pokey78]

Steyn ping!

[proud American in Canada]

He hits the nail on the head again.

Thanks for the ping. :)

[Alia]

Hollywood stars are forever complaining about the "crushing of dissent" in Bush's America, by which they mean Tim Robbins having a photo-op at the Baseball Hall of Fame cancelled because he's become an anti-war bore. But, thanks to the First Amendment, he can say anything he likes without the forces of the state coming round to grill him. It's in Britain and Europe where dissent is being crushed. Following the murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands, film directors and museum curators and all the other "brave" "transgressive" artists usually so eager to "challenge" society are voting for self-censorship: "I don't want a knife in my chest," explained Albert Ter Heerdt, announcing his decision to "postpone" a sequel to his hit multicultural comedy Shouf Shouf Habibi!

Think about that. This is truly well put and perfectly describes something which few Americans, yet, comprehend.

[knews_hound]

I thank my lucky stars this guy is on our side.

Cheers,

knews hound

http://knewshound.blogspot.com/

[lawgirl]

Thanks for the ping, Pokey--

But, on balance, that has the merit of at least being more obviously outrageous than the weaselly "community reassurance" approach of the Met. As it is, Lynette Burrows has been investigated by police merely for expressing an opinion. Which is the sort of thing we used to associate with police states. Indeed, it's the defining act of a police state: the arbitrary criminalisation of dissent from state orthodoxy.

Exactly. Steyn hits another one right on the head.

[blackie]

Good stuff ~ Bump!

[1066AD]

Oh, to be sure, the vicious homophobe wasn't dragged off to re-education camp

Not yet; give it another five or ten years and then see what happens.

[decal]

"What is a crime? It's a matter of opinion..."

And if you were foolish enough to give up your right to own a firearm, your opinion no longer counts - the State and the criminal element are your masters now.

[appleharvey]

Bar none, Steyn is without a doubt the best op-ed writer in this day and age. Witty, funny and right on the mark. No lib comes within the time zone of this guy for telling it like it is!

[randog]

Indeed, it's the defining act of a police state: the arbitrary criminalisation of dissent from state orthodoxy.

Why is Europe so oddly fascinated with totalitarianism? Why does that continent always gravitate that way, even when a generation that suffered from it still exists?

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Political Correctness onward to it's illogical conclusion!

Steyn on the nail as usual!

[RobFromGa]

bump for the Master

[mc5cents]

No lib comes within the time zone solar system of this guy for telling it like it is!

[Right_in_Virginia]

BTTT

[be-baw]

Thanks again Pokey for the ping!

[AmishDude]

Following the murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands, film directors and museum curators and all the other "brave" "transgressive" artists usually so eager to "challenge" society are voting for self-censorship: "I don't want a knife in my chest," explained Albert Ter Heerdt, announcing his decision to "postpone" a sequel to his hit multicultural comedy Shouf Shouf Habibi!

I think this ought to be bookmarked for when Oscar time comes around.

[LK44-40]

BTTT - Steyn documenting Orwellian EU (I wish, now, that we had saved that word "Orwellian" for this time when it is actually happening.)

[AmishDude]

If I ever got the chance to meet Maureen Dowd, all that I would say to her is: You try, but you're no Mark Steyn.

[Tax-chick]

bttt