SPIEGEL Interview with Geert Wilders 'Merkel Is Afraid'

Spiegel ^ | Geert Wilders

[ventanax5]

n a SPIEGEL interview, Dutch Islam-opponent Geert Wilders discusses his fight for a Koran ban, why German Chancellor Angela Merkel is running scared on the immigration issue and his belief that the Netherlands' debate over Muslims has now crossed the border into Germany.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Wilders, you are said to be the strong man behind the new Dutch government because the minority cabinet depends on your support in parliament. Why is your party, 65 years after the Holocaust, relying on outdated approaches -- on religious and racial exclusion?

Wilders: We do not support religious exclusion -- and certainly not racial exclusion. We have no problems with other skin colors, nor with Muslims -- our problem is with Islam. Indeed, we are expressing exactly what many of our compatriots feel. We became the third strongest party during the elections in June and are now, according to the most recent opinion polls, already the second strongest party in Holland. SPIEGEL: What do you have against Islam?

Wilders: Europe's greatest problem -- not just today, but already for decades now -- is cultural relativism. This has led to a situation today where Europeans no longer know what they should be proud of and who they really are -- because a so-called liberal and leftist-imposed concept says that all cultures are the same.

[Frantzie]

Geert Wilders is awesome. The Dutch, Germans, Italians, Danes, Czechs, French, Swedens, Asutrians, Swiss and others need to wake up to Islam. I think they are slowly getting it.

Here in America it is idiots watching TV with corn cobs.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

As long as the rest of the world worries about the sensibilities of ‘peaceful’ muslims, those that want to take over the world know there is no consequence.

Unless we are in it to win, bring our troops home. Get Bin Laden (if he is still breathing), destroy the Taliban, and put the world on notice; a terrorist action against the US will bring a swift, deadly retaliation.

(Interesting that Obama used the phrase “Die to Tie” when speaking to the troops about Korea. )

[Old Teufel Hunden]

That interviewer was very hostile towards him. I confess that I don’t have a clear understanding of European parlimentary politics. It’s a little confusing at times. I like a lot of what Geert says but this idea of banning the Koran is ananthema in this country. Just as they note that Mein Kampf is banned in a lot of places in Europe. It seems to be accepted to ban books in Europe. Not true freedom IMO. The offensive speech and writings are the most important free speech to be protected.

[skeeter]

Doncha love the liberal media - they criticise Wilders for pointing out obvious ugly violent truths about Islam, then in the next instance slams him for the cost to taxpayers of bodyguards required to protect him from Muslims.

[Lysandru]

The Euroweenie Elites still don't freakin' get it, do they?

If they want to prevent a rise of xenophobic sentiment, then they have to behave like real adults and acknowledge the real problems with Muslim integration into European society.

This sort of trouble is now brewing here. As long as we were "the melting pot," things were good. Most Americans don't care what country someone comes from as long as they enter this country legally, work hard, learn English, and embrace our civic institutions.

It should be no surprise that German voters are unhappy with immigrants who enter Germany illegally, go on the dole, don't learn German, etc.

Only overeducated leftist "intellectuals" can get this wrong.

[FourPeas]

I sincerely hope Wilders is as genuine as he seems.

[skeeter]

I also love how the Speigel interviewer tries to present an obvious parable as a command by Christ to slay his enemies, then draws an equivelence.

The leftists in the media can't help but lie, can they.

[runninglips]

Not true freedom IMO. The offensive speech and writings are the most important free speech to be protected.

In a time of war, to allow the free dissemination of the documents used to foment the breeding, and education of the enemy within your nation, is insane. Those practicing Islam, are not practicing a religion, but a philosophy EXACTLY like that espoused by Adolph Hitler. They have a plan to take over the entire world, not by convincing others of the rightness of this philosophy, but by intimidation and murder. To call this a religion, and allow it to be freely practiced, must not happen if we are to remain free.

[Col Freeper]

Here in America it is idiots watching TV with corn cobs.

I read your profile page and saw the following:

[I like Bjork and Royskopp. I live near Reykjavík.]

[In Iceland we have the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. We would never elect a Muslim like Obama.]

I'm curious, are you now an American, or living in America?

[SharpRightTurn]

Geert Wilders BUMP.

We need men like this who will speak the truth in our country instead of telling bald-faced lies like “Islam is a religion of peace”.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"have a plan to take over the entire world, not by convincing others of the rightness of this philosophy, but by intimidation and murder."

You stop the intimidation and murder, you don't supress their ability to speak. When you suppress them you will allow them to have more followers. Hitler's rise was not because of Mein Kampf. It merely displayed his insane ideas. His rise was due to economic circumstances, the oppression of the German people by Europe after WWI and because the good Germans stood by and did nothing.

The answer is not suppression of speech, but to have more speech. In the marketplace of ideas, I'm extremely confident that the ideas of IslamoFascism will be defeated. The threat is allowing the immigration of these Islamofascists into their country to begin with. These European countries are idiots to allow the amount of Middle Eastern immigration and to not stand up to them when they get to Europe. The problem is not a book...

[runninglips]

So I am allowed to write a publish a book that says we need to convert all Dimmorat “Vice-Minister Amissa’s followers, or cut their heads off, and the only thing to worry about is the actual violence? Do you think maybe I would be targeted by the FIB, probably imprisoned if one of my “converts” starts the process with a few bombings. My book would not be the problem at all, just those interpreting it and acting violently, right? My new religion has to be treated as legitimately as Islam, doesn’t it? After all, my “sky god” telling me to do these things, is as real to the secular govt as Bozo the klown, and his towel wearing klan.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Do you think maybe I would be targeted by the FIB, probably imprisoned if one of my “converts” starts the process with a few bombings."

If you are going to preach violence against people then absolutely you should be targeted for watch by the FBI. Unless you individually commit the act or conspire in planning it, you should not be imprisoned for someone else's act. I'd rather you write a book about it than teach it in secret. Which is what would happen anyways, even if you banned violent speech.

This can be thrown right back at fellow freepers. Many who really like "The Turner Diaries". Should Bill Pierce have been responsible for Timothy McVeigh? The guy who killed Alan Berg (leftist jewish radio host) or the James Byrd murderers (black guy who was dragged to death in Texas). All of these people attributed their acts to being in part inspired by "The Turner Diaries"...

As conservatives and libertarians we should be about personal responsibility. Do you think taking our shoes off at the airports really prevents another airplane bombing? All it does is make us look stupid. Maybe we should all strip down and have our underwear searched next because of the underwear bomber last year..

Free speech is one of the cornerstones of a free people. You either believe it or don't. There are no half measures. The half measures lead to a slippery slope to totalitarianism.