Geert Wilders: Free Speech on Trial

As the trial of Geert Wilders resumes, we should carefully examine its substance and procedures. Writing on the Editorial Page of the Wall Street Journal, Leon De Winter says "Stop the Trial of Geert Wilders"

On trial is not so much Geert Wilders, but the Holy Book of Islam. ... So it is quite conceivable that the court will judge that Geert Wilders was within his right to compare the Quran to "Mein Kampf."

The three judges hearing the case—no doubt decent, modest, postmodern Dutchmen with a minimum knowledge of Islam and its culture and traditions—will now be forced to debate the nature of a religious text, something that should have never been heard in the court of an enlightened society. In front of the judges and television cameras, the ancient founding text of an entire civilization will be criticized and weighed against one of the most inhumane texts written in the 20th century—without any doubt a deep insult to Muslims, radical or not.

In the view of one Dutch journalist, the trial has been inverted, exchanging the defendant and complainant, resulting in an insult to Muslims over and above the alleged insults issued by the defendant. He wants the trial stopped.

Unfortunately, there is reason to doubt the chances of an inverted trial. While it is obvious that Wilders is planning a defense based on necessity and veracity, it is not certain that the court will consent to allow those defenses to be presented. An article by Arthur Legger, published by Tidsskriftet Sappho, reveals some details about he trial of Geert Wilders. A surprising statement from the Public Prosecution attacks Wilders' truth defense.

“It is irrelevant whether Wilder’s witnesses might prove Wilders’ observations to be correct”, the ‘Openbaar Ministerie’ stated, “what’s relevant is that his observations are illegal”.

The indictment was amended to include accusations of racism. I suspect that was done as an end run around this precedent.

For in a comparable case the Dutch High Court acquitted a Dutchman of his earlier conviction of ‘Group-insult’ of Muslims. He had been sentenced to jail for hanging a poster in front of his window that stated: “Stop the cancerous growth named Islam”. The High Court ruled that “if one insults a religion, one doesn’t automatically insult its believers”.

Fokko Oldenhuis, Groningen University professor Religion and Law, is quoted as saying:

“He discriminates Moroccans because of their race and causes hate against them”; “His desire to ban the Koran brings fear and terror into peoples homes”.

Does the banning of Nazi literature bring "fear and terror" into the homes of neo-Nazis? Did Wilders call for assaults, murders and pogroms? Did he urge his audience to riot and burn Korans? What then is terrifying about his statements?

Take a clear eyed look at the laws Wilders is accused of violating. The International Free Press Society posted this link to an English translation of the summons. Jihad Watch reproduced it in this article. [Bold face emphasis added to critical clause for clarity.]

Article 137c Dutch Penal Code

o 1. He who publicly, verbally or in writing or image, deliberately expresses himself in an way insulting of a group of people because of their race, their religion or belief, or their hetero- or homosexual nature or their physical, mental, or intellectual disabilities, will be punished with a prison sentence of at the most one year or a fine of third category.

o 2. If the offence is committed by a person who makes it his profession or habit, or by two or more people in association, a prison sentence of at the most two years or a fine of fourth category will be imposed.

· Article 137d Dutch Penal Code

o 1. He who publicly, verbally or in writing or in an image, incites hatred against or discrimination of people or violent behaviour against person or property of people because of their race, their religion or belief, their gender or hetero- or homosexual nature or their physical, mental, or intellectual disabilities, will be punished with a prison sentence of at the most one year or a fine of third category.

o 2. If the offence is committed by a person who makes it his profession or habit, or by two or more people in association, a prison sentence of at the most two years or a fine of fourth category will be imposed.

Insulting and inciting are undefined, thus they are highly subjective. In effect, guilt is presumed arbitrarily; no defense is possible against these charges. If Geert Wilders is found guilty and the law is upheld, the code reproduced above will become boilerplate for national and international legislation demanded by the OIC & UN.

Critical Issue

Geert Wilders perceives Islam as an existential threat to his society. The threat arises from Islam's Jihad doctrine which mandates world conquest. The conquest is not limited to military and terror attacks, it also takes the form of demographic conquest, which Europe is now experiencing.

The threat is real, proximate and persisting. Pim Fortune and Theo Van Gogh were assassinated by Muslims. Aayan Hirsi Ali & Geert Wilders have needed 24 hour security because of death threats. French Muslims have done millions of dollars in property damage by rioting.

Wilders documented the threat by quoting Qur'anic violence imperatives and displaying video of Imams ranting about killing disbelievers. He also displayed video of a hostage being decapitated.

Wilders spoke out about a threat to his nation, documented that threat and called on the government to mount a defense. For that he is being persecuted.
The summons includes a frame by frame analysis of Fitna and out of context quotes from newspaper interviews. The pdf file is more than 20 pages long.

Geert Wilders spoke in New York City September 25 '08. Sheik Yermami provided a transcript.

The Quran calls for hatred, violence, submission, murder, and terrorism. The Quran calls for Muslims to kill non-Muslims, to terrorize non-Muslims and to fulfil their duty to wage war: violent jihad. Jihad is a duty for every Muslim, Islam is to rule the world – by the sword. The Quran is clearly anti-Semitic, describing Jews as monkeys and pigs.

The second thing you need to know is the importance of Mohammed the prophet. His behaviour is an example to all Muslims and cannot be criticized. Now, if Mohammed had been a man of peace, let us say like Ghandi and Mother Theresa wrapped in one, there would be no problem. But Mohammed was a warlord, a mass murderer, a pedophile, and had several marriages – at the same time. Islamic tradition tells us how he fought in battles, how he had his enemies murdered and even had prisoners of war executed. Mohammed himself slaughtered the Jewish tribe of Banu Qurayza.

In April of '09, Wilders spoke at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. Iranic Surrealism has the transcript.

Allow me to give you a brief introduction to Islam, an Islam 101. The first thing everyone needs to know about Islam is the importance of the Koran. As you probably know the Koran calls for submission, hatred, violence, murder, terrorism and war. The Koran calls upon Muslims to kill non-Muslims. The Koran describes Jews as monkeys and pigs. The biggest problem is that the Koran is to be considered as Allah’s personal word, with orders that need to be fulfilled regardless of place or time. That’s the reason why the Koran is not open to discussion or interpretation. It is valid for every Muslim and for all times. Therefore, there is no such thing as moderate Islam. Sure, there are a lot of moderate Muslims, but a moderate Islam does not exist. As the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan once said: “There is no moderate Islam, Islam is Islam”. For once I have to agree with this islamist Turkish Prime Minister.

October 22 '09, Wilders spoke at Columbia. Answering Muslims has video of the speech. Is the content of those speeches factually true? The answer is contained in Islam's canon. http://snooper.wordpress.com/2008/03/27/fitna-supporting-documentation/ documents the Qur'an quotes contained in Fitna. and Wilders' address to the Dutch Parliament.

When the trial resumes, the judges could dismiss the case. More likely, they will rule on Wilders' proposed defense and witness list. If they severely restrict the latter and/or close the trial to the press, we can assume that the outcome is preordained and that our precious liberty has suffered a vital blow.

The enemy seeks to suppress our right to identify, name and shame them so that, in the words of George Washington,

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”

Let us make good use of our precious freedom while we still have it. Let us echo and amplify the warning call issued by Geert Wilders. Let us summon our fellow citizens to join us in disrespectfully demanding the preservation of the right of free expression without which we stand defenseless against impending tyranny. In this step, they squelch our criticism of Islam; in the next, they squelch our criticism of Socialism. One will follow the other as surely as rain and wind follow storm clouds.

I have furnished links to Wilder's documentary and speeches. I also furnished a link to another blog post which documents the most essential facts presented in those warning calls. What you do with them is up to you. Will you read the speeches and documentation, watch the video and share them or will you go back to sleep, ignoring the dangers that face us?