Will Politically Incorrect Opinion Become a Hate Crime?

By Selwyn Duke

Many of us have heard about Geert Wilders, the Dutch parliamentarian currently on trial in Holland because he criticized Islam. It’s shocking to many that you could be charged with a hate crime for expressing an opinion, but such prosecutions are not unheard of in the Western world beyond American shores. After all, most nations have nothing tantamount to our First Amendment. But could such a thing happen in the land of the (mostly) free as well?

If a “human relations” task force in California has its way, the answer will be yes. Its victims are two Lancaster, Calif., city officials: Mayor R. Rex Parris and Councilman Sherry Marquez. Their sins? Parris told a group of Christian ministers, “We are growing Christian community — and don't let anybody shy away from that.” And Marquez posted quotations on her Facebook page from Muslim leaders encouraging adherents to win the world for Islam along with excerpts from the Bible that encourage Christians to defend themselves.

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Comments

[Laura]

This is scary that we are allowing islamic supremacists to stifle free speech. Especially a group like CAIR, which is a front group for hamas and is an unindicted co-conspirator in the holy land foundation trial. If anything CAIR should be shut-down for its terrorist ties, yet instead they are gaining more power, funneling money to politicians campaigns and pressuring communities to enact laws against criticism of islam.

[Philip France]

Right on, Laura... I am so delighted that you see the facts as they are.

In Selwyn's article, he said the following: "But could such a thing happen in the land of the (mostly) free as well? "

To which I answer:

It already has. Radio and talk-show superstar Dr. Michael Savage, PhD has been banned from the United Kingdom. You may see this as "comeuppance" for a controversial entertainer seeking ratings through bombast. However, if you consider this objectively, it is a severe attack on all of us. Included in this "all" are liberals, conservatives, tyrants and anarchists. This is the criminalizatio of someone's thoughts and opinions. This action should be met with vehement opposition from both the political left and right.

I will further my point by seconding Selwyn's opinion that deploying the word "hate" is an infantile surrender and acknowledgement that one's position is not factually based. To a critical thinker, this is the eqivalent of saying, "I can't compete with your logic and your facts; therefore I hate you (or you somehow hate me)."

Think about this: Hate is in the spectrum of normal human emotions. If I were to harm your child (or any other loved one, for that matter) would I not be deserving of your hatred? Who among us does NOT hate child-molesters? Who among us would not hate one who perpetrates crimes against the elderly?

We must vehemently and vocally oppose any and every suppression of free speech. We must, with equal vigor, oppose those that intend to criminalize and institutionalize the very subjective and normal human emotion that we (subjectively) describe as "hatred". On the surface, this usage is childish and infantile. In reality, and in the way that it is being applied in Canada and in European states, it is dangerous.

Dangerous to us all.

[Ron]

If muslims want to burn the American flag thats free speech. But what Sherry and the mayor say are hate speech. Something wrong with this picture?

[Ron]

I spent alot of time in Europe. radical islam is out of control. You can be arrested for saying anything about muslims, but if muslims want to stand on the streets with veils on their faces holding signs that say God Bless Hitler, Your 9/11 is on the Way there allowed to do anything they want.

[Ron]

WAKE UP AMERICA

[Ron]

Its the muslims goal to take Europe and make it islamic. There goal is to destroy the west and freedom. Once they take Europe there next goal is America. WAKE UP