Freedom of Speech is Fragile

For now, thank your lucky stars you live in the Untied States. For now, your freedom of speech is protected by the first amendment of our Constitution.

That is correct I said “for now.” There are forces (Islamic Terrorists, Jihadists etc.) throughout the world that are striving to institute Shariah (Islamic) law in every country. Countries that adhere to Shariah Law can and does restrict freedom of speech to enforce their beliefs.

When you finish this article ask yourself, is it possible that we, in the United States, could ever lose our freedom of speech? If freedom of speech is being effectively attacked in many countries such as Denmark, Finland, England and in the Middle East, what makes you think the Islamists could not achieve similar successes here in the U.S.A.?

On Jan 22, 2009 Fox News reported that Geert Wilder, a member of the Dutch Parliament, had been charged with insulting Islam and will be tried for this crime, His crime was producing, “Fitna”, a 15 minute movie (http://gribbitonline.com/2008/03/27/geert-wilder-fitna-video/) This film is scary and presents factual quotes from the Quran.

On Jan 26, 2009 the “Brussels Journal” reported another loss of free speech. Geert Wilder was invited to talk to the British Parliament. However a Muslim Member of Parliament, Lord Ahmed (considered a moderate Muslim) threatened to mobilize 10,000 Muslims to prevent Mr. Wilder from speaking in Parliament. As a result, upon landing in England, the authorities detained Mr. Wilder and sent him right back home.

On Jan 22, 2009 Susanne Winter, an Austrian parliamentarian, was convicted for her anti-Muslim statements which included talking ill of Islam’s prophet Mohammed. Then similarly ”Earth Times” of March 28,2009 reported a Finnish politician, Halla-Aho, is to be tried for blaspheming Islam. It may only be in poor taste to question Islam or Mohammed even if Muslims feel it is a crime. It is not a crime it is freedom of speech.

In March 2009 Islamic legal scholars held a five-day conference. According to “Jihad Watch” the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, using couched phrasing, demanded suppression of free speech. At the conclusion, the conference urged Muslim countries to strive to persuade other countries to make laws to protect sacred religious symbols of Islam.

The United Nation has held a number of conferences on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. The two most notable are Durban I in 2001 and Durban II in April 2009. At these events, as in others, the 57 members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) had proposed that local, national and international laws and human rights covenants be reviewed and amended as necessary so that "defamation of Islam" is made a criminal offense. This seems to include quoting passages, by non-believers, from the Quran.

In “North America” the “Council on American-Islamic Relation” (CAIR) is known to institute and or threaten to take legal action to suppress free speech.
One such action was in 2004 when CAIR filed a defamation lawsuit against Andrew Whitehead, one of the founders of “Anti-CAIR,” for making multiple alleged libelous remarks about CAIR. Whitehead acknowledges he made statements such as "Let there be no doubt that CAIR is a terrorist supporting front organization.” Then in March 2006 CAIR dismissed the lawsuit.

CAIR called for action against a morning comedy radio program on KSFO 560-AM. The hosts did a comedic segment about Islam and its tenets, and joked that "Islamic finance is about living within your means and helping the needy -- unless they're Jews.”

On November 21, 2006 six Islamic leaders were ejected from a US Airway plane in Minneapolis. CAIR threatened to sue, the Airline and any passengers who reported that these Imams were spouting anti-American rhetoric.

The Middle East Forum just announced the launch of the website for its Legal Project, located at www.legal-project.org. The site is a source of information on "Islamist lawfare" – that is, attempts by supporters of radical Islam to suppress free speech on Islam and terrorism by exploiting Western legal systems and traditions

Even politically correct terminology limits freedom of speech. If the people of the United States allow the Islamic fanatics to succeed in having Shariah law incorporated into US law, freedom of speech will be in greater jeopardy. Be aware that the Shafi’i manual of Islamic law ‘defines “slander” as “to mention anything concerning a person that he would dislike.” Nothing is said about whether or not what is said is true. Between claiming blaspheming or slander or mention quotes from the Quran there is very little we dare say.

Even political correctness limits freedom of speech. Take 10 minutes and carefully consider what “Freedom Of Speech?” means to you and if you are willing to give it up