[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 35 (Thursday, March 11, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H1326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GEERT WILDERS IS PROSECUTED AND PERSECUTED FOR FREE SPEECH
(Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute.)
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, freedom of speech continues to be
shouted down by the politically correct police. In the Netherlands, it
is against the law to say something that offends someone else's
religion.
That is why Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders is on trial for hurting
people's feelings. He made a movie about terrorists and radical Islamic
clerics encouraging violence in the name of hate. Now he is on trial
for insulting Islam. He is charged with discrimination and incitement
to hatred. Because Dutch law is intolerant of intolerance.
The Dutch courts say even truthful insult speech is a crime. Sounds
like the law has become the enemy of free speech and a protector of
radicals.
Geert Wilders boldly brings to the world's attention the dangers of
religious radicals who believe in hateful violence, and he gets in
trouble for it. He ought to be commended rather than condemned and
charged with a crime. Freedom of speech is a universal human right,
granted by God, especially if that speech is political, religious, or
truthful. A free people won't tolerate intolerance for freedom for very
long.
And that's just the way it is.
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