EU aims to criminalise Holocaust denial

[sirs]

So, apparently the mass murdering massacres in the Sudan & Turkey, aren't a biggie.  At least not worthy of criminilizing their denials.  And while Domer supports what the EU wants to do in installing a Thought Police law, such equally egregious crimes perpetrated on African Americans & American Indians doesn't even warrant a response.

Gotta love the (in)consistency

[domer]

Europe handles Europe's history and problems, consistent with their principles and traditions. If the US, for example, had a significant minority using the supposed absence of slavery as a potent tool to stoke the fires of hatred in a contemporary political movement with a hate message at its base, then maybe a "slavery-denial" law would have to be looked at. Yet, the US has an entirely different history from Europe and an organic political document proclaiming free speech as almost a consummate good, unlike in Europe.

[sirs]

As I said, gotta love the inconsistency

[domer]

Don't try to fit my mind into the shape of your own.

[sirs]

Oh, I wouldn't dare try to match your obviously superior intellect       


 

[domer]

I said nothing about superior (just correct in this instance).

[sirs]

Like I said           

[Amianthus]

If the US, for example, had a significant minority using the supposed absence of slavery as a potent tool to stoke the fires of hatred in a contemporary political movement with a hate message at its base, then maybe a "slavery-denial" law would have to be looked at.

Can you show that there is a similar problem in Europe?

[domer]

There are plenty of examples, Ami, which I'm not going to take the time now to document. Indeed, there's frank neo-Nazi activity in Eurpoe to a degree alarming to some, but on the broader front there's a nativist movement, perhaps fueled by North African immigrants and others not Jews, who will gladly clomp onto an anti-Semitic message either as a stepping-stone to anti-immigrant hatred or who realize that one good scapegoat (Jews) can serve to organize hatred against all "outsiders."

[Amianthus]

There are plenty of examples, Ami, which I'm not going to take the time now to document.

"I'm too intellectual to bother backing up my arguments."

[domer]

Search "anti-Semitism Europe" on Google, and take your pick, Ami.

[Plane]

Holocaust denial may be compared to either the match or the fuel for a feared conflagration that could again consume Europe, and all the smoky points short of that.

Lets compare the denial to a spark , and the anti-semitic attitude to a fuel vapor , can I compare the  forbidding of certain ways of thinking to the containment vessel of the spark and fuel that will make the resulting explosion brisant?

Holocaust deniers seem stupid when they are surrounded by reliable evidence that is easily found and difficult to deny.

But to forbid them from saying what they want lends a sort of credibility to them that they haven't earned.

As a technique for preventing a conflagration ,this one is weak.

Another metaphor might be the small boil that needs lancing , it is not really good to prevent the gush of noxious puss , youmight get a lot more puss later in a bigger boil more painfull to lance.

Europe can't solve its problems with anti-semitism by stifling the freedom of expression , it does nothing to persuede the wrong thinking people , even if it may hide the puss a little while.

[domer]

We disagree, Plane, though my position, oft-stated, is to defer to the Europeans.

[Plane]

We disagree, Plane, though my position, oft-stated, is to defer to the Europeans.

I don't disagree about that particular part.

This is a clear European jurisdiction , our comments ar no more than the advice of an elder brother.

[Amianthus]

Search "anti-Semitism Europe" on Google, and take your pick, Ami.

From the first link returned:

It is not that Europe has become more anti-Semitic, it is simply that, over the past few years, people have felt much more at ease in expressing their prejudices. In part this is to do with the situation in the Middle East.

Obviously people must have the right to criticise Israel, but it frequently appears to be the case that a standard is applied to Israel that isn't to the rest of the world. The US is also a victim of this kind of hypocrisy - thousands will turn out to protest against President Bush and yet they'll be silent when it comes to a genuinely bloody dictator.

It's not the far-right that are the problem, as they have been brought under control in Europe. It is the politically-correct, centre-left which simultaneously condemns acts of anti-Semitism while defending regimes which support terrorism against Israel.

Quoted from interview with Peter Sichrovsky

Doesn't seem to support your contention.