Daily Lemon: Freedom of speech on trial in France

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Freedom of speech on trial in France - tahe Charlie Hebdo Case

Freedom of speech on trial in France.
The French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo is in court defending itself against defamation charges over reprinting the Danish Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons. Two French Muslim organizations, the Great Mosque of Paris and the Union of Islamic Organizations of France, led by Lhaj Thami Breze, are suing Charlie Hebdo for "public insults against a group of people because they belong to a religion".

The case concerns an edition of Charlie Hebdo from February last year, a special issue on the Danish cartoons, in which it reprinted the 12 drawings first published in the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten. Charlie Hebdo also included its own cartoons lampooning other religious figures. The magazine and its publications director, Philippe Val, face the defamation charge, which carries a possible six-month prison sentence and a fine of up to EUR 22,000.

Philippe Val defended publication of the cartoons, saying they were aimed "at ideas, not men". "If we no longer have the right to laugh at terrorists, what arms are citizens left with?" he added. "How is making fun of those who commit terrorist acts throwing oil on the fire?

The case clearly illustrates the abyss between Islam on one side, and human rights and the democratic freedoms our fathers and grandfathers have struggled to establish and preserve, on the other. In a democracy, for instance, the freedom of faith (or no faith at all, for that matter), the freedom to express an opinion (even though it may be an uncomfortable one, like this one), the right to vote for a representative of your choice, to criticize government (and clergy if necessary) are fundamental.

Under Islam, democracy as we know it is not possible, since its teachings does not recognize any other authority other than that of Allah, interpreted, of course, by the muslim clergy. Under islam, voting, criticizing or expressing an opinion like this one is out of the question, since it deviates from the sanctioned, and could possibly undermine this supreme authority. And with it, one might add, the sometimes very comfortable life the muslim clergy has enjoyed for centuries.

If a French court, in a country that often claims to be the birthplace of civil liberties, should decide against Philippe Val and the Charlie Hebdo magazine we're on the slippery slope back to where human rights were in the middle ages. In fact, we're headed exactly for the year 1428, which is the current year in the islamic calendar.

On the lighter side, check out this story on Plain Crazy about the dude trying to make a buck on the whole thing...

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