ZGram - 11/29/2001 - "EU considers plans to outlaw racism"

[irimland@zundelsite.org]

Copyright (c) 2001 - Ingrid A. Rimland

ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny

November 29, 2001

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

Of today's news, this one is probably the most significant for our
struggle.  It will be interesting to see how the Brits will take to freedom
of speech restrictions the rest of Western Europe has chafed under for some
time.  And for this they fought a war?

[START}

 Thursday 29 November 2001

 telegraph.co.uk

 EU considers plans to outlaw racism

 By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Brussels

 (Filed: 29/11/2001)

 RACISM and xenophobia would become serious crimes in Britain for the first
time, carrying a prison sentence of two years or more, under new proposals
put forward by Brussels yesterday.

 Holocaust denial or "trivialisation" of Nazi atrocities would be banned,
along with and participation in any group that promotes race hate. The
plans, drafted by the European Commission, define racism and xenophobia as
aversion to individuals based on "race, colour, descent, religion or
belief, national or ethnic origin".

 Ordinary crimes would carry heavier penalities if they are motivated in
any way by racism or xenophobia, or if the culprit is carrying out
"professional activity", such as a police officer. Some of the crimes
listed are, broadly speaking, offences under British law already, such as
public incitement to violence.

 But the list also a covers a wide range of activities that sometimes fall
into the sphere of protected political speech, such as "public insults" of
minority groups, "public condoning of war crimes", and "public
dissemination of tracts, pictures, or other material containing expressions
of racism of xenophobia" - including material posted on far-Right internet
websites.

 It was not clear yesterday how the law would affect radical Islamic groups
that openly promote anti-Semitic and anti-Christian views. Nor was it clear
how it would apply to political parties opposed to mass immigration, such
as Austria's Freedom Party, Belgium's Vlaams Blok, and the Danish People's
Party, all of which have become serious political forces.

 The law could potentially cover many stand-up comedians, and even Anne
Robinson, who, during an appearance on BBC television this year, described
the Welsh as "irritating".

 The proposals, which will require the unanimous backing of all 15 states,
are aimed at ending the patchwork of different laws across the European
Union and establishing a common definition that can be used by all judges.

 The commission appears to have adopted the most restrictive code -
Germany's - as the basis for the rest of the EU. Leonello Gabrici, the
Commission's judicial spokesman, denied that there was any intention of
curbing political expression. "This totally respects free speech. It will
be up to judges to decide where the balance lies" he said.

 The United Kingdom Independence Party said yesterday that it could be
targeted by the new rules, noting that the Oxford English Dictionary
definition of xenophobia is "a morbid fear of foreigners or foreign
countries".

 Nigel Farage MEP, the party's chairman, said: "I'm morbidly xenophobic
about this new country called the European Union, so if that is covered by
this law then I'm most certainly xenophobic and I could be extradited
anywhere.

 So I'm going to make sure my overnight bag is packed and ready."

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(Source:  news.telegraph.co.uk )

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Thought for the Day:

"Liberty of thought is the life of the soul."

(Voltaire)