All hate speech is not equal

OK to demonize Jews but very bad to laugh at blacks??

"Consider this example: A recent off-campus party—the so-called "Compton Cookout"—was put on by students at the University of California San Diego and featured a black comedian, who calls himself Jiggaboo Jones. This party's marketing materials, which tastelessly parodied African-American stereotypes, not surprisingly created a firestorm of protest led by the school's ethnic studies department, which in its official blog called the stunt racist and complained such that expressions are "alienating" to minority students. Both characterizations are no doubt true.

But when members of the Muslim Student Association carry signs during on-campus protests that say "Jews = Nazis" and Palestinian students repeatedly and thuggishly disrupt Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren's speech, as they did last month at UC Irvine, where are the complaints of racism and alienation of minority (i.e., Jewish and Israeli) students? Where is the defense of Mr. Oren's free speech?

Indeed the UC San Diego ethnic studies department blog roundly condemns Mr. Jones' party, but offers not a word of protest against the racism of the Muslim Student Association. It does, however, provide column-long string of links to articles condemning Israel—but again, not a word about alleged offenses of any other country—not Iran, not Somalia, not North Korea, not Sudan.

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Black hate speech?

East New York is a crime-prone area inhabited overwhelmingly by blacks and Hispanics but, although the police have witnesses to the crime, they are saying nothing about ethnicity. Blacks however generally seem to get a pass over hate speech so maybe we can read between the lines here

"The family of a Muslim man beaten in Brooklyn over the weekend says his attackers spewed hate speech when they jumped him during his lunch break.

Kamal Uddin, 57, a construction worker from Bangladesh, was beaten so severely in the Saturday attack that he thinks it's August, his family said. He has told family from his hospital bed that the punks who jumped him in East New York targeted him because of his religion.

He was wearing a traditional Muslim prayer cap at the time, and was not robbed of valuables. "They asked him if he was Muslim, and after that he doesn't know what happened," said his daughter, Rohima Begum, 30, at a press conference last night outside Brookdale University Hospital.

The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating, but the case has not been classified as a hate crime because witnesses [other blacks?] have not backed up Uddin's claim that his attackers spouted hate speech, police said.

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No doubt some people will criticize for mentioning the racial aspect of this matter but I view all censorship with a critical eye -- and censoring mentions of race just makes me try to fill in what we are not being told.

Court clears neo-Nazi of race hate speech

Surprising support for free speech in Latvia. They seem to be a lot more restrictive in nearby Finland. Both Latvia and Finland are "next door" to Russia. But, unlike Finland, Latvia has experienced being under Communism so they probably value liberty more.

"The so-called “Senate” or highest appeal level of the Latvian Supreme Court (Augstākā tiesa) has let stand a lower appeals court decision clearing Latvian neo-Nazi Andris Jordāns of charges of inciting race hatred. Jordāns was originally sentenced to an 18 month jail term for statements he made at a meeting of the Latvian Anti-Fascist Committee denouncing Jews and Roma (gypsies) as “not being human”. There were a number of Latvian Jews in the audience during Jordan’s remarks, which, as some video records show, were delivered in a normal, non-threatening tone of voice.

From news reports, it appears that the lower appeals court decision was based on a failure of prosecutors to prove that Jordāns’ speech was an incitement to racial hatred. It did not touch the issue of whether there should be hate speech laws (probably more of a question for Latvia’s Constitutional Court), simply that the prosecution failed to make its case.

Jordāns is precisely the kind of hard case (a racist, anti-semitic loony-tune) where it is necessary to separate principle from personality and stand by the broadest interpretation of free speech. Free expression applies to all speech and expression, regardless of its content and with some very, very narrow exceptions (had Jordān’s statement immediately been followed by an attack on Jews in the audience, there might be a case, similarly, there could be a case for diminished responsibility based on provocation if a Jewish person from the audience had taken a punch at Jordāns)

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It sounds like tone of voice was important -- a statement of alleged fact was not seen as threatening. Makes sense, I suppose.

Wisconsin Army Veteran Allowed to Keep Flag on Display after all

The sunlight of publicity works its usual magic

"A Wisconsin Army veteran -- who faced eviction this week for flying the American flag -- will now be allowed to keep the flag up for as long as he wants.

Under mounting nationwide protest, Charlie Price, 28, of Oshkosh, Wis., and officials at Midwest Realty Management struck a "mutual agreement" that allows the veteran to continue displaying the patriotic symbol, according to a statement posted on the company's website on Thursday.

Price and his wife, Dawn, 27, were previously told they had to remove the flag -- which hangs in a window inside the couple's apartment -- by Saturday or face eviction due to a company policy that bans the display of flags, banners and political or religious materials.

"It means the world to me," Price told FoxNews.com. "The way it happened wasn't the right way because the staff members were getting threatened and we didn't want any violence out of this, but I'm glad we did come to a compromise."

Randy Rich, the apartment complex's property manager, told FoxNews.com that Midwest Realty Management received nearly 4,000 e-mails and thousands of phone calls in connection to the controversy.

In a statement posted on its website on Thursday, Midwest Realty Management apologized to Price and all U.S. veterans. "It was never our intention to hurt the Prices or disrespect what Mr. Price and all veterans have sacrificed for each and every one of us," the statement reads.

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Must not insult critic of Israel?

Muslims can shout insults at everyone day in and day out -- but they have special privileges, of course.

"Two ultranationalist Israeli activists have been arrested for shouting insults at White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

The two men approached Emanuel Thursday as he was touring Jerusalem's Old City with his family under heavy security. The protesters began shouting insults and slogans from afar, yelling, "Jerusalem is not for sale." They were referring to the White House pressure for Israel to halt construction in disputed east Jerusalem.

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Illinois cross draws tourists, ire from atheist

We read:

"Farmers sold pigs to help raise money to build the towering cross on southern Illinois' highest point as a year-round testament to faith. The 11-story monument draws thousands of visitors each year, and supporters say it has promoted self-growth and reflection for nearly half a century.

But over the years, the once-glistening structure about 130 miles southeast of St. Louis began to show its age. The 650 or so white porcelain panels that cover the concrete and steel frame rusted or fell off. Some remained attached with only coat hangers and bailing wire.

A group cobbled together $360,000 of the $550,000 needed to restore the Bald Knob Cross of Peace, including a $20,000 grant from the state of Illinois. Now, a Chicago-area atheist who objects to the grant as a bit of unconstitutional pork has threatened to sue if the group doesn't return the money to the state.

That didn't deter the Friends of Bald Knob Cross. The money was used long ago as a down payment on the renovation of the monument near Alto Pass, Ill., said Bill Vandergraph, a minister and Friends board member.

His group applied for the money only after a state senator said they'd be eligible for it, he said. And, the landmark has proven versatile, housing federal government transmission equipment and used by Union County's conservation department.

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Jewish blogger under fire for 'Leaving Islam?' bus ad

Pamela Geller is one of my favourite people -- and a lot of other conservative bloggers are on her side too. Her Atlas Shrugs blog is always lively and she is one lively lady in general

"The questions on the ads aren't subtle: Leaving Islam? Fatwa on your head? Is your family threatening you? A conservative activist and the organisations she leads have paid several thousand dollars for the ads to run on at least 30 New York City buses for a month.

The ads point to a website called RefugefromIslam.com, which offers information to those wishing to leave Islam, but some Muslims are calling the ads a smoke screen for an anti-Muslim agenda.

Pamela Geller, who leads an organisation called Stop Islamisation of America, said the ads were meant to help provide resources for Muslims who are fearful of leaving the faith. "It's not offensive to Muslims, it's religious freedom," she said. "It's not targeted at practicing Muslims. It doesn't say 'leave,' it says 'leaving' with a question mark."

Faiza Ali, of the New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the ads were based on a false premise that people face coercion to remain with Islam. She said Muslims believe faith that is forced is not true belief. [A barefaced lie. Very Islamic]

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An Army veteran in Wisconsin will be allowed to display an American flag only until Memorial Day

It's "likely to offend"

"Dawn Price, 27, of Oshkosh, Wis., said she received a call from officials at Midwest Realty Management early Wednesday indicating that she and her husband, Charlie, would be allowed to continue flying the American flag they've had in their window for months through the holiday weekend. The couple had previously been told they had to remove the flag by Saturday or face eviction due to a company policy that bans the display of flags, banners and political or religious materials.

"It's basically an extension so we can fly the flag on Memorial Day," Price told FoxNews.com. "It does need to come down after that."

Charlie Price, 28, served tours of duty as a combat engineer in Iraq and Kosovo, his wife said. To honor his eight years of service, she began decorating their apartment during Veterans Day in November. An American flag topped off the display, she said.

Veterans' groups were furious at the realtors' refusal to allow the flag to fly. "As a veteran, it sickens me that the Dawn and Charlie Price's building management company would imply that the American flag could be construed as offensive by their residents," said Ryan Gallucci, a spokesman for AmVets.

Officials at Midwest Realty Management, which manages Brookside Apartments, where the Prices live, did not return several messages seeking comment. In a statement to the Oshkosh Northwestern, company officials said the policy was established to provide a consistent living environment for all residents.

"This policy was developed to insure that we are fair to everyone as we have many residents from diverse backgrounds," the statement read. "By having a blanket policy of neutrality we have found that we are less likely to offend anyone and the aesthetic qualities of our apartment communities are maintained."

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Anybody who is offended by the American flag in America shouldn't be in America. Try Canada.

Freedom of Speech vs. Workplace Harassment Law -- A Big Free Speech Win in the Ninth Circuit

This case gets a bit long and technical so I will try to summarize:

A math professor by the name of Kehowski sent out a few emails proclaiming the superiority of Western civilization. He sent them to everybody in the internal mail system of his college. He was particularly scornful of official Mexican racism (The "La Raza" concept)

Lots of Hispanics got peeved by that and sued the college for letting Kehowski do it. They had a bit of a win initially but when it went to the 9th circus on appeal, they lost in spades, with the judge saying some rather amazingly pro-free-speech things.

How come? Pretty surprising for the 9th Circus. Color me an old cynic but I am inclined to think that a Polish-American judge might have felt more than usually sympathetic to a Polish-American "offender". Bad of me, I know. We all know how impartial 9th circus judges are.

A few good excerpts from the judgment:

"Their objection to Kehowski's speech is based entirely on his point of view, and it is axiomatic that the government may not silence speech because the ideas it promotes are thought to be offensive"

"The right to provoke, offend and shock lies at the core of the First Amendment.

"We therefore doubt that a college professor's expression on a matter of public concern, directed to the college community, could ever constitute unlawful harassment and justify the judicial intervention that plaintiffs seek"

"It's easy enough to assert that Kehowski's ideas contribute nothing to academic debate, and that the expression of his point of view does more harm than good. But the First Amendment doesn't allow us to weigh the pros and cons of certain types of speech. Those offended by Kehowski's ideas should engage him in debate or hit the "delete" button when they receive his emails. They may not invoke the power of the government to shut him up."

Details here

Student Suspended for Wearing Rosary beads

We read:

"Raymond Hosier, a 13-year-old Schenectady, New York, boy, is gearing up to file a federal suit against his middle school after he was repeatedly suspended for wearing a rosary, which he says is in memory of his older brother who died in a bike accident.

Hosier said he has worn the rosary since September, but in the last week was suspended three times, most recently on Monday, when he arrived at school with the beads outside his shirt.

"When I wear the rosary beads," Hosier says, "my brother's memory is alive." His brother, Joey Hosier, was holding the rosary when he died.

But officials at Oneida Middle School say the district's code of conduct clearly states that beads worn outside of the shirt are forbidden.

"Beads are often identifiers for gangs," says Karen Corona, who handles communications for the Schenectady City School District. "The code of conduct is entirely about keeping students safe....

Hosier is being represented by the conservative American Center for Law & Justice, which has argued several cases nationally involving freedom of speech and religion.

The lawyers are planning to file a suit in federal court claiming the school violated Hosier's constitutional rights to free speech.

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There was a similar case in February, also in NY. In that case the ACLU were defending the kid. This time the kid gets conservative defenders!

I don't have much sympathy for the kid. The rosary is an aid to prayer, nothing else. Using it as a necklace seems rather poor taste to me. It is certainly not a form of religious expression in such a usage. I think the conservative lawyers in this case are simply showing their ignorance of what rosary beads are for.

No freedom to sculpt?



Sculpting is surely a form of self expression and many forms of self-expression have been held to be covered as protected free speech

"In suburban St. Louis County, Missouri, a judge has sentenced Lewis Greenberg, 66, to 20 days in jail. Greenberg’s crime? Well, it would be silly to describe his offense as a ‘crime.’ He’s in legal hot water because his neighbors don’t like his art, because a judge agrees with them, and because he refuses to modify that art to the specifications of his critics.

Greenberg calls his yard sculpture installations a ’statement on the Holocaust.’ Local bureaucrats cite ’safety’ concerns and characterize their demands as being made on behalf of ‘the children’ who live near, but not on, Greenberg’s property.”

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They sure look odd but most modern sculpture looks fit only for the rubbish tip to me. But it's his yard they are "adorning". What was that bit about a "free country"?

Considering the rubbish that passes as art these days, his problem must be that he is not anti-Christian enough. Anything anti-Christian is sure to be defended as "legitimate" art.

Conservative radio talkers opposed by Leftists for "hate"

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

"There's a new speech sheriff in the town of Fresno, California, and they want to silence conservative talk radio. And they'll say or do whatever it takes to get it done.

New "community group" Citizens for Civility & Accountability in Media (CCAM) is super-peeved at Fresno, California radio station KMJ for having the temerity to broadcast (on their two stations) conservative talk radio hosts to whom people want to listen.

Because, you see, it's "hate speech" - according to CCAM. And therefore, KMJ should "alter their programming" (read: change their content by silencing conservatives) "in order to curtail practices that we believe to be damaging to our social fabric and to civility in public discourse."

It would seem the residents of Fresno do not believe that Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck and others on KMJ are "damaging to our social fabric and to civility in public discourse." But that could not matter less to CCAM.

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Afghans accuse British defence boss of racism and disrespect

Must not say that Afghans are primitive and backward, even though they are

"Liam Fox was under attack last night for damaging Britain’s relations with Kabul after he described Afghanistan as a “broken 13th-century country”.

The Defence Secretary’s comments, made in an interview with The Times published on Saturday, provoked fury from the Afghan Government and media with officials calling the claims racist.

In his interview Dr Fox said that there must be a distinction between military and humanitarian goals. “We are not in Afghanistan for the sake of the education policy in a broken 13th-century country. We are there so the people of Britain and our global interests are not threatened.”

A senior Afghan government source said: “His view appears to be that Afghanistan has not changed since the 13th century and it implies that Afghanistan is a tribal and medieval society.

“Despite the sacrifices of British soldiers and the massive support of the British Government we do not feel that there is a mutual respect. His remarks show a lack of trust.”

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Mustn't wear faith-based T-shirt on camera?

Apology after Congressman raises the issue

"The top officer for FEMA said one of the agency's videographers was "absolutely wrong" to ask Mississippi church volunteers not to wear religious T-shirts for a video about tornado cleanup.

Angelia Lott and Pamela Wedgeworth, who are sisters, told The Associated Press that the FEMA worker videotaping the cleanup on Saturday in the small town of Ebenezer asked them to do on-camera interviews but requested that they change out of their T-shirts because of a Salvation Army logo.

"He said, 'We would like to ask you to change your shirt because we don't want anything faith-based,'" Lott said Tuesday.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate said in a statement issued Monday that the man's actions "in no way reflect FEMA's policies or priorities." "The photographer in question was absolutely wrong," Fugate said.

Fugate also apologized to Crossgates Baptist and to the Salvation Army.

U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss., is a member of Crossgates Baptist and said he was distressed to hear volunteers had been asked to hide expressions of their faith. Harper said Fugate called to assure him that FEMA does not discriminate against religious groups.

Harper said Fugate told him the photographer had been fired.

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Must not write in opposition to "diversity"

Washington University physics professor Jonathan Katz, one of five scientists appointed by the Obama administration to oversee the oil 'spill' mess in the gulf has been decommissioned.

He was fired, not because of incompetence, but because his online compositions question the value of diversity. Specifically, he wrote that the diversity movement is innately racist stating that "race matters only to racists."

Sad that politcal correctness trumps expert scientific contribution. Some of his scholarly writings have been posted at Scientific Commons

Katz sounds like a fairly mainstream conservative -- and that will never do in a U.S. government employee during the Obama regime

The truth is liable to prosecution in Sweden

We read:

"Several newspapers reported that Skånepartiets party chairman Carl P Herslow is being charged with ”incitement to racial hatred” after he was on the town square in Malmö with a picture of Muhammad and 6-year-old Aisha.



The image stems from the generally accepted fact in Islam that Muhammad married a 6-year-old girl and raped her at 9-years old. The image is therefore something that is described in the Islamic texts about Muhammad – the Muslims' primary role model. How this ”prophet” lived is something that Muslims strive to live by, as he is ”the perfect man” according to their beliefs.

That Mohammed sexually assaulted young children is therefore no secret (read the hadith on jihad in Malmö). Yet JK chooses to prosecute him for incitement to racial hatred (”hets mot folkgrupp”).

Put that in relation to what went down in the mosque at "Medborgarplatsen” in Stockholm. The mosque sold anti-Semitic tapes in 2005 – Jews were compared to monkeys, pigs and diseases, and that the ”Final Solution” for Jews was a ”jihad” – holy war.

”O Allah, annihilate the Jews, O Allah, annihilate the Jews! O Allah curse them and expulsions them and let them whipped with suffering. O Allah, of heaven and earth! ”

Then Justice Chancellor at the time, Göran Lambertz, began a preliminary investigation on the incitement of hatred, but decided to close the case on the grounds that the ties were ”very critical of the Jews” but otherwise there was no violation of Swedish law.

So, in Sweden today, you can prosecute a man for telling an established truth that is openly described in Islamic texts, but to prosecute Muslims call for the murder of Jews is not hate speech according to the Chancellor.

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Muslim intimidation triumphs again, it seems

We read:

"A Facebook page considered offensive to Islam that led to a Pakistani ban on the site has been removed, possibly by its creator.

Facebook said on Friday it had not taken any action on the page, which had attracted more than 100,000 users and encouraged users to post images of the prophet Mohammed, purportedly in support of freedom of speech.

Most Muslims regard any depiction of the prophet, even favourable ones, as blasphemous...

The Facebook page, called "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!," had declared Thursday as the day to draw Mohammed, so it was possible the creator took it down Friday because the page had served its purpose.

The page encouraged users to post images of the prophet in protest against threats made by a radical Muslim group against the creators of the American TV series South Park for depicting Mohammed in a bear suit during an episode earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Seattle cartoonist Molly Norris, whose satirical cartoon calling for an "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" inspired the Facebook page, said in a post on her website that she meant her work only to be a commentary on the South Park controversy.

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Pink Hitler posters provoke fury



Although they were allied with Hitler in WWII, Italians have fewer hangups about it all because Italian Fascism was not antisemitic. When the Germans came looking for Jews people all over Italy hid them -- church institutions particularly. At one stage Castel Gandolfo -- the summer retreat of the Pope -- was full of Jews being kept out of sight of the Germans

"Giant posters of Hitler dressed in bright pink, with a love heart in place of a swastika, have provoked a furious debate in Italy. The 18ft high posters of the Nazi leader advertise a line of clothing for young people and adorn street corners and bus stops in Palermo, Sicily's biggest city.

The ads show the Fuhrer in a lurid pink uniform, with his swastika armband replaced with one bearing a bright red heart, above the slogan "Change Style – Don't Follow Your Leader".

Many local people say the advertising campaign is offensive and have called for the posters to be taken down.

But the advertising agency which came up with the idea said critics of the campaign were over-reacting. The Hitler poster was a tongue-in-cheek way of encouraging young people not to follow the crowd in their fashion choices.

"We have ridiculed Hitler in a way that invites young people to create their own style and not to be influenced by their peers," said the agency's Daniele Manno.

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Judge not allowed to tell criminals what he thought of them

Only in Britain:

"The dad of a teenage vandal branded "absolute scum" by a magistrate today backed the JP's bid to win back his job — saying: "I totally agree with him."

Austin Molloy, 57, was axed from his job as chairman of the bench when a court clerk complained after he branded two 16-year-old boys who vandalised Blackburn Cathedral "scum".

He made the remarks at Blackburn Magistrates Court while sentencing the yobs for scrawling obscene graffiti on prayer books and damaging a priceless John The Baptist cross — causing £3,000 of damage.

But now the father of one of the boys, who along with his son cannot be named for legal reasons, has backed the magistrate's choice of words. He said: "I totally agree with what Mr Molloy said and I've not got a problem with him whatsoever. "I back him 100 per cent. As far as I am concerned Mr Molloy should get his job back...

Mr Molloy, a managing director at an engineering firm, told the teens, from Darwen, Lancs, while sentencing them: "Normal people would consider you absolute scum." But he was immediately reprimanded by court clerk Christine Dean for his "inappropriate language".

Grandad-of-one Mr Molloy, also from Darwen — chairman of the bench for 14 years and a magistrate for 18 — has received widespread support from local politicians and residents.

More than 2,000 people have joined a Facebook campaign in support of the JP, while others have begun a group saying the clerk who reported Mr Molloy should be sacked instead.

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NH: American flag may fly again outside home

We read:

"A Navy veteran in Hillsborough will now be allowed to fly his U.S. flag outside his apartment building. Hillsborough police said an agreement has been reached to allow residents of the Maple Leaf Village complex to fly flags.

Joe LeVangie, 88, and his neighbors had been told to take down the flags because they were displayed in violation of a policy set by the management company.

LeVangie is a World War II veteran and said he flew his flag to honor troops serving overseas. … Police said all parties are in agreement, and the details will be worked out with the property custodian.”

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