It was at the Brussels Journal that I heard of the Fjordman. Just as I discovered him I found that he had stopped blogging on his blog for various reasons. He now contributes on occassion to the afore mentioned Journal. Well worth the read and often you have to be amazed at how similar in thought this non-US citizen seems to echo conservative thought. Hence my attention was captured by his article “In Praise of teh First and Second Ammendment“.
Notice Fjordamn’s great observation of the corrolation between increase of crime and the state’s attempt at censorship.
In contrast, in the European Union of today, which is not a totalitarian society, at least not yet, crime rates are booming in major cities. At the same time, authorities are stepping up censorship efforts, openly talking about media “speech codes” and aggressively slapping labels such as “racism” or “xenophobia” on anybody daring to criticize the immigration policies or pointing out the inadequate response to Muslim gang violence.
Reminders of the Paris riots come to mind when Muslim youth rioted and burned cars nightly and then the state clamped down on the coverage of these acts. In the United States one might look to the Sear’s Tower attack plan was never reported as being Muslim and when such facts came out it was dismissed or ignored.
There is obviously a connection here: The less control the authorities have with Muslims, the more control they want to exercise over non-Muslims. As problems in Europe get worse, which they will, the EU will move in an increasingly repressive direction until it either becomes a true, totalitarian entity or falls apart.
Can one see the attempts to diminish the free speach of truth in America. Truth is redfined and while the PC crowd exalts their rights to profess ‘near’ truths the real truth is squashed as being politically inappropriate. Fjordman offers proofs of such activity it only mirrors many of us in America of similiar illutstrations.
While Islamic groups in Britain openly brag about how they are going to subdue the country by violent means or call for beheading those insulting Islam, Bryan Cork, 49, of Carlisle, Cumbria, in the Lake District, was sentenced to six months in jail for standing outside a mosque shouting, “Proud to be British,” and “Go back to where you came from.” One British court ruled that even use of the word “immigrant” as an insult could amount to proof of racial hostility.
Thought he offers more examples (and I am sure you could produce your own) I will draw one more from his writing.
In Australia, a Christian pastor who was ordered to apologize for vilifying Muslims said he would go to jail rather than say sorry for his comments. Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) deputy president Michael Higgins ordered two pastors to apologize for comments they made in a speech, on a website and in a newsletter. The tribunal found Muslims were vilified by claims that Muslims were training to take over Australia, encouraging domestic violence and that Islam was an inherently violent religion.
His diagonisis is clear and in my opinion true of the west in general and becoming the case in the United States as well.
It is said that free societies are stronger than oppressive societies. This is probably true. However, in the West at the beginning of the 21st century, formal and informal censorship of important issues has become rampant. Without freedom of speech, democracy cannot function. The West is weak because it is no longer free.
George Orwell said: “If freedom of speech means anything at all, it is the freedom to say things that people do not want to hear,” and he was right. Multiculturalists who claim that freedom of speech does not include the freedom to offend others are wrong. In the doctrine of John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty, published in 1859, the right to freedom of expression and its conditions are stated clearly. The most fundamental principle of a freely operating liberal society is the right to the “freedom of opinion.”
Interesting, inspite of what we see as problems in the culture here, Fjordman still sees hope in a document some libs are trying to undermine… that being the US Constitution’s freedoms.
According to Alexander, this trend represents “the greatest erosion of democratic practice in the world’s advanced democracies” since WW2. He recommends that reform-minded Europeans should use “the example of U.S. practice, which tolerates even loathsome speech.” I agree with him. It is time Europeans put aside some of our prejudice against the USA and adopt something similar to the First Amendment in the American Constitution, securing the right to free speech.
In the end Fjordman securely places the importance of both the first and second ammendment. The ability to have freedom of speech and the ability to bear arms when a government becomes totalitarian.
The reason why European authorities are becoming increasingly totalitarian in their censorship efforts is to conceal the fact that they are no longer willing or able to uphold even the most basic security of their citizenry. If their governments are no longer capable of protecting them and their freedom of speech, Europeans may have to arm themselves to do this on their own. Michael Moore’s books, ridiculing American “gun nuts,” are bestsellers in Europe. Sadly, The Bill of Rights is less popular reading. Perhaps the time has come for Europeans to also take a second look at the Second Amendment – The right for the people to keep and bear arms.
While many EU nations snub their nose at the United States we are beginning to hear of some who are understanding the wisdom of the foudners of the United States and the documents we oursleves should better understand. If this does nothing more than renew your desire to understand the founding documents and fight for their adherence in the arean of ideas… then I am glad you were pointed to Fjordman’s article. Perhaps Americans should reacquaint themselves with these principles while we still can enjoy them instead of looking hindsight at what we once had.
Open trackback at Cao’s blog
Also at Outside of the Beltway
Add A Comment