I do not agree with many of Geert Wilders' ideas. I have linked to his fifteen minute film once in the past in the spirit of free speech because many called for censorship of the film.
My belief is that it is wrong to ban the Qur'an or any book, which is something Wilders has called for. As someone who supports free speech and independent thought, I strongly feel book banning limits education and censors debate. If one bans the Qur'an then other books, which may or may not contain violent elements, could also be banned. This could include books of other faiths.
Though I disagree with some of Wilders' ideas, I do not believe banning him from the UK is wise. I happen to agree with Terry Sanderson, a leading UK secularist, who is adamantly opposed to banning Mr. Wilders from the United Kingdom.
Wilders has not advocated violence against Muslims. He has opinions about the Islamic faith and believes that the Qur'an incites violence. Islamic radicalism is a legitimate issue of our time and stifling various ideas on the subject is destructive. Whether or not one agrees with Wilders, banning him from a country which purports to support freedom of speech is a violation of this important value.
Certainly the anti-Wilders demonstrations have been quite violent and distasteful. The following images from protests are courtesy of SpitsNieuws:
i like this. i like the fact that you are fair and that you don't blindly support him but support free speech. you are very clear and i have enjoyed reading your articles here. good for you.
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I am a journalist and researcher, and have written numerous research and investigative pieces. My work has been published with several notable organizations, including CAMERA on Campus, the Jewish Policy Center, Pajamas Media, and the Investigative Project on Terror.
My interests include ethics and epistemology, history, economics, and international relations.
I graduated from the University of California, Irvine with distinguished honors, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English. Presently I am pursuing a Master's degree at USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism in the field of Broadcast Journalism. I can be reached at Reut AT reutrcohen DOT com.
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i like this. i like the fact that you are fair and that you don't blindly support him but support free speech. you are very clear and i have enjoyed reading your articles here. good for you.
Post a Comment
Comments and feedback are welcome and appreciated. Please stay on topic and avoid profanities unless it is relevant to the discussion. By commenting on the site, you agree that you are not impersonating anyone else and that you are solely responsible for the content you post. In commenting on the website you agree that you are not violating copyright or intellectual property rights of others. Spam and commercial posts are not permitted and will not be published. Disagreement and debates are welcome, but comments which are slanderous, demeaning, obscene, resort to ad hominem, and/or are of a threatening nature will not be published. Opinions expressed in the comments section do not necessarily reflect the views of the website’s author. The author of the website reserves the right to reject or remove comments at any time and for any reason.