euro|topics - Should Wilders be censored?

Main focus of Monday, March 31, 2008

Should Wilders be censored?

Last week's Internet publication of the film 'Fitna' by the Dutch populist legislator Geert Wilders provoked many reactions in the European press. This short film intersperses violent images of terrorism and executions carried out in Muslim countries with verses from the Koran. Is this kind of provocation defensible in the name of the freedom of expression ?

De Volkskrant - Netherlands

The daily argues that Geert Wilders has a hypocritical message. "'Fitna' is a propaganda film that imitates all the methods used by radical and authoritarian regimes to pit communities against each other. The film 'Fitna' tries to push Dutch Muslims into a corner by suggesting that violence and hate come directly from the Koran. Thus, the film justifies Wilders' program that seeks to ban the Koran and close Islamic schools and Mosques. At the end of the film, Wilders calls on Dutch Muslims to rip pages from the Koran. In other words: Muslims cannot become citizens in the full sense of the word without rejecting the Koran. ... With 'Fitna,' Wilders has done the debate around the integration of Muslims in Dutch society a terrible service." (29/03/2008)

Die Presse - Austria

Christian Ultsch describes 'Fitna' as a "crude and uninspired propagandist short film" and comments: "But more disturbing than this disastrous film are the hysterical reactions to it. Not only the Dutch government, but also the EU presidency and the European Commission felt obliged to condemn Mr Wilders' filmic flatus in an attempt to prevent another round of flag and embassy-burning by outraged Muslims. Europe is thus rashly yielding to the neurotic discourse of frustrated and aggressive activists. And indeed, on Friday night it wasn't long before politicians from Jordan to Iran were making angry demands for the film to be banned. But that's going too far: in Europe, freedom of expression must mean that even tasteless rubbish like Wilders' pamphlet can circulate freely - and pronounce its own death sentence." (31/03/2008)

Pravda - Slovakia

Miloslav Surgos has mixed feelings about Wilders' film. "Freedom of expression is one of the fundamental freedoms of Western civilisation. But there's a problem. This film is not about freedom of expression. ... The author creates tensions between the West and Muslims while acting solely in his own interest. He is deliberately provocative and constantly pushing against legal limits. This increases his political popularity. Moreover, he has rather unfortunate opinions on the freedom of others, repeatedly proposing banning the Koran in the Netherlands." (31/03/2008)

Politiken - Denmark

The Danish daily writes that "clever" Dutch imams and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen are right to remain silent on the subject of the anti-Islam film "Fitna". "If this miserable piece of work triggers a media debate and political reactions, it will only be because of the 'cartoon row'. Here in Denmark the polarised discussion and Muslim death threats have led many people to forget that defending the right to freedom of expression is no excuse to switch off one's brain and forget the difference between argument and propaganda, between public discussion and hate-fulled vilification." (29/03/2008)

Libération - France

Following the appearance of Geert Wilders' film on the internet, Dominique Sopo, president of SOS Racisme, objects to "the weakness or the unbelievable character of the reactions of some states. The political reactions of the European states have clearly failed. There is an inability to call Wilders what he is (a character who plays on racism and not a libertarian hellion). There is an inability to prevent this dark story from becoming the subject of a stupefying international debate. There is an inability to bring to an end this religious prism through which immigrant and foreign populations are seen. Regarding Muslim countries, the reactions are equally surprising. The governments of these countries are 'obliged,' one after another, to pronounce on the mediocre diatribe of an obscure member of parliament." (31/03/2008)

» To the complete press review of Monday, March 31, 2008

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