I hate, I think.....

[mikecabot at fastcircle.com]

Apparently, the EU will be formally making hatethink a crime, 
although I suspect that this proposal won't in fact get unanimous 
approval. 

Notice how the Nazis (oh, excuse me, the Germans) are providing 
the "legislative basis" for the draft, meaning its modeled after 
existing German hatethink law.

After two World Wars and 56 years, they still don't "get it". And 
obviously neither do some of the rest of the Europeans. (Not that 
Herr Doktor Grupenfuhrer Ashcroft "gets it" either.)

Full text below, this is the URL:

http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2001/11/29/wrace29.xml&sSheet=/portal/2001/11/29/por_right.h
tml



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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