“But some on the left, like former Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal, appeared torn between the desire to defend the unfettered free speech for which the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists died and reprimand the teen for her foul-mouthed outburst. While defending Mila’s ‘total’ freedom to criticise a religion, Royal said she should have shown more ‘respect, manners and knowledge’ and should not be made into ‘a paragon of freedom of expression.'”
Segolene Royal’s distorted view of what constitutes free speech is the core of this raging debate: it is not criminal, nor should it be, to attack any ideology. Who has given Segolene Royal and her ilk the right to be arbiters of “respect, manners and knowledge”? And since when are disrespect, ill manners and supposed lack of knowledge punishable offences?
Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet declared the death threats received by Mila were “unacceptable in a democracy” but added her remarks about Islam were “clearly an infringement on freedom of conscience”. Belloubet’s remarks caused an outcry from the opposition with the Republicans’ leader in the lower house of parliament Damien Abad fuming: “It’s called freedom of expression!”
Belloubet has declared Mila’s speech an “infringement on freedom of conscience”; once again, who decides this? Promoting hatred and violence against identifiable groups in countries which have hate laws in place is different than criticizing an ideology. There are those who view criticism of Islam, despite its teachings of violence, to be “hate speech” because, in their argument, such criticism makes all Muslims look bad.
If hate crimes are actually being committed against Muslims, then they should be prosecuted for what they are, but stifling speech because it might lead to hate crimes is ludicrous and unjustifiable. It is an infringement on the rights and freedoms of citizens in democratic countries. In the name of pluralism and, ironically, “diversity,” Muslims need to learn to accept offense, like adherents of every other religion. If they cannot, then they should not live in democratic countries. They should remain in Sharia-compliant countries, where offense against Islam is actually a crime.
Note also that this AFP report about Mila was reprinted by CTV News, which recently likened European “populists” who oppose jihad violence to Hitler and opposition to jihad violence to the Jew-hatred that led to the Holocaust. The two who were featured in what should have been an honest CTV Holocaust memorial report — not a politicized attack on “populists” — were Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders, both solid supporters of Israel and of Jews.
“French teen’s anti-Islam rant revives debate on free speech,” by Clare Byrne and Maria Elena Bucheli, AFP, February 4, 2020:
PARIS, FRANCE — An outspoken French teenager has reignited a polarizing debate over free speech in the country after an expletive-laden Instagram rant against Islam that has forced her to stay home from school on safety fears….
In a TV interview Monday, Mila said she did “not regret” her remarks and defended her right to “blaspheme”.
Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen responded by tweeting: “This young girl is braver than the whole political class in power over the past 30 years.”
The Senate leader of the main opposition Republicans party, Bruno Retailleau, also issued a robust defence of Mila against “this political Islam which is trampling our values”.
But some on the left, like former Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal, appeared torn between the desire to defend the unfettered free speech for which the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists died and reprimand the teen for her foul-mouthed outburst.
While defending Mila’s “total” freedom to criticise a religion, Royal said she should have shown more “respect, manners and knowledge” and should not be made into “a paragon of freedom of expression.”
Freedom of expression?
Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet declared the death threats received by Mila were “unacceptable in a democracy” but added her remarks about Islam were “clearly an infringement on freedom of conscience”.
Belloubet’s remarks caused an outcry from the opposition with the Republicans’ leader in the lower house of parliament Damien Abad fuming: “It’s called freedom of expression!”
The furor began when Mila, a striking figure with short hair dyed purple and piercing blue eyes, live streamed footage of herself doing her makeup on Instagram on January 18.
Recounting the events to the host of the popular chatshow Le Quotidien on Monday, Mila said: “A guy was hitting on me heavily during the live, telling me ‘you’re beautiful, you’re hot, what age are you?”.
She duly informed those watching that she was lesbian and that “blacks and Arabs” were not her type.
Cue a stream of insults and threats, followed by her now infamous response, spoken directly to camera.
“The Koran is a religion of hatred, there is only hatred in it. Islam is shit, your religion is shit,” she said, describing in lewd terms what she would do to “your god”….