Another Example of the Erosion of Free Speech

by Jaymez

17 October, 2016

 

Whatever happened to “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”?

This quote is attributed to renowned philosopher Voltaire, and is the basis for the RIGHT to FREE SPEECH in every democratic country. The problem is, we no longer have a right to free speech. It is being torn down through legislation and regulation, and even more ferociously by the viscous response of the ‘hard left’ who will destroy anyone they disagree with.

The latest example of the decline in free speech comes from The Netherlands, but it is being duplicated throughout the West.

The sign is saying STOP the Geert Wilder’s ‘phobias’

Geert Wilders, leader of the Party of Freedom in The Netherlands, is to be put on trial for hate speech. His crime?

He asked a crowd of supporters at a rally in Den Hague, “Do you want more or fewer Moroccans in this city?” The crowd then chanted “Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!” Wilders said, “I’ll take care of that.”

More than 6,400 racial vilification complaints were filed based on that incident.

You might not like that comment, particularly if you are a Moroccan, and especially if you are unaware of what is going on in The Netherlands. But it was asked in the knowledge that even though Moroccans only make up 2% of the population in the Netherlands, they are over represented in the crime statistics.

According to a 2011 report commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Interior, 40% of Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands between the ages of 12 and 24 have been arrested, fined, charged or otherwise accused of committing a crime during the past five years.

In Dutch neighbourhoods where the majority of residents are Moroccan immigrants, the youth crime rate reaches 50%. Moreover, juvenile delinquency among Moroccans is not limited to males; girls and young women are increasingly involved in criminal activities.

The “Dutch-Moroccan Monitor 2011” also reveals that most of the Moroccan youth involved in criminal activities were born in Holland. This implies that the children of Moroccan immigrants are not integrating into Dutch society.

The report, which was produced by the Rotterdam Institute for Social Policy Research (Risbo) at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, examines the extent and nature of crime among the Dutch-Moroccan population in 22 municipalities in the Netherlands. The data were taken from the Herkenningsdienstsysteem (HKS), a nationwide database where the Dutch police register criminal suspects.

Many ‘multi-culturalists’ in The Netherlands blame the lack of integration of Dutch- Moroccans, their relative high levels of criminality, their high unemployment rates and over reliance on welfare, on Dutch racism. But this doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. The Netherlands is a very multicultural society with over 150 countries represented, yet no other minorities represent the same problems as the Moroccans.

The aforementioned study revealed that Moroccan youth are substantially over represented (compared to other immigrant groups, such as Antilleans or Turks, or native Dutch) in every stage of the Dutch criminal justice system.

To point this fact out, or raise it as a matter for attention or discussion, is apparently a crime.

In the Netherlands as a whole, Moroccan youth are over-represented in the crime statistics by 196%.

In Den Hague, the over-representation rate is 150%; in Amsterdam it is 142% and in Rotterdam it is 135%.

In nine of the 22 municipalities, however, the over-representation is greater than 300%.

In Ede, a town in the center of the Netherlands, the over-representation is 481%; in Den Bosch it is 372%, in Veenendaal it is 368% and in Zeist it is 356%.

Given these facts, isn’t Geert Wilders entitled to ask his question?

Should a politician, or anyone be prosecuted for asking such a question? Surely it is enough, for those who disapprove, to state why they disapprove — rather than ban free speech altogether?

If issues can’t be discussed, problems cannot be resolved. And clearly there is a problem in The Netherlands with Moroccan integration. In addition to the crime statistics already mentioned:

• Over 60% of Moroccan youths between 17 and 23 drop out of school without even a basic qualification.
• Moroccan youth unemployment in the Netherlands is around 40%.
• More than 60% of Moroccan males between ages 40 and 64 live on Dutch social welfare benefits.

The problems in The Netherlands it not just something recognised by politicians and supporters of what the left likes to call the ‘far’ right.

In 2015 Rotterdam’s Moroccan-born Muslim mayor told those who do not wish to integrate into Dutch society, they should “get lost,” leave the country. He says no-one is forced to stay in The Netherlands, so if they don’t like it they can leave.

If those same words were spoken by Donald Trump, he’d be called a racist. Just as in Australia, the ‘Love it, or leave it’ banners are described as racist.

But this Moroccan born Muslim mayor is grateful for the life his adopted country has given him.

The only difference between what Wilders and Rotterdam’s mayor said is that Wilders actually named the group which is known to be creating most of the tension, violence and crime in The Netherlands.

As the mayor points out, he has almost 150 nationalities living in Rotterdam. Had he mentioned that compared to all other nationalities in Rotterdam, Moroccan youth are over-represented in every stage of the Dutch criminal justice system by 135%, he too could have found himself in the courts, facing the same charge a Geert Wilders: “suspicion of insulting a group of people based on race and inciting discrimination and hatred” .

Geert Wilders at a political rally surrounded by body guards

What should be a crime is that Geert Wilders has to live under 24 hour police protection wherever he goes because of the death threats made against him by the same people who claim they feel vilified.

Geert Wilders has spent more than a decade wearing a bulletproof vest and being shuttled between safe houses to avoid assassination.

“I’m not in prison,” he says. “But I’m not free, either. You don’t have to pity me, but I haven’t had personal freedom now for 10 years. I can’t set one foot out of my house or anywhere in the world without security.”

“I’m an elected politician,” he says.

“If you don’t agree with me, vote for somebody else. What did I do, except for expressing my views?”