...In an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph, EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said the charter would encourage the media to show "prudence" when covering religion.
"The press will give the Muslim world the message: We are aware of the consequences of exercising the right of free expression," he told the newspaper. "We can and we are ready to self-regulate that right."...
...The code would be drawn up by the European Commission, the EU executive body, and European media outlets, he said. It would not have legal status....
LINK
Way to go, Europe. Way to show some spine. We'll wait for the next "outrage" from the religion of peace, so's to give in on even more of your rights.
E.U. raises white flag.
Discussion in '2006 Archive' started by Bro. Curtis, Feb 9, 2006.
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
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Shades of Chamberlain...
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Then I suppose the U.S. press should use the "N" word and print NAZI cartoons about Jews?
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Of course not, but there is no law preventing that, nor is there a government-proposed code of conduct concerning that. Even if this proposal doesn't have legal status, it will be used as precedent.
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
Where does your logic originate from ? -
I doubt Frattini's comments will have much impact. Freedom of the press is a highly cherished commodity in Europe. Note the French ran the cartoons yesterday, as well as one of their own.
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
I hope so, Roger.
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DIE WELT ARTICLE
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The cartoons were precipitated by specific actions of a certain group..the planned bombings, often of innocent people. There would be a difference if someone stood up and spoke against a people just because he could. I don't think that is what free speech is all about.
For example, what is gained with all this press talk about Wayne Gretzky and his wife based on allegations about gambling? We claim a man is innocent until proven guilty by a court of his peers. How many others have been slandered in large, bold print on page one and an apology offered in fine print on page 49?
Free speach and free press cannot be without propriety. If all are not free, no one is free.
Cheers,
Jim -
Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
The Swedish government has moved to shut down the website of a far-right political party's newspaper over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
The site's host, Levonline, pulled the plug on the website of the Swedish Democrats' SD-Kuriren newspaper after consulting with the government.
It is believed to be the first time a Western government has intervened to block a publication in the growing row.
Kuriren editor Richard Jomshof said the government was breaking the law.
"We have to do something about it. This is illegal. They can't do this just because we are a small magazine," he told the BBC News website.
The Swedish Democrats are a small anti-immigrant party with no representatives in parliament, but a few local elected officials.
Jomshof said the newspaper had a print run of about 30,000.....
LINK
Looks like surrender, to me. -
It will reach a point where government secrets are fair game for the press, but insults (perceived and actual) will be banned. Having lived for 8 years in Germany, I'm not surprised, but greatly saddened.
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ONe far right website being affected by one European government does not look like surrender to me.
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
We disagree, Roger. I see a definate cave-in, so's not to offend.
I respect ya, greatly. But disagree. -
Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
OK, maybe surrender is a strong word.
The Danish editor at the centre of the prophet caricature furore has been sent on indefinite leave after a disagreement with management about whether their newspaper should also print cartoons of the Holocaust.
Flemming Rose, the culture editor of Jyllands-Posten who commissioned the original 12 cartoons last year, has defended the decision of his and other European newspapers to publish as a valid exercise to test the growing tendency for self-censorship when handling Islamic subject matter
But earlier this week he said he would also be open to reprinting cartoons depicting the Holocaust commissioned by an Iranian newspaper. That prompted a public disagreement with editor-in-chief Carsten Juste, who has also come under pressure to resign over the row. "The editorial management and Flemming Rose have agreed that he needed a break from work until further notice," said Tage Clausen, a spokesman for the Jyllands-Posten paper.
Jyllands-Posten has apologised for offending Muslims but has insisted it was right to print the cartoons because of the importance of freedom of speech. Muslims incensed by the images have insisted that Denmark properly apologises to defuse the row. Yesterday, the deputy prime minister, Bendt Bendtsen, said he understood Muslim anger but condemned the violent protests that have broken out in Muslim countries.
The EU has tried to draw the sting of the protesters by calling for a voluntary code of conduct for the media that would avoid further inflaming religious sensibilities. The US has accused Iran and Syria of deliberately stoking up reactions.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoonprotests/story/0,,1706729,00.html#article_continue -
I don't disagree with the principle of a voluntary code of conduct if it would include offences against Christians and Jews.
I don't see how a voluntary code of conduct is a bad thing. -
Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
I don't either. But I see governments shutting down offensive websites as very scary. The key word is voluntary.
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I agree in principle.
The title of this thread is something about Europe waving the white flag. Sweden is not even a part of the EU.
If you want to say "Sweden waves the white flag" I might be able to agree to some extent.
Here is a quote from the article in the OP
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
You are quite correct, sir. Like I said, as often the case, the wording is quite strong.
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Bro Curtis - I always enjoy a good little exchange with you. They are always so pleasant
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Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>Site Supporter
And I respect the way you stay out of the unfruitful discussions, and add sanity to the threads that veer. You set a great example.
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