[Rictor]

Britain to extend hate-crime laws

In Britain, inciting racial hatred is defined as using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior "with intent or likelihood to stir up racial hatred."

and

Sharon insults France

A diplomatic crisis has erupted between France and Israel over Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's call for French Jews to immigrate to Israel because of "wild anti-Semitism" in France.

Though each piece of news is quite interesting in itself, taken together, the logical conclusion would be that Sharon is not welcome in the UK anymore (not to mention France, which has already announced they don't want him in the country), though I somehow doubt that will happen.

[Stryke 9]

Sharon isn't welcome in a lot of places right now.

Particularly places like France and Spain. Given the militant Muslim population in both countries, he'd last about as long as he would on the streets of Damascus.

And what the hell is a "diplomatic crisis" with Israel? It's not like North Korea or China, where if you piss 'em off they'll nuke your allies or stop shipping two-thirds of the goods your country relies on. It's just, like "Give us more money or we'll compare you to Hitler!", which is basically the same situation with the Israeli government whether there's a crisis or not.

[Nico]

Originally posted by Stryke 9
Particularly places like France and Spain. Given the militant Muslim population in both countries,

Large militant muslim population? Where do they hide?
Besides, the goverment doesn't give a damn about that, as proven by the visit of the Jintao in January. They want to be friendly or not with a guy, but they won't do it or not coz said minority doesn't like said guy.

[SadisticSid]

Great, more pandering trash laws which make the idea of free speech a joke. The only limitations on what we say should be slander and libel laws - just because some BNP tosser in some backwater pub starts ranting off against jews and muslims (and that IS what this whole issue is about - that 'shocking' BBC documentary last week) doesn't mean ordinary people are going to start riots on a whim. I don't think we're ever going to have truly free speech in any country again

[Flipside]

The thing is, I've not particularly noticed extremeists from either side being afraid of jail sentences, and the British Law system would be too terrified to lock up a 'Priest' of any religion, regardless of what he says about other religions. So the law won't apply to them, so the only people this law actually applies to is people who are 'average Joe's' in the street, I've seen people who have claimed that mispronouncing a saints name is religious hatred, so what exactly defines it?

Ah well, I would say I hope Blair etc knows what he's doing, but I'm utterly convinced he hasn't get a ****ing clue.

[karajorma]

Does anyone else find it ironic that Sharon is telling people to move to Israel to avoid violence?

[Sandwich]

They're just envious. Urging people to move due to persecution isn't an insult. This, on the other hand, is.

Originally posted by karajorma
Does anyone else find it ironic that Sharon is telling people to move to Israel to avoid violence?

In a way, it is highly ironic. But come visit here a month or two and you'll see why it makes perfect sense.

[Flipside]

...I'm going to back out of this thread now, but not before I've had a good long laugh at myself and the rest of my species. You know, I wonder how humans in the future, if there are any, would view this particular period in our existence, what would they call it?

The Age of Unreason?
Second Religious Decline?

Just a thought really....

[Nico]

Originally posted by Sandwich
They're just envious. Urging people to move due to persecution isn't an insult. This, on the other hand, is.
 

Yeah, and Longinus sticking his spear in Jebus chest was too. You can remount to Mathusalem, even, if you want, there's insults back then. There's also Gégé, the drunken guy from the local bar, he keeps calling everybody's name, be it jew, black, Paris people, martian or short clad women
But really: envious? Man, jews in France seem very happy of their condition, and I bet none of them would be ready to leave their homes and jobs to go back to that hellhole that is Israel right now, just coz Sharon says so . Dunno about you, having the choice of a calm life ( antisemitism in France, yeah, it exists, but right now, it seems directed only at graves, go wonder ) and a country ridden with terror strikes...
That said, CHirac should have laughed at that, and not have been angry. Man, that would have rocked, I imagine:
"TV guy: and now, french president Chirac will comment on Israeli Prime Minister Sharon:
-Chirac: Mister Sharon [ usual pause which is at least 3 seconds long ]... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
That would be historic

[Nico]

Originally posted by Flipside
...I'm going to back out of this thread now, but not before I've had a good long laugh at myself and the rest of my species. You know, I wonder how humans in the future, if there are any, would view this particular period in our existence, what would they call it?

The Age of Unreason?
Second Religious Decline?

Just a thought really....

Dunno, they'll have a hard tme calling our era, coz they'll be in the Second Stone Age

[Rictor]

Do you think that anti-Semetism remark might have a little something to do with France not rubber-stamping Israel's latest escapades in the occupied territories?

The way Sharon (and most of the yes-man media) makes it sound, a second Holocaust is just around the corner. Seriously, people need to get some sort of perspective. Rampant anti-Semetism in France? I dunno, sounds politcally motivated is you ask me. But I find it a bit...covenient, that this whole "European anti-Semetism" bull**** starts going around just as France, Germany et al develop a backbone and oppose unilateral suport for Israel's actions. Appaerently, "New Europe" are the trusted lackeys and they're A-OK, while "Old Europe" are those who have the sheer audacity to stand up and apply the same standard to Israel as they do to anyone else, well they're just a bunch of Jew-hating poopie-heads, right? How about the head-scarf ban? Wouldn't that qualify as anti-Muslim?

[Black Wolf]

So, calling Israel a ****ty little country makes me a Jew hater? Dude - it's about 20,000 square kilometers - we have Cattle stations bigger than that. It is a ****ty little country.

[Rictor]

I think its the ****ty part that is offensive. Its no worse than the "chocolate-makers" remark by a US official a few months ago.

But I don't think that appropriate for a government offical. The fact that the comment was made in private makes it sort of a grey area, but in general, diplomats shouldn't say **** like that.

[Knight Templar]

Originally posted by Black Wolf
So, calling Israel a ****ty little country makes me a Jew hater? Dude - it's about 20,000 square kilometers - we have Cattle stations bigger than that. It is a ****ty little country.

You ****ing nazi...

[vyper]