Geert Wilders Pat Condell: Video Commentary from Pat Condell on Geert Wilders' Trial

Here is an excellent video commentary from Pat Condell regarding Amsterdam courts and Geert Wilders. Pay attention America. As Amsterdam prepares to condemn one of their own members of Parliament, with no regard for freedom of speech, this can still yet be our future.

This trial affects all of us. As Condell says we are all traveling the same road, and we will all arrive at the same place if we do not recognize what is going on.

Pullout quote from Condell:

It doesn't get anymore immoral than that...Shame on, shame on, the crooked judges of Amsterdam. ~ Pat Condell

For more: Atlas Shrugs and Express.co.uk

Pat Condell on Geert Wilders

Thanks to friends Tow-MASS and DJ.

Repeal the First Amendment Petition Video! OMGosh! Video

I grabbed this from MonkeyintheMiddle via Holger Awakens. Watch as Americans sign a petition to repeal the First Amendment.

Americans sign a petition to repeal the First Amendment (video)

Online Commenters Outed: Subpoena Issued for "Real" Names

A Las Vegas online newspaper has received a subpoena signed by attorney J. Gregory Damm, from the U.S. District Attorney's office, to reveal the names of online commentors. The Las Vegas Review-Journal editor, Thomas Mitchell, said they plan to fight the subpoena.

Mitchell said anonymous speech is a fundamental and historic part of this country.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal's article on a local construction company executive, Kahre, paying contractors with pieces of gold and silver, based on market price and then paying taxes on a lower face value. Here's two of the 175 comments:

One commentator said: "The sad thing is there are 12 dummies on the jury who will convict him. They should be hung along with the feds." Another called Damm [assistant district attorney] a "socialist, fascist Mormon" and a "Nazi moron." The comments are written under pseudonyms. Along with the real names of people who posted comments, the subpoena asks the newspaper for the writers' gender, birth date, physical address, telephone number, Internet service provider, IP address and credit card numbers.

Kahre and Damm have a history. Kahre has sued Damm after a 2003 raid on his business and that case is still pending. In 2007, Kahre sued Damm, the FBI and the IRS and...

Two years ago, Damm prosecuted a similar tax case against nine defendants, including Kahre. The trial ended with no convictions and four acquittals.

Related: Richard Horton is NightJack: British Blogger NightJack Loses Anonymity

Restricting Criticism: White House Makes Another Move

Language that send a chill up your spine. The following concerns a White House blog: Update on Recovery Act Lobby Rules: New Limits on Special Interest Influence. Attempting to silence all criticism of the Porkulus Bill, the White House is not the slightest intimidated about putting the plan right on the White House blog. This is the kind of language that should send a chill up your spine.

White House

This from Mark Tapscott at the Washington Times who writes: "This is the Camel's nose under the tent, being poked..."

Check out this passage from a post on the White House blog by Norm Eisen, Special Counsel to the President on Ethics and Government Reform (emphasis added): [red text Maggie's Notebook]

"First, we will expand the restriction on oral communications to cover all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists. For the first time, we will reach contacts not only by registered lobbyists but also by unregistered ones, as well as anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program.

"Second, we will focus the restriction on oral communications to target the scenario where concerns about merit-based decision-making are greatest –after competitive grant applications are submitted and before awards are made. Once such applications are on file, the competition should be strictly on the merits. To that end, comments (unless initiated by an agency official) must be in writing and will be posted on the Internet for every American to see.

"Third, we will continue to require immediate internet disclosure of all other communications with registered lobbyists. If registered lobbyists have conversations or meetings before an application is filed, a form must be completed and posted to each agency’s website documenting the contact."

The key passage is the reference to expanding regulation from registered lobbyists to "anyone else exerting influence on the process. We concluded this was necessary under the unique circumstances of the stimulus program."

Please read the entire post at Mark Tapscott for links and commentary. H/T to Hot Air, also with great commentary.

Then visit ShopFloor who notes that the same restrictions being put into place "do not apply to people like corporate executives or officials." [...and the officials are ???] and asks these questions:

What exactly is “the merits?” How do we determine what these merits are? Apparently not through oral communication, i.e., “Oh, hi, Bill. That’s a good project.” No phone calls, either.

Everyday we hear about the next White House move. With each move, we lose a bit of our independence. Restricting criticism???

fas⋅cism

 Noun - A governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.

Photo credit: Michael Eklund-Grayum

What if it was the "N" Word - No One Cares about the "C" Word

Obama Supporters Call Sarah Palin a C*nt - Where is the Media Cross-posted by Susan at Wake up America Update by Maggie: Heard a few snippets of reporting on this today on Fox News' America's Newsroom. Anchor and attorney Megyn Kelly mused that this is going too far, and should not be considered free speech in America (paraphrased).

(Click image to enlarge) The media has been busy reporting the "anger" of the conservatives at the McCain/Palin rallies, how supporters want McCain to get tougher on Obama and force Obama's terrorist associations into the eyes of the public and how McCain has been forced to "defend" poor little Barack Obama.....but where are the media reports about Obama supporters wearing t-shirts calling Sarah Palin a Cunt? Have you seen this reported anywhere at all? Please let me know where and I will add the link as an update. This picture came to me via email, the email text is below:

I was at a Sarah Palin event in Philadelphia, at the Park Hyatt Hotel - late Saturday afternoon (Oct. 11th). If you are easily grossed out by the "C" word, I am sorry. But as Andrea says below, if McCain supporters wore a shirt that said "Obama is a Nigger" or even "Obama is a Bastard" or "Obama is a Terrorist" at an Obama Rally, they would either be thrown off the premises, have their heads kicked in, or even be detained at the local police station (I know this for a fact: I just had on a McCain button at a recent Obama event and I didn't think I was going to get out alive). Sorry the picture is not clearer. But these four young people were right in front of the hotel. They have on the nicest shirts. There were worse. There was group as well carrying around a fake dead fetus - exclaiming that "abortion should have been the path for Bristol(?) Palin". And quite a few smoke bombs, etc. etc. I also had some nice words thrown at me. There were about 500 organized protesters. And about 500 not so organized at this event. The police and hotel security and secret service were letting me all the way up to the hotel steps. In a few cased ... a few protesters got into the lobby. In my family, the "C" word is about as bad as you can get. Was this reported on the Philadelphia News. No!. Was anyone outraged? No!. All that was on the Philadelphia local news last night was: Obama was at several rallies in Philadelphia earlier in the day (but went home Saturday night to be with his children). Obama and Palin were in Philly on the same day. And was there any mention of Palin - No!. In the Sports section of the local evening news at 11:00PM, they did mention that Palin was at the Philadelphia Flyers game "dropping the first (hockey) puck". The guy said it with a smirk. Then he added that Sarah Palin WAS NOT going home to spend the evening with her children. Sorry the attached picture is not clearer. I need a new camera. Please circulate this to as many people as possible and let them see the double standard. Not good stuff for a Sunday morning. But this is the REAL AMERICA!. - Frank (Last name redacted for privacy by WUA management)

A PS from Andrea (last name redacted by WUA):

Calling Sarah Palin a c*nt would be the equivalent of a group of protesters calling Obama a nigger. If that ever happened you know we would be seeing it for weeks replayed endlessly with discussions about how the race is still close because Americans are racist.

I wonder what is taking the media so long to report something this obvious? [Update] More hatred and vitriol from the left via Malkin. Thanks to Flopping Aces for the link and welcome FA readers! Welcome Logistics Monster readers as well. Thanks Instapundit and LA Times top of the ticket for the links and welcome to everyone.

Warriors for Free Speech Battle-on Against Islam

The voice of Muslim "community" is reaching fever-pitch. Ezra Levant, a Canadian publisher, was forced to defend himself and his publication against complaints filed with the Alberta Human Rights Commission by the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities. The "voice" is singular - the Muslim "community" throughout the world is the single voice of Islam. Levant had the strength and constitution to fight back and 900 days later the AHRC dismissed the Islamic complaint against him. If you are not familiar with his story, his opening statement as the Alberta Human Rights Commission began its interrogation of him is a good place to start. Read his statement or watch the video here.

 Feb. 11, 2006: A file photo of Michel Brunelle holding a sign saying 'Freedom of the press is sacred', argues with a Muslim man who called him a racist during a demonstration by local Muslims [in Canada] protesting the recent publishing of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a Danish newspaper. Photo Credit: John Mahoney/Montreal Gazette

The Muslim community was offended that Levant dared republish the "Danish cartoons" of Muhammed. They took their complaint not to court but to a Human Rights Commission. Here's a portion of Levant's response in defense of own human rights:

I am here at this government interrogation under protest. It is my position that the government has no legal or moral authority to interrogate me or anyone else for publishing these words and pictures. That is a violation of my ancient and inalienable freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and in this case, religious freedom and the separation of mosque and state. The commission was meant to deal with deeds, not words or ideas. Now the commission, which is funded by a secular government, from the pockets of taxpayers of all backgrounds, is taking it upon itself to be an enforcer of the views of radical Islam. So much for the separation of mosque and state.

Levant was lambasted by Leftist columnists when the dismissal was announced. Naomi Lakritz ("Jewish" according to Levant), writing for the Calgary Herald, lamented the lengthy process within the HRC and didn't hesitate to blame Levant for failing to take advantage of "conciliation."

[Levant] Yes, I was offered conciliation. The offer sounded like this: "pay cash to the radical Muslims, and give them a page in your magazine, unedited. Then we'll let you go." Most people take it -- they don't have the time or money to fight these bastards for 900 days.

By accepting and acting upon the Edmonton Muslim Community complaint, the Commission violated Levant's right to free speech. That's the issue: freedom of speech violated in the name and defense of Islam. Is the dismissal a victory for Levant?

I suppose, in a narrow technical sense, it is. I’m off the hook now for both of the HRC complaints. That’s two legal battles done – though I’m still up to my eyeballs fighting defamation suits and other legal actions that the human rights industry piled on top of these complaints. But I’ve read the dismissal letter three times now, and each time it makes me more angry. Because I haven’t been given my freedom of the press. I’ve simply had the government censor approve what I said. That’s a completely different thing. Pardeep Gundara – a second-rate bureaucrat, a nobody – had to give me his approval for me to be allowed to go back to my business. For 900 days I was in the dock, waiting for this literary giant to pronounce his judgment on me. And I found favour in his eyes – but barely.

Here's Levant on another violation of free speech by the AHRC:

Two months ago, Rev. Stephen Boissoin was given an outrageous sentence by the Alberta HRC for doing the same thing I did. Rev. Boissoin even met Gundara’s goofy tests. Why was I acquitted and Rev. Boissoin convicted, sentenced and humiliated? Because I’m a pain in the neck to the HRCs, and I have been embarrassing them ever since I YouTubed their interrogation of me. They wanted to avoid the PR disaster of a trial. Rev. Boissoin is more their style: a quiet man they can beat up with impunity.

Boissoin has been forbidden, for life, to speak of, refer to or quote any biblical passage on homosexuality.

Read more about Boissoin in Jeremy Maddock's Soft Facism: The Persecution of Reverend Stephen Boisson.

About the Kafkaewque Show Trial of Mark Steyn

About the Council on American-Islamic Relation's (CAIR) defamation suit against Anti-CAIR's Andrew Whitehead Read more on a first Islamic complaint, now withdrawn, against Levant.

Graphic by No Sheeples Here
 

Technorati Tags: Ezra Levant, Violation of Freedom of Speech, U.N., Alberta Human Rights Commission, Mark Steyn, Reverend Boisson, Andrew Whitehead - Anti-CAIR, Council on American-islamic Relations