Geert Wilders, one the Netherland’s most notorious right-wing politicians, seeks to make headlines around the world with the debut of a new film that criticizes the Koran.
A Radio Netherlands report on Dutch expatriates living in Muslim nations finds widespread concerns about a backlash over the film.
A majority, recalling the murder of Theo Van Gogh by a religious extremist over his film “Submission,” which criticized the status of women in Islam, also say that Wilders’ film project will put his own life in danger.
And almost half of “Dutch citizens in Islamic nations” said they are already facing “problems or even danger” due to Wilders’ activities.
Despite this, a majority supported Wilders’ right to free expression, and blamed the Dutch government for failing to adequately deal with pressing immigration issues at home.
Source:
“Wilders and his film worry Dutch expats”
Radio Netherlands, January 23, 2008
No doubt it takes courage to criticize anything from the religion o peace. LOL.
Everyone gets criticized and everyone gets offended in a free country. I am a devote Christian and we get hit on the head all the time. Are we threatening to kill comedians, feminists, and gays who slag Christianity? Maybe a 10/2billion of us, whereas Muslims seek to take rabid delight in being offended and the ensuring calls for blood. If this politician wants to say the Koran is evil, let him. He can also say that the Bible is evil. Lots of people have with no trouble from Christians or Jews.
If Muslims can not take criticism of the Koran they should be expelled. Grow up or leave. Freedom means people will offend you, get over it.
When Christianity was approximately the age Islam is, I seem to recall that there WERE a fair number of people who died for not believing or practicing ‘properly’ so, yeah, you’re not really in any position to criticise.
(Worth noting that the only people who’ve threatened my life or liberty based on my beliefs, comments, or association with the wrong people have said they were acting in the name of a certain Jewish carpenter. Hard to take those folks seriously when they tell me the biggest risk to my life is a handful of folks halfway around the world.)
Stormkite – how exactly was your life or liberty threatened by a Christian? I suspect you are exaggerating just a little. On the other hand, Muslim terrorists have moved well beyond the stage of being a mere threat. Indeed, in recent years they have taken multiple lives in the majority of countries with any significant population. They act while you exaggerate. How are we to take you seriously?