Free Speech and Muslim Extremism

by Charles Lenchner · 2009-02-22 08:23:00 UTC
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On the Media replayed a story about the future of free speech in Europe in light of the tensions over radical Islam. Earlier this month, right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders was denied entry into the United Kingdom to screen his controversial film about Islam. British authorities claimed that this was essential to protect public order. Another way of understanding that is to accept that some Muslims in Britain would indeed engage in disruptive or violent acts in response to the act of screening a movie. Is that true? Why?

Listen here:

I saw a bit of the film that Geert Wilders produced. It is pretty hateful. But nothing worse than what I've seen produced by antisemites against Jews. How should we set boundaries on legally protected speech that is offensive to others? Should we?

Charles Lenchner
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