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Showing posts from October, 2006

The Left and Free Speech

http://euobserver.com/9/22630 The European Commission has condemned a French parliament vote in support of a law criminalising denial that Armenians suffered genocide by the Ottoman Turks, saying the move is likely to hinder open dialogue on Armenia in would-be EU member state Turkey. ... The socialist-drafted law was passed by 106 votes to 19 in the lower house and found favour on both sides of the poltical divide with 49 centre-right MPs backing the bill although President Chirac's conservative government has spoken out against it. Note carefully, socialists in France have outlawed a point of view. The Armenian Genocide is not something I am familiar with though it's been in the news a lot lately. Based on other first-hand reports of the behavior of the Ottomans in WWI I give the claims the benefit of the doubt. But the point here is not that some people in Turkey or elsewhere want to deny it. It's that freedom of speech includes the ability to say and believe some pret

Culture of Excuses

Mel Gibson described his infamous anti-Semitic rant at a policeman as "the stupid ramblings of a drunkard," the UK-based Evening Standard’s entertainment guide This is London reported. According to the report, the actor, who has a long history of fighting alcoholism, also said he has not had a drink for 65 days, but admitted staying sober is a struggle. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3313889,00.html That's strange. I have been falling-down drunk on a number of occasions, yet I have never launched into an anti-Semitic tirade. This is a classic example of an individual avoiding responsibility for their own beliefs and actions, by blaming a scapegoat.