There are reports floating around that a French blogger is being taken to court over an image posted on their website which was critical of Islam. I can't verify the veracity of these reports, as my French is only as strong as Google Translate makes it, but last I checked, wasn't one of the founding principals of the French Republic the absolute right to free thought with respect to religion?
The website under legal review is Liberty Vox, whose original article (autotranslated) was published way back on June 25th. I have no idea why the French government would be taking action now—which brings the entire report into question.
Here's the offending graphic. Let's hope it hasn't been outlawed here in the United States as well.
Is this "unacceptable" speech?
If any of y'all have more info on this, I'd love to hear it! I'll be posting updates if I get any.
Update: Curses, foiled again! Thanks to J. C. Wilmore for pointing out that speech is actually quite regulated in France, which is actually on its fifth "Republic" since Ye Olde Revolution. Not being an expert on French law, I apologize for the mistake of making a sweeping statement about freedom of speech in France—which is apparently in a pretty dire state.
Comments:
#1 LeCoqFou 09-Nov-2007
Si vous continuez à diffamer le drapeau de France, je serai forcé à prendre la violence française rapide sur votre pays pathétique !
#2 Sonjay Dutt 09-Nov-2007
Nous oser, le régime islamique, en faiant une telle chose dans notre beau pays! Je mourrai avant que je vois que cette série bâtarde libère. La France en vie longue!
#3 J.C. Wilmore 09-Nov-2007
Ummm . . . France is on it's fifth republic since the fall of Louis XVI; that's five constitutions, so you're about four constitutions behind the times. Maybe you should consult the current French Constitution, the constitution of the Fifth Republic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_France
And while you're at it, perhaps you should do some research in French constitutional law to see how they interpret free speech.
I'm just curious as to how you reached your conclusions. I assume you're an expert in this field since you took the time to make such a definitive statement about it. I assume you're an expert because offering an opinion like yours about something you know very little about would be silly, don't you think?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_France
And while you're at it, perhaps you should do some research in French constitutional law to see how they interpret free speech.
I'm just curious as to how you reached your conclusions. I assume you're an expert in this field since you took the time to make such a definitive statement about it. I assume you're an expert because offering an opinion like yours about something you know very little about would be silly, don't you think?
#4 Sonjay Dutt 09-Nov-2007
J.c. Wilmore est du régime islamique. L'assaut, Français, l'assaut!
#5 Brian C. Ledbetter 09-Nov-2007
J.C.,
Touché. Thank you for pointing this out, I've made the appropriate corrections above.
Regards,
Brian
Touché. Thank you for pointing this out, I've made the appropriate corrections above.
Regards,
Brian
#6 Anonymous 09-Nov-2007
J.C. -
#7 Cletus 09-Nov-2007
Srsly J.C you don't have to be such a prolapsed sock of an asshole about it.
Go eat a baguette you "foetus congelé de chèvre"
Go eat a baguette you "foetus congelé de chèvre"
#8 forest 09-Nov-2007
I guess in France the phrase "you have the right to remain silent" has a much broader application.
#9 LeCoqFou 09-Nov-2007
J.C. Wilmore est un pénis de cheval.
#10 LeCoqFou 09-Nov-2007
Quelqu'un aller en vacances ?
#11 J.C. Wilmore 09-Nov-2007
I glanced at the current French Constitution today and noticed that really didn't address free speech.
I think the document you may have been thinking of is "La Déclaration des droits de l'Homme et du citoyen," aka "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen."
You can read about it at Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_the_Rights_of_Man_and_of_the_Citizen
The current Constitution of the 5th Republic explicitly adopts "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" as having constitutional authority. I think perhaps it serves as the rough equivalent of our Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights, though the Bill of Rights is actually considered part of our U.S. Constitution because it is actually ten amendments.
Another interesting comparison can be drawn with the British "constitution," which is in part unwritten.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Constitution
I think the document you may have been thinking of is "La Déclaration des droits de l'Homme et du citoyen," aka "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen."
You can read about it at Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_the_Rights_of_Man_and_of_the_Citizen
The current Constitution of the 5th Republic explicitly adopts "The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" as having constitutional authority. I think perhaps it serves as the rough equivalent of our Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights, though the Bill of Rights is actually considered part of our U.S. Constitution because it is actually ten amendments.
Another interesting comparison can be drawn with the British "constitution," which is in part unwritten.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Constitution
#12 JewMaroo 09-Nov-2007
Brian took that same vacation:
#13 Brian C. Ledbetter 09-Nov-2007
Bwahahahaahah!
#14 Brian C. Ledbetter 09-Nov-2007
J.C.,
Yeah, it's definitely the Declaration of Rights that I was trying to refer to—though it would appear that the modern French government is quite a long way from actually [i]observing[/i] these rights, if the article I linked to is any indication.
I still haven't heard anything further about this little controversy—I pinged a French blogger/compatriot, but he must be Le Busy. Hopefully, we'll be able to see whether this story passes the smell test before [i]too[/i] long... until then, I'll continue to regard it as unsubstantiated scuttlebutt.
Regards,
Brian
Yeah, it's definitely the Declaration of Rights that I was trying to refer to—though it would appear that the modern French government is quite a long way from actually [i]observing[/i] these rights, if the article I linked to is any indication.
I still haven't heard anything further about this little controversy—I pinged a French blogger/compatriot, but he must be Le Busy. Hopefully, we'll be able to see whether this story passes the smell test before [i]too[/i] long... until then, I'll continue to regard it as unsubstantiated scuttlebutt.
Regards,
Brian
#15 LeCoqFou 09-Nov-2007
Mon erreur, ma correction.
#16 Sonjay Dutt 09-Nov-2007
He was there twice! Foutaise sainte!
#17 Sonjay Dutt 09-Nov-2007
[IMG]http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/622/41911776kx5.jpg[/IMG]
#18 Brian C. Ledbetter 09-Nov-2007
LOL! I think Sonjay wins the prize on this one! I'm in [i]stitches[/i] over here!!
#19 forest 09-Nov-2007
Brian,
You look pretty sharp in that expensive leather coat. Speer may have been guilty of using slave labor, but he at least had a decent fashion sense - for a Nazi. ;)
You look pretty sharp in that expensive leather coat. Speer may have been guilty of using slave labor, but he at least had a decent fashion sense - for a Nazi. ;)
#20 Cletus 09-Nov-2007
the nazi's had awesome fashion sense, but they were such pricks that now you can't dress like that anymore
#21 Enzo 10-Nov-2007
Strange to read so much crap in the comments page! Snappedshot is quite rightly concerned with the fate of the blogger and his website. I checked, for the first time ever, the link you gave us and found a VERY interesting site. I spent some time reading well written articles and checked the forum! If you want to know what's happening, please check the last page of the forum. My French is scholastic like my English, but, trust me, I read VERY interesting things...!
Keep up the good work, snappedshot!
I read you every day!
Keep up the good work, snappedshot!
I read you every day!
#22 Enzo 10-Nov-2007
Please, check this out. Blog and blogger are under police investigations!
You are right!
http://leblogdrzz.over-blog.com/article-13665659.html
You are right!
http://leblogdrzz.over-blog.com/article-13665659.html
#23 willow 31-Jan-2008
Lionheart is also under threat, from both the British authorities and mad men such as Charles Johnson of LGF.
Charles Johnson, is a dangerous traitor.
Charles Johnson, is a dangerous traitor.
