EU agrees on new racism rules.

[Ban my account ffs!]

http://www.startribune.com/133/story/1131328.html

You could get up to 3 years for condoning, denying, or "trivializing" crimes against humanity, genocide, etc. etc.


I am strongly opposed to this measure.  While I think anyone who denies the holocaust is an idiot, I think it is a blow to freedom to throw someone in jail for it.  Hooray to Britain, Denmark, and Italy for being skeptical and at least keeping freedom of expression in mind.

I think Hubert Humphrey had it right:  "The right to be heard does not equal the right to be taken seriously."  That's a good standard to apply here.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Well, it's really a sad state of affairs when you have a bunch of stuffy bureaucrats making laws, especially when they don't have to be accountable to the people. 

One thing that really baffles me is that you may not purchase "Mein Kampf" in many European countries and "Triumph of the Will" is banned as well.  I could go down to Barnes and Noble tomorrow and buy Mein Kampf right from the shelf.

You cannot make up for past atrocities by banning books and adverse opinions (however false and stupid they may be).