On Friday, February 14, 2003, at 11:43 AM, Eric Cordian wrote:
Ernst Zundel's prison diary may be found atOr consider the case of Janice Barton in Manistee, Michigan:
http://www.rense.com/general34/ernz.htm
While I have not followed the debate between Ernst Zundel and God's Chosen
People in any great detail, I would suggest that any legal action against
Mr. Zundel which depends in the least bit on the accuracy of what he is
saying is misguided and wrong.
Freedom of speech is certainly the freedom to believe and say things which
turn out to be incorrect.
If we only have the freedom to speak government approved truths, then we
have no freedom at all.
I should also point out that there is no defense of truth permitted in the
"hate laws" of Canada and most European countries. Saying something which
the court rules might cause people to dislike a particular religious or
ethnic group will land you in prison, regardless of its factual accuracy.
http://www.vdare.com/fulford/barton.htm
an excerpt:
"Mrs. Barton was arrested for using the word "spic in a public place. Hearing some people talking Spanish in a restaurant, she said to her mother - not to the people speaking Spanish - "I wish these damned 'spics' would learn to speak English."
One of the Spanish-speakers could understand her, though. She was an off-duty Sheriff's Deputy named Caroline Benitez. She followed Mrs. Barton outside, took down her license number, and complained to the local police.
Two weeks later, Mrs. Barton was arrested under a local ordinance forbidding "insulting conduct" in a public place.
--end excerpt--
There have been several reports on this, including court briefs, so I don't think it's an Internet urban legend as some stories have been.
The whole modern legal theory of "hate speech" and "hate crimes" is offensive to liberty.
--Tim May
