'Fitna' - the calm before the storm?

Just back from Holland where the country is on high-alert awaiting the screening of Geert Wilders' short film 'Fitna'.  The papers have it on every page, the government has done everything it can to stop the film, and the nation is now waiting for the backlash - at home, in the Middle East or elsewhere.

I spent part of yesterday afternoon with Wilders and it is amazing the pressure which has been put on him.  You would have thought that it is the responsibility of any government to say that whether they agree with the sentiments of his anti-Koran film or not, any killings, burnings or riotings will be put solely at the doors of the killers, burners and rioters.  Excusing people from moral accountability is always disgusting, but doing so pre-emptively is an invitation to violence.

Comments

[Buckinghamshire Tory]

Geert Wilders strikes me as a brave man. That is unfortunately more than I can say about Prime Minister Balkende.

[Martin Coxall]

When's it going to show up on BitTorrent?

I'll seed it.

[Susan]

I always thought writers and artists could have free expression; art should continue to be free to stimulate debate. Death threats and rioting are not the answer.

Islam must address the issue of how it will be in 21st century Europe when it follows a 7th century creed - not the other way round.

When even the Archbishop of Canterbury steps aside from his Oath, as he did in his recent comments about accommodating aspects of Shari'a law, it's time we took a good long look at where we are going with this.

Buckinghamshire Tory is right: Geert Wilders is a brave man. I hope every support will be given to him when the inevitable death threats are made again.

[Ron Newman]

This film sounds about as constructive as Birth of a Nation.

[Buckinghamshire Tory]

"This film sounds about as constructive as Birth of a Nation."

Indeed Ron Newman, we should rather just bow down to radical islamism.
Who needs freedom of speach anyway?

[Ron Newman]

Free speech is a great and glorious thing, and I defend his right (or DW Griffith's) to make such a film. Which doesn't mean that making the film is a good idea.

[Susan]

Perhaps DW Griffith was the Geert Wilders of 1915? Society doesn't always address issues - artists have a unique ability to make people think, moreso than politicians. Fitna provokes thought and asks for answers. No one should be afraid of free speech.

[Steevo]

Hollywood has shown their cutting-edge boldness producing anti-Christian movies, *wink*. That's when our Left will spout the virtues of free speech and our first amendment.

DW Griffith is a rare artist.

[Steevo]

Excuse me, I really meant Geert Wilders.

[Jill, London]

All this talk of DW Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" is a diversion.

Nobody has mentioned brave filmmaker Theo Van Gogh being murdered by an Islamic Moroccan living in Holland - in 2004, in Amsterdam.

Van Gogh's 'crime' - "Submission", a documentary shown on Dutch television - exposing what I'll term an unsavory attitude towards some Muslim women by some Muslim men.

Van Gogh worked with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali refugee [now living in the States as her life was in danger in Holland] who wanted these practices exposed in her fight for women's rights for Islamic women in the Netherlands.

At risk of being accused of 'racism', it's about time this country - and the Continental countries [now called collectively "Europe"] - made it clear we are not ruled by Sharia Law, and those Muslims who don't like this - and wish to impose their attitudes on the majority - should be told they would be much happier moving to one of the many countries ruled by Sharia Law.

[Aço]

The movie Fitna is wrong and need to banned ! Why? I will tell you.

As a Dutchman I cannot agree with the way mr. Wilders is thinking or acting. His policy is based on pure hate and so racist.

Geert Wilders needs to critisize the Dutch governement, like other citizens in Western European countries. The governement has a open policy of " allowing " misstandings of monority people in order to avoid tough discussions.

Threat all people the same, under the same law, with the same attitude and be consequent independent of race, nationality or religion.

At this moment: If I have to change to get another passport than the Ducth one, I won´t have to think about it 1 second.

[Aco is a idiot at best.]

Mr Aco didn't see the movie, I did. There is nothign offensive of muslins.

Peace loving people should be offended! But not by this movie. They should feel offended by the fact that are exposed; by the condolescence of our government and finally by idiots like Aço that don't deserve to live in a democratic free country.