“But some on the left, like former Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal, appeared torn between the desire to defend the unfettered free speech for which the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists died and reprimand the teen for her foul-mouthed outburst. While defending Mila’s ‘total’ freedom to criticise a religion, Royal said she should have shown more ‘respect, manners and knowledge’ and should not be made into ‘a paragon of freedom of expression.'”
Segolene Royal’s distorted view of what constitutes free speech is the core of this raging debate: it is not criminal, nor should it be, to attack any ideology. Who has given Segolene Royal and her ilk the right to be arbiters of “respect, manners and knowledge”? And since when are disrespect, ill manners and supposed lack of knowledge punishable offences?
Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet declared the death threats received by Mila were “unacceptable in a democracy” but added her remarks about Islam were “clearly an infringement on freedom of conscience”. Belloubet’s remarks caused an outcry from the opposition with the Republicans’ leader in the lower house of parliament Damien Abad fuming: “It’s called freedom of expression!”
Belloubet has declared Mila’s speech an “infringement on freedom of conscience”; once again, who decides this? Promoting hatred and violence against identifiable groups in countries which have hate laws in place is different than criticizing an ideology. There are those who view criticism of Islam, despite its teachings of violence, to be “hate speech” because, in their argument, such criticism makes all Muslims look bad.
If hate crimes are actually being committed against Muslims, then they should be prosecuted for what they are, but stifling speech because it might lead to hate crimes is ludicrous and unjustifiable. It is an infringement on the rights and freedoms of citizens in democratic countries. In the name of pluralism and, ironically, “diversity,” Muslims need to learn to accept offense, like adherents of every other religion. If they cannot, then they should not live in democratic countries. They should remain in Sharia-compliant countries, where offense against Islam is actually a crime.
Note also that this AFP report about Mila was reprinted by CTV News, which recently likened European “populists” who oppose jihad violence to Hitler and opposition to jihad violence to the Jew-hatred that led to the Holocaust. The two who were featured in what should have been an honest CTV Holocaust memorial report — not a politicized attack on “populists” — were Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders, both solid supporters of Israel and of Jews.
“French teen’s anti-Islam rant revives debate on free speech,” by Clare Byrne and Maria Elena Bucheli, AFP, February 4, 2020:
PARIS, FRANCE — An outspoken French teenager has reignited a polarizing debate over free speech in the country after an expletive-laden Instagram rant against Islam that has forced her to stay home from school on safety fears….
In a TV interview Monday, Mila said she did “not regret” her remarks and defended her right to “blaspheme”.
Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen responded by tweeting: “This young girl is braver than the whole political class in power over the past 30 years.”
The Senate leader of the main opposition Republicans party, Bruno Retailleau, also issued a robust defence of Mila against “this political Islam which is trampling our values”.
But some on the left, like former Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal, appeared torn between the desire to defend the unfettered free speech for which the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists died and reprimand the teen for her foul-mouthed outburst.
While defending Mila’s “total” freedom to criticise a religion, Royal said she should have shown more “respect, manners and knowledge” and should not be made into “a paragon of freedom of expression.”
Freedom of expression?
Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet declared the death threats received by Mila were “unacceptable in a democracy” but added her remarks about Islam were “clearly an infringement on freedom of conscience”.
Belloubet’s remarks caused an outcry from the opposition with the Republicans’ leader in the lower house of parliament Damien Abad fuming: “It’s called freedom of expression!”
The furor began when Mila, a striking figure with short hair dyed purple and piercing blue eyes, live streamed footage of herself doing her makeup on Instagram on January 18.
Recounting the events to the host of the popular chatshow Le Quotidien on Monday, Mila said: “A guy was hitting on me heavily during the live, telling me ‘you’re beautiful, you’re hot, what age are you?”.
She duly informed those watching that she was lesbian and that “blacks and Arabs” were not her type.
Cue a stream of insults and threats, followed by her now infamous response, spoken directly to camera.
“The Koran is a religion of hatred, there is only hatred in it. Islam is shit, your religion is shit,” she said, describing in lewd terms what she would do to “your god”….
Buraq says
A new, surreal ending for the children’s story about the King having no clothes. The little boy cries, “The King is naked!” and his parents have to hide him as the King’s supporters and crooked tailors hunt him down for telling the truth!
revereridesagain says
+1 !!!
Wellington says
Craven.
Wake the hell up, France. Islam will utterly destroy freedom if you let it. Defend this young woman unconditionally regarding what she said because the alternative down the road is unconditional surrender to Islam, a mortal enemy of liberty.
elee says
+1
gravenimage says
Hear, hear, Wellington.
James Lincoln says
+1
drljr says
While Islam is not a religion, it is a theocracy, it is rooted in violence. Islam citizens do not like having their theocracy exposed for what it is. And the “Progressives” had better wake up and learn what Islam does to those who will not worship their god Hubal. I don’t support her behavioral choices but she told the truth.
Wellington says
Respectfully a query: How can you have a theocracy with a belief system that is not a religion?
I remember full well many years ago at the Union League in Philadelphia asking Daniel Pipes about (my term) the theocracy in Iran? He replied to me by saying that Islam is not a theocracy.
Now, I dispute this, even though I fully concede Dr. Pipes knows a great deal about Islam. Technically or theoretically speaking one could maintain, as Pipes did, that Islam is not a theocracy because it has no formalized clergy as, say, numerous Christian sects do, but I would argue that Islam has established a de facto theocracy nonetheless wherever it is “in charge.” Rather as the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629-1684—the latter year being when King Charles II yanked the Bay Colony’s charter because, among other reasons, they wouldn’t stop killing or torturing Quakers and Catholics, Charles being a remarkably tolerant man for his age like his good friend, William Penn, and who like Penn detested rank religious zealousness) was effectively, that is to say de facto, a theocracy run by its chief politicians such as Governor John Winthrop.
Well, sorry for the long digression but it really was to cast more light on the larger point I initially made, to wit, how can you have a theocracy (another example being the 21st Dynasty {c.1085-c.945 B.C.} of ancient Egypt which was a dynasty of priests) without a religion, whether that theocracy is only de facto or also de jure?
Just wondering. Your turn,drljr.
gravenimage says
Fine post. Islam is indeed a religion–it is just a profoundly evil one.
James Lincoln says
Yes gravenimage,
Islam an evil religion – and political ideology.
gravenimage says
True, James–it is both.
william carr says
“Rather as the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629-1684—the latter year being when King Charles II yanked the Bay Colony’s charter because, among other reasons, they wouldn’t stop killing or torturing Quakers and Catholics”,
A timely example of how the hands of the ‘christians’ have not always been clean. There are many others of course which can easily be researched. In Britain Charles II’s predecessors Queen Elizabeth1 and Mary1, known as Bloody Mary, being notable examples.
Wellington says
Yes, Christian hands have most certainly at times in the past not been “clean,” but it is imperative to comprehend that when Christians acted badly in the name of their faith they were violating the tenets of their religion which calls for no physical violence against non-Christians or against Christians deemed to be “improperly” Christian.
By contrast, Islam in its theological blueprint has it all over the place that violence is indeed to be used to spread the faith and to kill all those Muslims who leave Islam—109 verses in the Koran (as opposed to 0 verses in the New Testament) calling upon believers to engage in war to extend Islam across the earth “until all religion is with Allah” {Sura 8:39} testifies to this as does Sura 4:89 which says “those who leave the way of Allah seize them and kill them.” Christianity in its theological blueprint doesn’t have any rot like this.
Ideology matters. Big time. The fact that some people won’t fully implement the dictates of an ideology, or wrongly do so, is secondary. And the ideology of Islam versus the ideology of Christianity should leave no doubt in a mind possessed of common sense and moral intelligence that Islam is a menace to mankind, and especially to liberty, and that Christianity is not.
Carol the 1st says
It’s the *peak* of absolute thick-headedness for Justice Minister Belloubet to say about Mila: “her remarks about Islam were ‘clearly an infringement on freedom of conscience’”.
This is a BLATANT example of some off-track egghead, (sadly in a position of power), trying to publicly garb Islam in “good” things like a proper CONSCIENCE (something Christianity promotes but which is NOT at all demonstrable or based on ‘virtue’ in a ‘religion’ that feeds its sense of validity with the killing, exploitation, and subjugation of its fellow men).
Wellington’s post has more fitting observations such as:
“…the ideology of Islam versus the ideology of Christianity should leave no doubt IN A MIND POSSESSED OF COMMON SENSE AND MORAL INTELLIGENCE that Islam is a menace to mankind, and especially to liberty, and that Christianity is not.” [caps are mine].
Michael Copeland says
““respect, manners and knowledge”
Request to Segolene Royal:
Please would you contact Ayatollah Sistani?
It was he who said that kuffar, and that includes Segolene Royal, are filth, on a par with faeces.
He is a very authoritative senior cleric.
Carol the 1st says
I doubt she’ll be up for politely asking himself to explain himself.
Michael Copeland says
“The Koran is a religion of hatred, there is only hatred in it.”
“..excellent pattern ….between us and you enmity and hatred forever…” Koran 60:4
“Enmity and hate shall forever reign between us” – Osama bin Laden
“You should hate them, disown them and their religion” – Alminbar.com
“No one loves the kuffaar. We hate kuffaar” – Abu Usama, B’ham,
For more of Islam’ s Agenda see:
https://gatesofvienna.net/2020/02/islams-agenda-muslims-speak/
Norger says
The only reason she cares about this alleged lack of “respect” ior s because a certain percentage of Muslims can reliably be expected to react with violence or threats thereof when their delicate religious sensibilities are offended. Michele Malkin accurately calls Islam “the religion of perpetual outrage.” And by way, Ms. Royal, it is your “knowledge” that is lacking here. What this girl said about Islam is an eminently defensible statement of opinion, if not fact.
Wilfred Quadros says
How do you show respect to a religion that kills people around the world every single day? Oh did you mean respect out of fear.. that is understandable.
Henry Mansfield says
She spoke just as a 16 year-old purple haired French lesbian should.
Nobody has more to lose than her should Muslims start forcing the natives to be more like them.
Hugh Fitzgerald says
Segolene — sois belle et tais-toi.
gravenimage says
Pas si beau …
Lavéritétriomphera says
Ségolène was probably shocked by the strong language of Mila. Even if she does not retract her comment regarding Islam, Mila regrets her vulgar language which is a good thing.
Peter35 says
“Vulgar language?” Simply the truth, but that’s vulgar, eh?
Curious how so many here on J.W. are so defensive and respectful to islam….
gravenimage says
She’s a kid who was critical of the foul ideology of the thug who crudely propositioned her and then threatened and insulted her when she wouldn’t comply. I don’ think she said *anything* wrong.
Note that this adult socialist has *no* problem with this Muslim trying to coerce this girl into having sex, or with threatening her life afterwards–nor for all the other Muslims who did the same. *Ugh*.
Lavéritétriomphera says
You can say the truth without being vulgar.
gravenimage says
Lavéritétriomphera, why would you castigate a girl for being vulgar in replying to a threatening thug, but have no problem with the the thug in the first place? Isn’t threatening to rape and murder someone vulgar (and worse)?
Lavéritétriomphera says
@gravenimage,
Bonjour,
I cannot translate her words, but I agree with you she was reacting to violence. The trouble is that her words were read by the whole world!
You can criticize Islam or any other religion in the world without being vulgar.
I believe she realized that such vulgarity could have well end up hurting the very cause she is supposed to help.
That is why she regrets her coarse langage but she stands solid.
She explained that she criticized Islam but she has nothing against Muslims as individuals.
As far I am concerned I do not think I am vulgar when I say Islam is an up-to-date version of the Syrian ancestral cult of Baal Moloch!
Amitiés
Carol the 1st says
I imagine young Mila was merely being practical and scoring points by apologizing for the language. I don’t think that’s so great a thing – a little like unnaturally caging ourselves in our own padded cells while a very dark and uncaged specter roams about the world farting out vile words and amusing itself with its insane and self-proclaimed grandiosity.
gravenimage says
Lavéritétriomphera–with all respect–what I take away from this is Muslims threatening to rape and murder a young girl. If what someone gets from this story is that Mila was being vulgar or insufficiently reverential to the foul creed of Islam, then they *already* have problems with kowtowing to Islam.
And I imagine that Mila does have something against the Muslims who are threatening to murder her and have forced her into hiding. Why shouldn’t she? Would *you* respect these vicious thugs?
And Lavéritétriomphera, if you think that Jihadists are going to respect your not using vulgar language when criticizing Islam, I think you are sadly mistaken.
Lavéritétriomphera says
It is better to avoid vulgarity, but Mila had to react to threats. She is supported by many and Nicole Belloubet had to back down.
The crime against God does not exist in France weather Muslims, among others, like it or not.
somehistory says
It is amazing in this time of so much “knowledge”…of science, technology, math, etc.,…that so many holding positions of power over the lives of others, are so incredibly stupid, dumb, ignorant, bone-headed, foolish, etc.
This idiot woman speaking about “respect, manners and knowledge,” exhibits none.
Respect is earned. Anyone “demanding” respect does not deserve it. Commanding respect means that one is earning it by speech, actions, character, etc.
islam is incapable of “earning” respect. It is clearly something to be disrespected for its teachings, demands, the actions of its adherents, the speech of its adherents; and those who hold on to islam and advocate for it to dominate are undeserving of respect.
Clearly the creep who insulted the girl when she refused his advances deserves to be put down…by the freedom of speech.
Isn’t the idea of the freedom of speech so that one can freely say what offends another? The creep was using his freedom of speech to insult the girl because she gave him a big fat “not interested.” She only did the same after she was called insulting names.
The woman who said the girl needed “knowledge”…is misinformed. The girl has “knowledge of islam.”
The creep had no “manners” and received speech in kind…what goes around, comes around, even to moslims.
And the creep showed much disrespect to the girl, and by his words after being rejected, showed he didn’t deserve any respect from her…or anyone else. By the woman speaking in such a manner, she showed this moslim who would most likely have raped the child if she had met him someplace, and called her such filthy words, respect he does not deserve. And neither does his filthy belief system…islam.
Carol the 1st says
Sounds like someone has their feet on the ground. These ‘leaders’ seem to think or pretend that kicking the can down the road will be the ultimate solution for everyone:
David Bowie Space Oddity Lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_M3uw29U1U
Queen B says
Islam has already destroyed France. Were it not so, there would be no articles such as this one.
Warmac9999 says
Fear of Islam will eventually give way to uncontrolled anger – and then something will be done about it.
gravenimage says
Patriotic French people should speak out–especially in support of this young girl!
DHazard says
As soon as you begin qualifying free speech it stops being free speech. If, for instance, you require that opinions be delivered with “good” manners then you immediately have a problem that can’t be solved; the impossibility of finding a truly objective person to make any such determination. Even if that person has good intentions he is still a human being. That person will be under enormous pressure from all sides to make the “right” decision, amidst death threats and general ostracizing. Throw in some good old third World corruption and what was once free speech is now a political commodity.
Carol the 1st says
Words often need to be delivered with a “punch” and that is called EMOTION. It’s poetry set to music.
Carol the 1st says
There’s obviously a scheme to detach us from real emotions (our good right arm). They used to lobotomize in the old mental hospitals – some say it was actually in order to make life easier for the staff. I’ll buy that.
gravenimage says
Agreed–I don’t ,think a little righteous anger is remiss here.
revereridesagain says
Sounds like Mila’s level of knowledge was right on the money, and therefore she expressed the appropriate level of “respect”. NO ONE has any right to make overt death threats, or commit violence towards, any other human being for “insulting” their belief in the supernatural (or anything else, for that matter). If you are “offended” by remarks made about your favorite fictional beings then delete, turn off, walk way. Or yell back. Freedom of speech applies to everyone, so long as violence against others is not sought.
It is difficult for many religious to understand this, but it is downright impossible for believing Muslims, who are commanded, in “holy books” allegedly beyond challenge, to commit violence against those who “insult” Allahoochiekoo or child-raper Mo’. An advocate of the murder of others in the name of Allah deserves no more “respect” than one who demands it in the name of the Fuhrer, the Dear Leader, or Antifa “ethics”.
Segolene Royal needs a subscription to Jihad Watch to further her education in the realities of Islam, the ideology which has already murdered French citizens as part of is campaign to take over and rule her nation.
Spiro says
Subscription to jihad watch
Is a good idea but would she even read it or understand it with her closed mind
Eric says
Reading thd Koran and hadiths gives us the answer to what Mohammad and Islam is all about. It doesnt give much chance to those who do not accept Islam. As a Christian I am therefore an infidel, nonbeliever and a evildoer.
tim gallagher says
Spot on, Marine Le Pen, in saying that this young teenage girl has displayed more courage than all the political class in France for the past 30 years. That’s true. This girl has told the unvarnished truth about Islam, it is a “shit religion” in so many ways, barbaric and backward in so many aspects of human life. I just hope that this girl will be able to get on with living a reasonably happy life because I think the Muslim haters and their supporters will have revenge against this girl in their minds for quite a while. You dare to tell the truth these days and the hate brigade threatens you with all manner of terrible things.
ntesdorf says
Mila has great respect for public safety, the good manners to pass on her knowledge to other victims and the knowledge of Islam that allows her to tell the Truth about Islam. .. Segolene Royal’ not so much.
Carol the 1st says
Touche.
.Bridgette says
These gov’t officials are no better than the muslims who are screaming for everyone to bow to their cult and for the gov’t it is the chosen one world religion. Once you lose a country to islam you never get it back. Soon infidels won’t have the opportunity to fight. The timeline for this is quickly closing as they lose more and more of their rights.
Crusades Were Right says
Is it OK to “disrespect” an ideology that demands our enslavement or destruction?
Northern Virginiastan says
FYI Segolene Royal is the former partner of Francois Hollande.
gravenimage says
Thanks for that information.
rubiconcrest says
I will play the devil’s advocate. Being direct and insulting has its place and in this case may change some minds largely because it has caught the attention of so many people. I say that it would have been far more effective for her to have said, ‘I don’t date Muslim men because they are taught to believe that women are inferior to men and I am not inferior to men. Allah does not know what he is talking about. I can prove it. The Quran says the earth is flat like a carpet. Since Allah was wrong about the shape of the earth how can you believe what he says about men and women?’
Carol the 1st says
I think I like it better that her angry response drew out the “best” in the “best” of all people for all the world to see. A calm response from her would likely have only drawn yawns.
Carol the 1st says
And besides, didn’t the boy act like a pushy pig with her? She would have looked a little strange breaking out into an intellectual discussion with the perv.
gravenimage says
French Socialist leader: Teen hunted for criticizing Islam should have shown more “respect, manners and knowledge”
…………………………..
I guess this girl should have shown her “respect” by allowing this thug to coerce her into sex.
Notice that no one has said that this vicious Muslim should have shown this girl respect.
tim gallagher says
Good point, gravenimage. I haven’t noticed people focusing on the loathsome Muslim scumbag and his complete lack of respect and manners towards the teenage girl involved in this incident. There seems to be the usual protection racket for the Muslim maggot and , instead, all the attention is placed on the teenage girl. I think her response to the Muslim’s lack of respect towards her was pretty much perfect and expressed with appropriate bluntness, quite apart from being the truth, ie that islam is a shit religion, which I believe is indisputable.
gravenimage says
+1
Carol the 1st says
…but, but…isn’t it obvious that these are our GUESTS! As polite citizens of a civilized country I thought we weren’t supposed to notice that they’re starting to stink like 3-day old fish.
TimC says
Can we just start forcing people with such idiotic opinions to live in no-go zones?
Carol the 1st says
They’d absolutely love to take over the space (but whine while they do so).
Carol the 1st says
Oh! You mean our fearless ‘leaders’. They’d whine but *not* love it so much.
Tim Carlo says
These Ass-Clowns know what Islam is all about. They just don’t care if they see our heads rolling down the streets. Most of them support Islam? I wonder if there is money being passed under the table for letting these Jihadists into the country? The Rich & Famous are protected and don’t live in the real world…and they don’t care to.
Carol the 1st says
I guess we have to face the fact that we can be annoying to those who have scrambled ahead.
Goofy says
The most comprehensive collection of hate speech can be found in the Koran. It is time to put it and the prophet in the dock as so many of their commands are in stark conflict with the laws of the land, laws on war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Michael Carlino says
So are Conservatives free to hunt down Socialists and Muslims. We can say the same thing. They should have shown more respect, manners, and knowledge!!
gravenimage says
Of course, Anti-Jihadists do not act like this.
Carol the 1st says
But will our forbearance serve to prevent such authoritarian controllers from taking over the world? These people think they OWN the world at worst or need to CONTROL it at best. They don’t seem to trust the Christian principle of respect and cooperation (which has served Western civilization and your humble citizen enormously well).
gravenimage says
I think it can, Carol–after all, we did not have to become Fascist thugs in order to defeat the Nazis. But we *do* need to have resolve–something that is all too lacking in much of the West today.
Mahar says
“Unless democracy is to commit suicide by consenting to its own destruction, it will have to find some formidable answer to those who come to it saying: I demand from you in the name of your principles the rights which I shall deny to you later in the name of my principles.” ~ Walter Lippmann
gravenimage says
Hear hear!
Carol the 1st says
Bait and switch is the motto of power-mongers.
Giacomo Latta says
The first report I read on this subject stated that the muslim involved had stated to Mila that he wanted to f*** her. Mila responded no in her fashion. So now, Segolène, if you had been the target of the muslim’s request would you have said no as well? OK, a poor comparison. I suggest anyone not so desperate as Segolène would have said the same thing.
‘Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen responded by tweeting: “This young girl is braver than the whole political class in power over the past 30 years.” ‘
Take away the far-right labelling and you have a statement that is the truest that has been spoken since Kennedy and his we-don’t-need-to-build-walls speech. Marine’s father was far-right. She is merely objective and 100% right.
toomanyhobbies says
again; WTH!!! are they insane or just that cowardly!
jca reid says
This bitch should have shown MORE, respect, manners & knowledge to the teenager who has bravely spoken out! If this young woman had endorsed a white Supremacist mob, goose stepping about in paramilitary uniforms, baying for the extermination of Jews, having sex slaves & cutting the throats of “non-members”, all well & good to criticise her actions. However, the ‘mob’ is NOT that but an entire “culture” of usually brown people whose level of intelligence makes a very large majority of them, retarded by the psychiatric/psychological norm, it is perfectly OK for them to behave in this manner. The current state in European politics of ‘left leaning’ politicians is a complete disgrace & they should be removed from Office. They actively & cynically endorse THE most extreme Right – Wing doctrine that exists.