The EU Surrenders: We can and we are ready to self-regulate our right to free expression

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Union may try to draw up a media code of conduct to avoid a repeat of the furor caused by the publication across Europe of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, an EU commissioner said on Thursday.

In an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph, EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said the charter would encourage the media to show "prudence" when covering religion.

"The press will give the Muslim world the message: We are aware of the consequences of exercising the right of free expression," he told the newspaper. "We can and we are ready to self-regulate that right."

The cartoons, which first appeared in a Danish newspaper last September before being reprinted across Europe, sparked a wave of protests around the world.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060209/wl_nm/..._cartoons_eu_dc

[almaty 19]

that is no surprise to me..the EU sucks

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Union may try to draw up a media code of conduct to avoid a repeat of the furor caused by the publication across Europe of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, an EU commissioner said on Thursday.

In an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph, EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said the charter would encourage the media to show "prudence" when covering religion.

"The press will give the Muslim world the message: We are aware of the consequences of exercising the right of free expression," he told the newspaper. "We can and we are ready to self-regulate that right."

The cartoons, which first appeared in a Danish newspaper last September before being reprinted across Europe, sparked a wave of protests around the world.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060209/wl_nm/..._cartoons_eu_dc

It would not have legal status.

Still sucks that we're pretending that this kind of thing happens in Europe regularly. It clearly didin't and doesn't. Unlike similar stuff in other parts of the world. Is there going to be a voluntary code of conduct on that end as well? I ain't gonna hold my breath...

[rebeccajo 14]

Well, does the press then have to abide by it?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Well, does the press then have to abide by it?

[Fischkoepfin 1]

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Union may try to draw up a media code of conduct to avoid a repeat of the furor caused by the publication across Europe of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, an EU commissioner said on Thursday.

In an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph, EU Justice and Security Commissioner Franco Frattini said the charter would encourage the media to show "prudence" when covering religion.

"The press will give the Muslim world the message: We are aware of the consequences of exercising the right of free expression," he told the newspaper. "We can and we are ready to self-regulate that right."

The cartoons, which first appeared in a Danish newspaper last September before being reprinted across Europe, sparked a wave of protests around the world.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060209/wl_nm/..._cartoons_eu_dc

Just because Franco Frattini says so, doesn't mean it's going to happen. Frattini is a member of Forza Italia, the party run by Berlusconi, which is known for its conservativism and nationalism. When they use the word "prudence" they mean a lot more than those Muhammed cartoons (the man first nominated by Berlusconi for the position had to step down because of comments about homosexuals).

So no worries. The EU is going to hold up the freedom of the press and continue stepping on other people's toes.

--------------------------------------------------

that is no surprise to me..the EU sucks

Disagreed.

Edited February 9, 2006 by Fischkoepfin

[pedroh 21]

zomg.. the crazy extremist fukcers are winning.. as I said.. soon enough France will be le Califate.. well.. europeans dont seem to care about the extrem muslim conquering they are suffering..

[cmartyn 0]

In America, we didnt have to surrender.. we allready gave up. Notice nobody is publishing them over here :-) Well.. a few websites have them up but other than that.

[pedroh 21]

oh yea! I forgot.. true

we surrendered to the AFA, and other Christian groups that determine what can we see and what is improper.. (and to the prudishness of presidents and etc etc.. gee.. i think America is in a worse situation..)

sigh

Edited February 10, 2006 by pedroh

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

In America, we didnt have to surrender.. we allready gave up. Notice nobody is publishing them over here :-) Well.. a few websites have them up but other than that.

The Philly Inquirer did one and was duly picketed:

Posted on Tue, Feb. 07, 2006

Muslims picket The InquirerThey were offended that the newspaper reprinted the cartoon.

The editor spoke with protesters.

By Gaiutra BahadurInquirer Staff Writer

More than two dozen Muslims offended by The Inquirer's decision to reprint a caricature of Muhammad that has inflamed the sensibilities of their co-religionists across the world picketed the newspaper yesterday morning.

...

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

oh yea! I forgot.. true

we surrendered to the AFA, and other Christian groups that determine what can we see and what is improper.. (and to the prudishness of presidents and etc etc.. gee.. i think America is in a worse situation..)

sigh

sigh indeed. You see the Superbowl halftime show? No sexy girls. Just some 60 year old 'rockers'.

[pedroh 21]

oh yea! I forgot.. true

we surrendered to the AFA, and other Christian groups that determine what can we see and what is improper.. (and to the prudishness of presidents and etc etc.. gee.. i think America is in a worse situation..)

sigh

sigh indeed. You see the Superbowl halftime show? No sexy girls. Just some 60 year old 'rockers'.

with censored lyrics actually.. they muted micks mic a couple of times

[daisy16 0]

oh yea! I forgot.. true

we surrendered to the AFA, and other Christian groups that determine what can we see and what is improper.. (and to the prudishness of presidents and etc etc.. gee.. i think America is in a worse situation..)

sigh

sigh indeed. You see the Superbowl halftime show? No sexy girls. Just some 60 year old 'rockers'.

They're caving. I hate PC. It is just so false.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

A different perspective perhaps.

The press already self-regulates, actually that is one of the definitions of a free press.

I'm not certain its right to legislate on this issue, although the media should perhaps tighten up its own regulatory processes.

To me anyway, the right to free speech must come with a degree of responsibility. Just because you have the right to say something doesn't mean you should. That includes inciting racial hatred. I'm pretty sure that newspaper knew that those cartoons would cause offence (though I doubt they knew to what degree). So IMO this isn't really so much a freedom of speech issue, its about the media behaving in a responsible manner. The cartoons in question did nothing to encourage a positive debate with the muslim community, they were offensive and racist (yes I know this sort of thing is common in middle eastern newspapers), and at a time when we are supposedly most concerned by threats of islamic fundamentalist terrorism, a most stupid thing to put in print. Its no coincidence that the protests took on an anti-western flavour as opposed to a strictly anti-danish one...

So I'm all for greater regulation of the news media, provided it is done by an independent industry body, in much the same way as it is already.

In any case, I think a lot of folks have short memories. Last year people were clamouring to have Newsweek magazine prosecuted for publishing an apparently inaccurate story about prisoner abuses in Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay which caused similar rioting.

The story claimed that US service personnel flushed copies of the Koran down the toilet to torment inmates. Untrue GWB et al exlaimed! Newsweek retracted the story - yet it turned out to be essentially true. While no books had been flushed down the toilet - there were several documented cases of 'Koran desecration', including at least one where a serviceman threw the book on the floor and took a piss all over it. Now that's not the same at all is it....?

Newsweek did exactly what they were supposed to do in retracting the story once it was clear that the facts were not solid - yet people still wanted the editor in jail for printing it and inciting widespread rioting. That was unintentional - this danish lot printed racist cartoons! If you want to see anyone in jail it should be the Danish editor and the ###### cartoonists!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

That was unintentional - this danish lot printed racist cartoons! If you want to see anyone in jail it should be the Danish editor and the ###### cartoonists!

Those cartoons were anything but racist. Or has Islam suddenly become a race rather than a religion? And to pre-empt that response, there were not the religous equivalent of racist either. Besides, the newspaper, it's editor and cartoonist broke no law that I am aware of and cannot, should not, will not and must not be prosecuted for printing the cartoons. Based on what, you reckon, should they be tried and jailed?