Vlad stated that he had this wonderful idea, and the TT is glad he followed through with it. KGS
Vlad: Geert Wilders trial is not the first time a European court has charged someone with a crime for speaking an obvious truth which is an embarrassment to irrational religious or political authority. So I took the liberty of making this important comparison.
In twenty years of working as a cop in the Colorado Criminal Justice System, I never heard anything from a judge like what the Amsterdam Chief Judge said yesterday at the opening of Dutch Parliamentarian Geert Wilders’ criminal prosecution. Wilders, who is on trial for producing his movie “Fitna” and for opposing the Islamization of Europe, sat motionless as the litany of charges was read aloud. The Judge addressed Wilders and asked him how he was feeling. I could laugh at this sadistic inanity, but the defendant is on trial for his freedom. All that is missing from this proceeding is the thumbscrew or the rack.
And like Galileo (pictured above during trial), who faced his Inquisitors in 1633, Wilders is playing against a stacked deck.
From Radio Netherlands Worldwide comes this report from John Tyler:
Geert Wilders sat expressionless next to his lawyers at the defendant’s table while the public prosecutor read out the charges, including incitement toward hatred of Muslims, incitement toward hatred of Moroccans, and discrimination against Moroccans and non-western immigrants…
…The panel of three judges said it was unnecessary, but did instruct the prosecutor to read out Mr Wilders’ statements on which the case is based.
After the statements had been read, the senior judge had the following exchange with the defendant (translated):
Judge: “Mr Wilders, I can see that you are listening very intently, but what are you feeling right now? I cannot sense any emotion in you whatsoever.”
Wilders: “Indeed, I have been listening intently, but some things were missing. Particularly the quotes from Fitna [his anti-Islam video, ed.], I was trying to reconstruct it, to see if they were right. Some were, some weren’t.”…”
