Europe: Journalists Against Free Speech

At an abstract level, we are dealing with a battle between scientific minds vs dogmatic minds. Free speech is a cornerstone of scientific thinking whereas free speech is anathema to dogmatism. I look forward to the clear thinking writings of Judith Bergman.

...Very interesting that the European Federation of Journalists would characterize the publishing of "truthful accounts" about Muslim Crimes or Terrorism as being or constituting "Hateful Comments"! As strange as it seems..in today's Europe...TRUTH has actually become the vile and treacherous..Villain! With that kind of Sea Change in Thinking...there's nothing left to rely on that is either Safe or Secure!

It's no surprise that people who sell BS would oppose free speech?

This isn't journalism, any more than what was reported in the Third Reich, or the Soviet Union was journalism. It's political propaganda intended to produce the impression that those in power want to instill in the public.

Until the "hate crime" and "hate speech" laws and restrictions on what may be reported are repealed, or ignored, and the public is presented with all the facts, and all points of view (particularly those now classified as too hateful, racist. or otherwise unsuitable for the public), most people will not have any understanding of what's really going on in their countries, who is responsible for it, or what should be done about it. If the majority of people understood what the EU, and most of their governments, are doing to them, they would overturn them all and put an end to it.

Thank You Miss Bergman, before I had even finished reading the Last Paragraph of
"Guide Lines", I was headed for My Copy of 'Orwell'. Knowing in my feeble brain that
I had Read either I had read that exact statement before Somewhere, if not in
'Orwell', then possibly 'Mein Kampf' or the Communist Manifesto. "Haitler's"
German Student Union's {DSt}, 'Burning of Books' also spikes Memories.

As Douglas Murray said, it is the end of Europe. There are going to be a lot of people arrested and indicted simply for telling the truth. The case of the German reporter who published a photo of the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who ran an SS unit of Muslims, standing with Adolf Hitler. If that is how low the bar is then Europeans are in trouble. If anyone mentions Muhammed in any context they will be arrested.
If I was in Europe and quoted any verse of the Koran in public, I would be arrested.
This is 1984 on steroids !!
I could write ten thousands words on this subject, but I will let others fill in the rest.

Sharia Blasphemy law applied by Europeans to themselves. Might as well shoot themselves in the head and save the jihadis the trouble.

So now they will be afraid to say anything about Islam in case it "hurts Muslim's feelings", right?

In the last paragraph, the outline of these guidelines do not only reveal what politicians and bureaucrats in Brussel expect of the media in regards to the way Islam and Muslim people ought to be depicted.
It clearly shows that they have distorted image of Islam, too. Naturally, they want to avoid that the majority of Muslims have to suffer from the criminal activities of Islamists among them. But cynically speaking, it's the Islamic extremists who live up to the message of the Koran. In spite of the violent way Islam conquered most countries in the Middle East and North Africa including Southern Spain, it will remain a miracle how teachings of this sort ever evolved to become one of world's religion. Or does anyone know of another religion or philosophy which teaches hatred towards "infidels"? Of course, the list of atrocities that were committed in the name of the Jewish/Christian god is almost endless. But to abuse a deity for selfish reasons isn't the same as to put a religious notion into action. So, the term "hate-preacher" isn't just correct seen from a western point of view; the message is in full accordance with the Koran. In other words, Muslims should make up their minds about what they really believe in, instead of regarding themselves as eternal victims.

Turn Brussells into a flat glass landscape. Junker suggests it matters not what Europeans want, the EU will decide all matters!? Seig Heil, Fuhr Junker and your childless jackboot Frau Merkel. There will be war again in Europe against the globalist totalitarian EU and the invading Islam. Only Germany could provide a major calamity in 2 separate centuries.

it is indeed sad to helplessly watch freedom die. the best that eurabia can hope for is a leftist dictatorship, but the more likely result of these nazi's actions is an islamic europe - a true eurabia.

As a journalist who always seeks to report (and, in opinion-pieces, comment) as factually accurately and as objectively as possible, I am appalled at -- and very concerned over -- the above-described EU so-called "journalistic guidelines".

IMO, and as Ms. Bergman rightly implies, it is OBVIOUS that these new EU "guidelines" are little more than politically-motivated, freedom-of-speech-crushing, and free-society-damaging, indoctrinaire claptrap.

But worse, it (IMO) is DANGEROUS claptrap, in that it seeks to pressure -- and mandate -- and subtly or more directly force -- all Europe-based, or even Europe-news-reporting, journalists and journalist-associations and EU-based (and elsewhere?) news-media as a whole, to become a POLITICAL POLICY ARM OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION.

Apparently, the EU does NOT want objective, truthful, accurate, incisive, factual, news coverage (OR objective, truthful, accurate, incisive, factual news-COMMENTARY) to be condoned or even to be permissible in the EU, ESPECIALLY in subject-areas which the above-referenced EU documents take pains to list -- subject-areas such as race, "religious community", "sexual minority", immigration (and especially immigration into the EU), religion, islam, muslim(s), or -- figure this one out BECAUSE IT'S UNDEFINED AND THEREFORE IS WIDE-OPEN TO INTERPRETATION (which means that potentially ANYONE can sue ANY JOURNALIST on this basis FOR ANYTHING) -- "hate" and "hate speech".

So, now, according to these EU-issued new standards, journalists must DEFEND and ARGUE IN FAVOR OF immigration into the EU member-states -- even though public opinion-polls are showing that a sizable (even perhaps a majority) of those states' citizens are OPPOSED to that immigration?

And journalists must "Challenge existing anti-Muslim stereotypes that have become pervasive in public discourse" (a) even though it's NOT THE MISSION OF NEWS-JOURNALISTS to take an opinion-stand on ANYTHING that they're reporting and (b) even though the "public discourse" MAY ACTUALLY HAVE A BASIS IN THE FACTS OF THE SITUATION and (c) even though those "anti-Muslim stereotypes" MAY ALSO HAVE A BASIS IN THE FACTS OF THE SITUATION?

Or, perhaps, has the EU Commission, or Mr. Juncker, never heard of the reportedly common (or at least reportedly widely condoned) muslim practices of "female forced-subservience to the male", "female genital mutilation", "honor killings", or that "religion's" commandments to denigrate and despise and do away with all Jews (and apparently Christians too)?

But look: here we are, arguing theory, principles, and merits. Maybe the PRIMARY question we should be addressing, is this: "WHO BENEFITS"?

In the Watergate hearings back in the early 1970s, a key phrase emerged from the Senate Watergate hearings -- and perhaps it would be relevant, ESPECIALLY NOW, to also apply this phrase in this EU "journalistic guidelines" context: "FOLLOW THE MONEY".

The sooner that the people of Europe work together to bring down the EU and vanquish it for ever, the better. If it is allowed to thrive then that will be the end of democracy.

The great majority of today's refugees are fleeing Islam. Yet, virtually all refugees are Muslims. They are threatened by Islamists who carry out the Islamic doctrine of "death to infidels". But, all Muslims follow Islamic doctrine. So, how can this be?
The two major branches of Islam, the Sunnis and the Shiites, each consider the other to be "infidels", and they have been killing each other for centuries, for that reason. They still are, today, and of course, they are killing non-Muslim "infidels", as well. The doctrine of "death to the infidels" is the root cause of the Islamic violence that plagues the world, today.
Obama, a self-appointed judge of what is truly Islamic, condemned ISIS as "un-Islamic", because ISIS beheaded its Christian and Shiite captives. But, there is absolutely nothing "un-Islamic" about it. ISIS are Sunni Muslims, and Sunni Muslims consider Christians and Shiites to be "infidels. Islamic doctrine sets forth approved Islamic punishments, which include beheading, crucifixion, amputation, mutilation, stoning and lashing, still practiced today, in some Muslim nations. And so, when ISIS beheaded its captives, whom it considered to be "infidels", ISIS was simply practicing its religion.
Wherever Muslims go, Islam goes.
The Europeans nations are nations of "infidels". Yet, European leaders have brought hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees into their countries. And, the Muslim refugees have bought their Islamic doctrines with them. And so, Muslim men have responded to the Islamic doctrine which permits, even calls upon, Muslim men to rape "infidel" women. And, they have responded to the Islamic doctrine that calls upon Muslims to kill "infidels". No conditions were placed upon their entry into Europe, and, they are simply practicing their religion. The response of European leaders has varied from doing absolutely nothing, because it wouldn't be politically correct to do anything, to, forbidding journalists to associate the acts of Muslims with Islam. The very mention of the Islamic doctrines has been effectively outlawed, as "hate speech".

One must remember that Jean-Claude Juncker is a Luxembourger and as such has a completely different view of immigrants.
Luxembourg's population houses about 3% Muslims or between 10000-15000 in Numbers, compare that with Sweden who received about 10000 a week in 2015, furthermore Luxembourg has probably more than 200000 highly educated commuters travelling in to Luxembourg every day and contributes to the prosperity of the country.
So the view of migrants from Mr.Juncker, differs wastly from citizens of other parts of Europe-especially those countries who pay the highest taxes in the world.

"Why do journalists, who claim to fight for the freedom of the press, now appeal to the EU to help bring an end to freedom of speech in Europe?" Because they're idiots. Because they have no principles, no notion of a free mind and a free pen. Because they don't mind being told what to think or what to say. Because they are not "journalists" but pawns of and shills for political correctness and state-defined purposes.

It's time Europeans got rid of this cynical ideologue. Juncker shares a great deal of responsibility regarding all the negative consequences of this immigration idiocy, including the many thousands of North Africans drowned in the Mediterranean for nothing more than a Merkelian illusion.

The way "journalists" are defined today points out that within a few years there is going to be an "open season" on anyone claiming that title as an occupation.

That's probably OK, since in another few years, the term "journalist," will be fully replaced by the term "propagandist", and nobody will miss them, anyway.

It looks more and more like the EU feels more at ease dealing with Russia, Iran, China and NoKo than with the rest of the western world.
It is always about personal interest than common ideals.

Why did the USA fight two world wars at great cost to us in lives and money only to have these effete Euro-trash people roll over onto their bellies and assume "the position" for the soldiers of Allah? Why, or why?

It's all very well to want to assist people leaving their countries to find a better life elsewhere. However, these migrants also need to accept the values and mores of the countries to which they migrate and not attempt to behave in ways that are incompatible with those mores and values. Unacceptable behaviour on the part of migrants should not be tolerated and their ability to remain in the countries to which they migrated should be based on their acceptance of the norms of the country.

The Europeans appear to have forgotten the words of the philosopher Spinoza: "In a free state, every man may think what he likes, and say what he thinks."

The sage Confucius said this maxim another way: "Calling things by their right name is the beginning of wisdom."

Together, these two wise men have given us the operational definition of free expression.

From the account here and from others, an observer may say that Europe has substituted pussification for freedom of the press (an organ of free speech).

The consequences of this shift may occur in the future for ignoring the history of the continual attacks against the West by the forces of Islam since its inception.

Today, these historical attacks have transmogrified into a Muslim horde migrating illegally to European territory, with the long-term strategy of populating Europe with a Muslim political base that will vote its religious beliefs into law and policy.

In addition, the European leadership evidently has shut its eyes to a central, controlling difference between Islam and the West. Islam functions as a theocracy (rule by religion or by priests) while the West functions as a democracy (rule by the people).

Another key difference exists between the West and Islam. Long ago, the West gave up religious violence by reforming its religion, Christianity. Judaism did the same. Islam has never reformed its religious practices, particularly religious violence. For more on the religious violence of Islam, see here: https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx

For a brief scholarly review of the present "quasi-war" between the West and Islam, see the section on "Islam and the West" in the book "The Clash of Civilizations," Samuel P. Huntington. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, New York: 2011. Pages 209-218. He determines that the West and Islam now conduct a war against each other.

Stifling the voice of the press by the imposition of the social evil of political correctness serves as an unwitting tactic of the Muslim project to overrun Europe and then to impose the Muslim belief system thereon.

Yet, the press holds the power to unfetter itself from government control by a frank and bold reportage to inform the public of actuality.

We shall see.

Judith Bergman's article highlights just how far the fanatical control of media reportage by the undemocratic, unelected European Commission has developed. Juncker and his egregious cohorts have now established a post-Orwellian dictatorship in which the Commission's version of reality - its "Political Correctness" - demonises any reasoned and reasonable attempts to tell the actual truth about Islam and its tenets, co-opting the mainstream media by bribery to aid it in its dirty and sinister work of muzzling any dissent. This action, emanating from Brussels, has inevitably provoked an equal and opposite reaction in the form of right-wing extremism. Thus the fault starts not from the latter but from the former. The EU elites will ultimately destroy their own European Project. The revolt has already begun in the Middle and Eastern European states and it is growing apace. When the mighty edifice crumbles and implodes, Juncker and Co will have only themselves to blame for their myopic intransigence. I, as a devout European by cultural and social conviction, will be heartily glad when my country, the United Kingdom, finally leaves the EU, delivered from the unsavoury grip of the corrupt, self-serving politicians who have marred and massacred the institution so hopefully established 60 years ago by the brave and inspiring ideals of its founders.

Orwellian's predictions are in full force in the EU. And the people behave like sheep.

This is Western civilization at dusk.

The suicide of Europe continues..ironically, once islam is in power, there will be NO freedom of speech, and these eurocrats will likely be in prison or dead.

Absolutely amazing and astounding article. Now we know the foundational "pillars" whereby we currently have "fake news"!

One thing I would like to say in response to the EJF. Any stigmatization or bias against any group usually comes about on the basis of the actual, factual, BEHAVIOR of that group. My point? These separate groups ALL play a role, or have some responsibility for how they are perceived. They are NOT innocent bystanders in the development of any bigotry or supposed "hate speech" that may evolve!

Mr. Junckers has the humane idea of trying to keep the world's perception of Europe as a refuge from the storms of war. The very sad truth is that by allowing large numbers of immigrants, he has forgotten one huge problem: the culture-shock-effect on the immigrants and the native citizens BOTH. Any individual who has experienced a warlike-culture in their native country brings their PTSD, their cultural norms, and instincts into a vastly different culture. Par example, our soldiers returning from battle ANYWHERE have PTSD and need help readjusting to civilian and peace time life. Unless nations have, in place, huge assets to deal with these realities, they drown in the consequences of "uncontrolled immigration".

The media has never been the instigator of "hate"! Hate is common in human nature and animal nature. It is fueled by FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN! The media writes about situations in order to qualify and explain the UNKNOWN!!!!!

I would proffer to the global think tank world, the proposition that the single most dangerous emotional "drive" permeating European and Middle Eastern politics is the QUEST for POWER! "Who is the "bigger power player"? has gone extremist in nature! Every world leader believes their primary job is to rule, reign, or CONTROL what happens! So, perhaps "controlled immigration" may help reduce the fear and help to promote integration. Accepting foreigners IS NOT the problem. Accepting their dangerous, counter-cultural behaviors, is the challenge. How do you accept "honor killing" in a humane EU? How do you accept "child molestation" or "child brides" in a humane EU? How do you accept "rape" in a humane EU?

Thank-you, Ms. Bergman! Lucidity is where we begin in our search for answers! The media needs to be able to help build the bridges of understanding. They certainly cannot do that if you hobble them with the responsibility of mediating "hate speech"! That responsibility lies within ALL of mankind!

An amusing article to read, what happens to the EU journalism when reporting about anti Semitic attacks on Jews ? I suppose though according to the Junk man and his cronies the Jews are the perpetrators, not the victims, a sign of 1930 Europe no change.

Hate speech means "I hate what you said." Certain people (peace be upon them) take offence at the truth. Nowadays; Black is white, up is down, left is right, Israel is a fascist state, Islam is a religion of peace. I think "1984" and "Catch 22" were written as satires, not operation manuals. Oh well, time to read up on; the most perfect man ever's thoughts on: female pubic hair, menstruation, sex with children, theft, murder,
slavery, rape, blackmail, wife beating, astronomy (the moon sets in a swamp) etc.

The EU is slowly and surely slipping into a fascist organization. By what they are doing is removing the fundamental cornerstone of democracy and freedom. Without free speech and freedom of the press evil will grow and consume everything western humanity holds dear.The first thing the Bolsheviks and the Nazis did was collect all the guns and took over the media. Haven't the Europeans learned anything in the last 100 years

It's absolutely evident that leftwing governments and their medias are a TOTALITARIAN system of govt. This is a stalin or hitlerian system with no free spech whatsoever since only those who accept and repeat the govt's pr have access to... unilateral "free speech". Europe needs to kick out those communist governments and set up real democratic governments.

>> Not even Orwell could have made that up

Sorry but Orwell is so 1984....

Simply lunacy has taken a strong grip in Europe and is exposed to loss of their European and Christain Heritage to the backward and barbaric Islamic culture.

Big Brother is teaching you..........

Was there really any need for this? After all the media was hiding facts about who carries out rape or terrorist attacks anyway! What they cannot do is stop or change the information when it gets into the public realm. We know full well what the medias agenda is and it isn't to protect innocent civilians from terrorist atrocities it is to defend the Muslim "communities" in the cities across Europe. Apparently, this approach will make Muslims look as though they really care when an attack is carried out in the name of "Allah". I watched a programme last night about a white British woman who dressed and acted as a Muslim for 7 days, and she reported on the publics attitude towards her as she walked in the street shortly after another terrorist attack in Manchester. There was also footage of her inside a Mosque and spending time with a Muslim family. The result was that the programme was basically a propaganda exercise, an attempt to get across that Muslims feel distress, whenever attacks are carried out in their name. It also showed the segregation and emphasised just how women are treated, but that point was ignored! It was just an enormous propaganda exercise!
Along with politicians the media are the peoples greatest enemy, they report and fail to relay the facts because they know that to tell the truth would end in war on the streets, and yet they consider that Muslims should never be challenged over their faith and beliefs, and cultural practices! It's wrong on so many levels and the media should be held responsible for their betrayal of the public.

Hate speech defined as Islamophobia or anything critical of Islam because it hurts the collective "community's feelings". Access to the other site was blocked. What is obvious is the only feelings being considered are the Muslim immigrants. This is nothing less than theocratic nonsense and sets a precedence for minority supremacism in the West. Congresswoman Wilson is one of a cabal of 60 some radical leftist supremacists advocating such imposition in the USA by advocating mass immigration, of Muslims,and a Bill restricting criticism of Islam. She and her like minded fanatics are a clear and present danger.

"In the age of universal deceit, speaking the truth will be a revolutionary act." Although this quote has been attributed to George Orwell, my research has been unable to find it in any of his writings. Nevertheless, as we see the chaotic and diseased state of world journalism today, the truth of the quote -- by whoever may have written it -- is proving to be prescient!

These flunkies do not know their Kant and Descartes. They are subsumed into self. Their minds are corrupted by atheism and reductionist materialism. My entire academic career is based upon philosophy of the above thinkers. How many of them study logic? very few indeed.The quality of their minds like their Islamic handlers are incapable of taking personal responsibility of the objective 'other'. They have no conscience and soul any longer. Islam is a materialist ideology. It reduces the self to an inconsequential nothing. Allah, unlike Jesus will all. Christ taught personal responsibility and independent thought-free will.

Journalism is about uncovering the truth no matter where it leads and objectively reporting that to the public no matter the consequences...The EJF appears to be a political organisation touting political and social propaganda...no wonder people are leaving the main stream media in droves and going for the "alternative" media for their news...