Fallaci charged in Italy with defaming Islam (Italian author)

[Julius Civitatus]

From Reuters:

Fallaci charged in Italy with defaming Islam

ROME, (Reuters) - A judge has ordered best-selling writer and journalist Oriana Fallaci to stand trial in her native Italy on charges she defamed Islam in a recent book.

The decision angered Italy's justice minister but delighted Muslim activists, who accused Fallaci of inciting religious hatred in her 2004 work "La Forza della Ragione" (The Force of Reason).

Fallaci lives in New York and has regularly provoked the wrath of Muslims with her outspoken criticism of Islam following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on U.S. cities.

In "La Forza della Ragione," Fallaci wrote that terrorists had killed 6,000 people over the past 20 years in the name of the Koran and said the Islamic faith "sows hatred in the place of love and slavery in the place of freedom."

State prosecutors originally dismissed accusations of defamation from an Italian Muslim organization, and said Fallaci should not stand trial because she was merely exercising her right to freedom of speech.

But a preliminary judge in the northern Italian city of Bergamo, Armando Grasso, rejected the prosecutors advice at a hearing on Tuesday and said Fallaci should be indicted. (...)

I have to say that, independently of what Oriana Fallaci said, this is NOT a good development. This should not stand in a free society, and allowing a writer to stand trial because she "defamed" a religion is tantamount to censorship. By the way, Fallaci has not gone nearly as far criticising Islam as some of our domestic loudmouths like Coulter. To her credit, Fallaci was both a feminist activist and a war reporter (sort of an Italian Christianne Amampour) in the Middle East for a decade.

Furthermore, it's my humble opinion that charging this writer with "defamation of Islam" is tantamount of forcing Islamic laws into our societies. I may not fully agree with Oriana Fallaci, but she deserves full protection of the right to free speech that we defend in western civilization.

I don't like this development one bit. What's next? Should western courts uphold "fatwas"? No way.

Think of the awful precedents this could set. The Catholic church could sue for defamation anyone writing about sexual abuse in their ranks. Evangelist fundies could sue people criticism their stubborn stand on evolution.

[ButterflyBlood]

1. terrible

Complete attacks on free speech. People should be able to say whatever the fuck they want about any religion. Although if she lives in New York she's probably safe as I doubt we'll extradite her.

[gratuitous]

2. According to the story

Fallaci said that terrorists are killing and terrorizing in the name of their faith. That doesn't necessarily mean, does it, that she's defaming the faith, but rather the actions of terrorists who use that faith as a screen to hide behind?

If the terrorists aren't a true reflection of Islam, then it would be in Muslims' interests to declare that they are operating outside of the faith, and that their actions are not in keeping with Islam, properly understood and practiced. I guess I need more information to figure out what their beef with Fallaci is.

[Julius Civitatus]

3. Fallaci has been a vocal critic of certain practices in Muslim countries

particularly in the way they treat women and restrict personal freedoms. One of the main problems with Fallaci, maybe a result of her man years as a war reporter, is that she doesn't mince words and calls things like she sees them. She can be undiplomatic.

I believe she has right to criticize whoever she wants. the Italian government should not allow this travesty.

[gratuitous]

4. Yeah, I remember when Fallaci pissed off Ayatollah Khomeini

She was one of the first "western" journalists who had a chance to talk to Khomeini back in the late 1970s. Whether that was before the Shah was deposed or after that, I don't rightly recall. She showed up for the interview in a burka, but part way through took it off with a comment about its restrictiveness and how hot it was. Khomeini was discomfited and remarked about how the presence of a woman in such a state of disrobement (Fallaci was fully clothed, of course) was personally distressing. Fallaci basically told him "Tough" and went on with the interview.

Easy to see a common thread in her career for making certain people uncomfortable.

[PurityOfEssence]

16. People need to own up to the fact that this religion has serious problems

By that, I mean those in and outside the faith. It's not an incredible aberration to take the intolerant and inflammatory writings about the infidels that leap right off the pages of the Koran for what they seem to be, and the world needs to come to grips with it.

Christianity has it's major systemic problems, too, and people who define religion as inherently good seem to consistently downplay or ignore these issues.

It's definitely chilling to hear fundy Christians denounce Islam for its violence and anti-pluralism, but they've got a point. What they can't see is the fact that their own glorious assumption does much of the same.

In the public square, these days, everyone sucks up to the concept that religion is just unquestionably wonderful, and that's gonna blow us all up yet.

[Julius Civitatus]

23. Word! n/t

[seriousstan]

5. Fuck Adel Smith, a high-profile Muslim activist, and any one else backing

this action. Why does Islam get a pass? I don't recall the widespread violence following the "Piss Jesus" art. I don't recall the mass protests and loss of lives following the desecration of the Church of the Nativity after the Palestinians holed up in it.

And on a further note, I really don't care if people wipe their asses with the Koran, let alone hold it with gloved hands.

Any people who get this bent out of shape over the words or deeds directed at A FUCKING BOOK can kiss my ass!

[chomskysright]

24. its an interesting point but remember how people react to the freakin'FLAG

[Fab1969]

6. Italian laws...

Can somebody here show some respect for Italian laws?
In Italy it's a crime to defame any religion (be it Catholicism or Islam). That's why Indymedia got in trouble for the doctored pictures of Papa Ratzi.

Also, the comment made about Jesus defaming art doesn't apply since that art was not displayed in Italy (AFAIK).

[BiggJawn]

7. Guess Italy isn't a free country then...

Accordoing to Gee Dumbya Shrubbie, the world's greatest Mountain Bike rider, "A Free press is a sign of a Free Country"...

Surprisingly, I find myself in agreement with that idea.

It's not just Italy, though. Other countries have some odd laws about what you can and cannot say in print...

[Fab1969]

8. Freedom of the media is indeed a real problem there

But it has more to do with ownership than with anything else.

Personally I disagree with those laws, but they are in the books.

[BiggJawn]

9. Just like here, then.

We haven't a "Free Press", either, but it's because of $$$$.

"Oh, PLEASE, Scotty-Mac! DONT take our ACCESS away!!! We'll print a retraction! We'll fire EVERYBODY involved! Just don't take our ACCESS away!!!"

[Julius Civitatus]

12. In Italy it has an additional spin...

Berlusconi owns a massive media empire. Imagine if the Bushes owned the largest media conglomerate in the USA. Same thing.

Here, all media conglomerates behave as sheep, but they still have a pretense of independence.

[ButterflyBlood]

10. Should the civil rights movement just respected the laws then?

I don't care if this applies to every religion, it's a violation of free speech. Don't care if it's the law or not, IT'S FUCKING STUPID. And one of the correct ways to protest this is through civil disobedience.

[LiviaOlivia]

13. Amen

eom

[Terran]

14. It's not a "violation".

Look, it's Italy, not the US. Stop pretending that our laws and customs are the same as theirs. Free speech isn't limitless here in the US either, remember?

[ButterflyBlood]

15. well, Iran's laws and customs aren't the same as ours either

that doesn't mean their brutally mysoginistic laws aren't fucked up and wrong. Free speech may not be limitless here either, but most would agree as much as possible is the best. And we get along fine with no laws against defaming religion here.

[Terran]

20. Well, apparently "most" in Italy don't necessarily agree

with your statement, else they wouldn't have such a law. From whatever cultural viewpoint they have, obviously they feel that such a restriction is justified.

And, going way off topic with Iran, of course I don't support any sort of violence or repression of anyone, but in my experience, Muslims tend to view our culture as being brutal toward women as well, and they see the Islamic restrictions on womens' behavior and dress as a good thing. I don't agree, but I also do agree with them that our own culture is brutal towards women. See my point? It's pretty difficult to criticize other countries so harshly and with such self-assurance of correctness when the US is so fucked up as well.

[ButterflyBlood]

22. Most people in the south in the 50's supported segregation

Tyranny of the majority is still tyranny.

[Julius Civitatus]

11. Why do we have to show "respect for Italian laws"

or any law of any country, if that law does restrict certain freedoms?
Maybe you were being sarcastic, but somehow I missed it.

While I understand that Italians have the right to decide their laws, of course, I do have the right to criticize those laws if I think they restrict freedom of speech. At least I still have that right.

Let me give an extreme example: Should we also show some respect for the brutal laws of Saudi Arabia? Not while I live is a western Democracy I don't.

[Fab1969]

21. That law is not senseless

No I wasn't being sarcastic, I found a lot of Italians laws questionable, but this one is not one of them.
It's about respecting all religions and not inciting hatred for a religion.
I don't have any problems with it, even if it does restrict the freedom of the press.

The example you mention is a slippery slop I won't even comment.

BTW, Of course you have the right to criticize it.

[Julius Civitatus]

17. Get this: Adel Smith is a major hypocrite

Apparently he's been a controversial figure in Italy, demanding that Italian schools (a country overwhelmingly Catholic) remove symbols of Christianity from schools and public places.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3215445.stm

He's also insulted and made fun of symbols of Christianity, like the cross, to the media. He called it "a miniature naked corpse of a man nailed to a stick," and also said it was made to "scare children."

Lets just pretend Mr. Adel Smith was a Catholic living in... I don't know, Saudi Arabia for instance, and he had made the request to the Saudi rulers that symbols of Islam should be removed from public places.

Right....

I wonder how fast they do decapitate in public anyone even thinking such thing.

It's understandable that as Italy becomes a more modern and secular society, more people will demand a secularization of public areas. I can understand to a certain degree. But what I find irritating is when an individual like this Smith guy demand secularization and sues people that criticize Islam, while at the same time he insults Italian Catholics and pretends certain aspects of Islamic law are followed in Italy. Hypocrite!

[Frederik]

19. Yes, he's an ass

I suspect he's just trying to be controversial for the sake of being controversial.

[Frederik]

18. Fallaci is an idiot

But this decision was wrong. Freedom of speech is much more important than people's religious sensibilities. I don't see a "development" though, I've never heard of any similar cases anywhere in Europe.