Free speech is the foundation upon which all other freedoms are built. When a nation’s citizens are unable to express their thoughts, ideas, and opinions without fear of criminal punishment, democracy crumbles and tyranny fills the vacuum.
In spite of the utmost importance of free speech, the United States is the only country in the world with an ironclad right to free speech enshrined in its constitution. For a long time, other free countries such as those in Europe allowed and even protected free speech even though it was not regarded as a fundamental right. In 2018, though, free speech in Europe is in real danger.
On October 25th, the highest human rights court in Europe – the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) – ruled that slandering the prophet Muhammad is not protected speech and is subject to criminal prosecution. This ruling came after an anonymous Austrian woman made statements at two seminars calling Muhammad a “pedophile” for his marriage to a six year old girl when he was fifty-six – a marriage that was consummated when the girl was nine according to Islamic teachings.
After being fined for her statements, the woman took her case all the way to the ECHR, arguing that the punishment was a violation of her freedom of speech. However, the ECHR upheld the ruling, stating that criticizing Muhammad did not fall under the category of protected speech.
According to the ECHR, the Austrian courts where the woman was convicted, “carefully balanced her right to freedom of expression with the right of others to have their religious feelings protected, and served the legitimate aim of preserving religious peace in Austria.”
Of course, there’s a good reason why Austria feels the need to “preserve religious peace”. Like so many other European countries that have embraced multiculturalism and open borders, Austria has been flooded with Muslim immigrants who have refused to assimilate to Western culture.
Now that these immigrants’ stranglehold on the European culture is so strong, leaders in Austria and Europe at-large have decided that restricting the free speech rights of their own citizens is a necessary sacrifice in order to appease the Muslim immigrants in their country and keep them from becoming violent.
It’s a sad, terrifying reality, but there is little doubt that we are witnessing the death of an entire culture and continent. The leftist policies of open borders and multiculturalism have eroded away the European economy and culture. Now, European courts and leaders are eroding away the rights of their citizens as well in order to appease a group that isn’t used to having their beliefs challenged.
Leftist leaders once envisioned a Europe where multiple cultures lived and worked in harmony. However, a single, unifying culture has been the glue that holds nations together ever since the dawn of civilization. The Muslim immigrants flooding into Europe have expressed zero interest in working harmoniously with their new European neighbors.
Instead, their sole interest has been to turn Europe into a mirror image of the oppressive, war-torn Middle Eastern countries that they fled – and they are succeeding. Free speech looks as if it will be the first right to go, but more rights will follow.
What’s even more terrifying is the fact that leftist politicians in the United States continue to hold up the European blueprint as the pinnacle of human achievement even as Europe crumbles before their very eyes. All of the things that have led to Europe’s demise are things that the left in the United States still fights for.
The left in America fights for open borders and unchecked immigration. They fight for multiculturalism and the eroding away of American culture and values. They even fight for the oppression and limitation of free speech, arguing that anything they define as “hate speech” should be made illegal in the United States.
In many Middle Eastern countries, speaking out against Muhammad or Islam is punishable by death. In Europe, it’s now punishable by a stiff fine. Thanks to leftist policies, free speech in Europe is now on life support and may never recover. Thanks again to leftist policies, Europe is on track to become little more than an extension of the Middle East.
It may be too late for Europe. Drastic measures would be needed at this point to reverse the damage that has been done. However, it’s not too late for the United States to avoid following them down the same path to destruction. At least, not yet.
If you haven’t already voted today, run right now to your designated polling station and vote Republican—they are the only ones left making sure America won’t capitulate their right to free speech like Europe has.
