23.1.10

Para uma videoteca do islamismo

Para uma videoteca do islamismo, o contributo do Creeping Sharia.

Menos blogues e mais livros (4): A Islamização da Europa

De Alexandre del Valle, A Islamização da Europa, Civilização Editora, Porto, 2009. Uma excelente introdução à problemática referida no título do livro e um excelente conjunto de reflexões à sua volta. Mais uma óptima tradução de Maria José Figueiredo.

Julgamento de Wilders (6)

How wrong is Gert Wilders? Via The Force of Reason no Twitter. Fitna, de Gert Wilders

Demografia do islão em Portugal

Peso numérico relativo dos muçulmanos no território nacional

Segundo o último censo (2001), residiam em Portugal 12014 muçulmanos, o que representa 0,14% de toda a população.
Comparados com as outras minorias religiosas (isto é, excluídos os católicos, os agnósticos e os ateus), são um grupo importante, uma vez que os restantes grupos, à excepção dos cristãos orientais (ortodoxos) e dos judeus, estarão muito divididos em pequenas seitas.
Finalmente, é na região da Grande Lisboa onde há mais muçulmanos, em termos absolutos (9600) e relativos (0,42%):
Tabela 1 (ref.ª 3):
ZONA GEOGRÁFICATotalPopulação que não respondeuCatólicaOrtodoxaProtes-tanteOutra CristãJudaicaMuçul-manaOutra não CristãSem Religião
Portugal86995157868227353548174434830112274517731201413882342987
Continente83114097658536994739166824730911991317431192213554339694
Norte304234517773027651812982717935565372835248650015
Centro199600913726917806363848877220730366638155142199
Lisboa226562931351716699536255226414970385196008086185023
Alentejo669940894885246621300396169177621971142606
Algarve337486478492543072297475669987863072019851
R. Autónoma dos Açores189996730517871935451011949191751711
R. Autónoma da Madeira19811013664180090407482163821731531582

Número de muçulmanos residentes em Portugal segundo os resultados definitivos dos últimos três censos realizados pelo INE.

Notas: Têm variado de censo para censo os concelhos constituindo cada região do país. Nos censos de 1981 e 1991, os inquiridos tinham 12 ou mais anos; no de 2001, 15.
Tabela 2 (ref.ªs 1,2,3):
Região / Ano198119912001
Norte4052257835
Centro223564638
Lisboa (e Vale do Tejo)357458179600
Alentejo71226219
Algarve33219630
R. Autónoma dos Açores94719
R. Autónoma da Madeira202973
Total4335915912014

Dados mais recentes, segundo a Comunidade Islâmica no nosso País (refª 4, nosso o destaque):

Comunidade Islâmica em Portugal Quantos Somos A Comunidade, no seu início, era maioritariamente constituída por famílias provenientes das ex-colónias que vieram para Portugal a partir de 1975, nomeadamente Moçambique e Guiné-Bissau, bem como algumas pessoas oriundas do Norte de África (Marrocos e Argélia), Paquistão, Bangladesh e membros das diversas embaixadas de países Árabes acreditados em Portugal.Há que ter em conta que uma parte significativa de jovens que compõem a Comunidade, são já naturais de Portugal, havendo hoje uma importante segunda e terceira geração aqui nascida.Estima-se em cerca de 40.000 pessoas a população Islâmica em Portugal, que se estende por várias zonas do País, nomeadamente área da Grande Lisboa, Porto e zona do Algarve.
Segundo esta cifra, e a estimativa populacional mais recente do INE (2008: 10.627.250; ref.ª5), os 40000 muçulmanos representariam 0,38% da população de Portugal. Ainda segundo as fontes oficiais (ref.ª 6), o número de mesquitas funcionantes como tal:
Existem em Portugal quatro Mesquitas a saber:
  • Mesquita Central de Lisboa
  • Mesquita de Odivelas
  • Mesquita do Laranjeiro
  • Mesquita de Coimbra
Também há outros locais de culto, mais pequenos, espalhados por várias zonas, perto de núcleos residenciais das populações islâmicas.
Fontes:
  1. Quadro 6.24, página 291, Resultados Definitivos dos Censos de 1981 - Portugal, INE
  2. Quadro 6.45, página 422, Resultados Definitivos dos Censos de 1991 - Portugal, INE
  3. Quadro 6.48, Resultados Definitivos dos Censos de 2001 - Portugal, INE
  4. Site da Comunidade Islâmica de Lisboa, secção Quantos somos
  5. Portal do INE > Dados Estatísticos > Principais indicadores > População residente em 2008
  6. Ibidem, secção Mesquita
Post scriptum: muito obrigado pela laude, Luís. É para mim uma grande honra poder participar no teu blog. Asinus asinum fricat! lol Addendum: ler Efeitos corrosivos.
Nossa Senhora de Fátima, rogai por nós.

22.1.10

"A flor de Junho dá fruto, homem sozinho é que não"

O título deste postal é retirado de uma canção do Sérgio Godinho e serve para dar as boas vindas ao Francisco, que se vem juntar a mim com a finalidade de melhorar a qualidade do que é publicado aqui no blogue e para me aliviar a carga. Conheço pessoalmente o Francisco há já algum tempo e confiar-lhe-ia o cuidado da minha família se necessário fosse. É sério e responsável. É solteiro e bom rapaz. Bem-vindo, obrigado, e bons trabalhos. Resta acrescentar que a participação do Francisco se inicia com um postal no qual o Francisco responde à questão que ele próprio colocou na caixa de comentários da entrada Efeitos corrosivos.

Uma lição sobre a visão muçulmana dos judeus

Via Vlad Tepes.

21.1.10

Morrer a rir (2)

Humor fundamentado nas Escrituras e nos escritos islâmicos, com indicações dos versículos e tudo. Um Alá negro, satânico; um Mafoma igual a si próprio. Absolutamente de antologia o segmento a partir do minuto 6:18. Via Tundra Tabloids.

Julgamento de Wilders (5c)

Video do discurso. Via e legendas Vlad Tepes.

Julgamento de Wilders (5b)

O discurso de Wilders, em castelhano, via La Yijad en Eurabia:

«Sr. Portavoz, jueces del juzgado, me gustaría hacer uso de mi derecho a hablar durante unos pocos minutos.

La Libertad es el más precioso de todos nuestros logros, y el más vulnerable. La gente ha dedicado sus vidas a ella y ha dado sus vidas por ella. Nuetra libertad en este país es el resultado de varios siglos. Es la consecuencia de una historia que no conoce igul y nos ha traido a donde estamos ahora

Creo con todo mi corazón y mi alma que la libertad en los Países Bajos está en peligro. Que aquello que es nuestra herencia, aquello con lo cual generaciones pasadas sólo pudieron soñar, esta libertad, no es ya algo dado, ni algo patente.

Yo dedico mi vida a la defensa de nuestra libertad. Sé cuales son los riesgos, y pago un precio por ello todos los días. No me quejo al respecto; es por decisión propia. Lo veo como mi deber y por ello por lo que hoy estoy aquí.

Sé que las palabras que en ocasiones uso son en ocasiones duras. No es mi intención perdonar a una ideología de conquista y destrucción, pero no lo estoy más a ofender a la gente. No tengo nada en contra de los musulmanes. Tengo un problema con el Islam y con la islamización de nuestro país, porque el Islam está en oposición a la libertad.

Las generaciones futuras se preguntarán cómo nosotros, en el año 2010, en este lugar, en esta sala, nos ganamos nuestro más preciado logro. Se preguntarán si hay libertad en este debate para ambos bandos, y así también para los críticos del Islam, ¿o si sólo un bando de esta discusión tiene derecho a ser oído en Holanda?. Si la libertad de expresión en HOlanda se aplica a todos, ¿o sólo a unos pocos?. La respuesta a esto es a la vez la respuesta a si la libertad todavía tiene un hogar en este país.

La Libertad no ha sido nunca propiedad de un pequeño grupo, sino siempre la herencia de todos nosotros. Estamos todos bendecidos por ella.

La dama Justicia lleva una venda en los ojos, pero tiene muy buen oido. Espero que escuche las siguientes frases, alto y claro:

No es sólo un derecho, sino también un deber de la gente libre, el hablar en contra de cada ideología que amenace la libertad. Thomas Jefferson, el tercer presidente de los Estados Unidos, estaba en lo correcto: El precio de la libertad es la vigilancia eterna.

Espero que la libertad de expresión triunfe en este juicio.

En conclusión, señor Portavoz, jueces del juzgado.

Este juicio trata claramente acerca de la libertad de expresión. Pero este juicio es también el procedimiento para establecer la verdad. ¿Son las afirmaciones que he realizado y las comparaciones que he hecho, como se citan en el requerimiento, verdaderas?. ¿Si algo es verdad, entonces puede ser todavía punible?, Esta es la razón por la que os insto a no sólo mi petición de que se pueda oir a los testigos y expertos sobre la materia de la libertad de expresión, sino que os pido explícitamente que honréis mi petición de escuchar a testigos y expertos sobre el Islam. No me refiero solamente al Sr. Jansen y al Sr. Admiraal, sino también a testigos y expertos de Israel, Estados Unidos, y el Reino Unido. Sin esos testigos, no puedo defenderme adecuadamente y, en mi opinión, este no sería un juicio justo.»

20.1.10

Julgamento de Wilders (5)

Discurso de Geert Wilders perante os juizes do tribunal onde começou hoje a ser julgado, no sítio do PVV:
«Mister Speaker, judges of the court,

I would like to make use of my right to speak for a few minutes.

Freedom is the most precious of all our attainments and the most vulnerable. People have devoted their lives to it and given their lives for it. Our freedom in this country is the outcome of centuries. It is the consequence of a history that knows no equal and has brought us to where we are now.

I believe with all my heart and soul that the freedom in the Netherlands is threatened. That what our heritage is, what generations could only dream about, that this freedom is no longer a given, no longer self-evident.

I devote my life to the defence of our freedom. I know what the risks are and I pay a price for it every day. I do not complain about it; it is my own decision. I see that as my duty and it is why I am standing here.

I know that the words I use are sometimes harsh, but they are never rash. It is not my intention to spare the ideology of conquest and destruction, but I am not any more out to offend people. I have nothing against Muslims. I have a problem with Islam and the Islamization of our country because Islam is at odds with freedom.

Future generations will wonder to themselves how we in 2010, in this place, in this room, earned our most precious attainment. Whether there is freedom in this debate for both parties and thus also for the critics of Islam, or that only one side of the discussion may be heard in the Netherlands? Whether freedom of speech in the Netherlands applies to everyone or only to a few? The answer to this is at once the answer to the question whether freedom still has a home in this country.

Freedom was never the property of a small group, but was always the heritage of us all. We are all blessed by it.

Lady Justice wears a blindfold, but she has splendid hearing. I hope that she hears the following sentences, loud and clear:

It is not only a right, but also the duty of free people to speak against every ideology that threatens freedom. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States was right: The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

I hope that the freedom of speech shall triumph in this trial.

In conclusion, Mister Speaker, judges of the court.

This trial is obviously about the freedom of speech. But this trial is also about the process of establishing the truth. Are the statements that I have made and the comparisons that I have taken, as cited in the summons, true? If something is true then can it still be punishable? This is why I urge you to not only submit to my request to hear witnesses and experts on the subject of freedom of speech. But I ask you explicitly to honour my request to hear witnesses and experts on the subject of Islam. I refer not only to Mister Jansen and Mister Admiraal, but also to the witness/experts from Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Without these witnesses, I cannot defend myself properly and, in my opinion, this would not be an fair trial.»

Julgamento de Wilders (4)

Via Tea and Politics, no site do PVV:

«Geert Wilders’ Trial: Who Will be Next? By Harry Antonides

On January 21, 2009, Dutch authorities took another step toward the Islamization of Holland.

On that day the Amsterdam Court of Appeal overturned the decision of a lower court, which last year had found Geert Wilders, the controversial member of the Dutch parliament, not guilty of hate speech. This lower court acknowledged that some of his statements may be offensive but they contributed to a social debate that did not give cause for criminal prosecution.

The Court of Appeal’s reasoning for overturning this decision is a jumble of contradictions and doubletalk that brings to mind the newspeak of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. The Court gives three reasons for its decision.

1984 is Now One, Wilders’ views, including the message of his short film Fitna, in style and substance are ”characterized by biased, strongly generalizing phrasings with a radical meaning, ongoing reiteration and an increasing intensity, as a result of which hate is created...” Wilders has indeed insulted Islamic worshipers by attacking the symbols of their belief.

Two, the Court finds that a possible criminal prosecution or conviction is admissible according to the norms of European jurisprudence, which at the same time “considers the freedom of expression of paramount importance.”

Then follows another sentence that is convoluted and without any sense because it is self-contradictory. It says that this Court has concluded that prosecution is warranted, “ provided that it is proportionate, does not necessarily conflict with the freedom of expression of Wilders, since statements which create hate and grief made by politicians, taken their special responsibility into consideration, are not permitted according to European standards either.”

Three, the Court finds that criminal prosecution is opportune in the Dutch situation because “the instigation of hatred in a democratic society constitutes such a serious matter that a general interest is at stake in order to draw a clear boundary in the public debate.”

The Court explains that the Dutch culture of public debate is based on tolerance of opposing views, while Islamic immigrants may be expected to have consideration for the existing sentiments among the Dutch for their (Islamic) belief, “which is partly at odds with Dutch and European values and norms.”

Instead of calling for Muslims to appreciate and respect the Dutch culture, the Court then reiterates its opinion that prosecution of Wilders is warranted because he compared radical Islam with Nazism, which is contrary to the general interest of society.

Here is a clear case of language that lacks any kind of rhetorical firmness and clarity. George Orwell was perceptive when he showed that the destruction of freedom goes hand in hand with the corruption of language. Then words are used not to communicate truth but to hide it with hollow words that say the very opposite to what is real.

Truth is Irrelevant The Court does not concern itself with the truth of Wilders’ opinions, but with the claims of radical Islamists that their religion has been insulted, which in the eyes of many Muslims calls for the death penalty. Wilders has received many such threats, which in normal times would result in prosecution of those who issue such threats.

But these are not normal times, and though he is a member of the Dutch parliament, leader of the nine-member Freedom Party (VVD), he is forced to live like a fugitive, under 24 hours-a-day police protection, forced to move from place to place and deprived of all the normal benefits of citizenship in a free society.

He has a number of law suits pending, including one by an imam who is demanding damages of 55.000 Euros for his hurt feelings. The state of Jordan has requested that Wilders be extradited and tried in a Jordanian court for blaspheming Islam. Now Wilders no longer travels outside the country unless he receives assurance from the government of the country to be visited that he will not be charged or extradited.

His invitation from the British House of Lords to discuss his film was withdrawn after the Muslim Lord Ahmed is reported to have threatened to mobilize 10,000 Muslims to prevent Wilders from entering the House. The Secretary-General of the UN condemned the airing of Fitna in the strongest terms. He said that “there is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence.” The irony is that this is exactly the point of Wilders’ position.

The bitter reality is that the persecution of this member of the Dutch parliament now living under a death threat proves the truth of his contention that radial Islam is incompatible with Western democracy.

Wilders’ unpardonable sin is that he insists on taking the Islamists at their words. He has simply stated the obvious. His brief film Fitna, though in a provocative way, quotes some of the warlike verses of the Koran and shows images of 9/11 and other terrorist attacks. It also has clips of angry demonstrators shouting the praise of Allah while calling for the death of infidels.

In the Netherlands crowds have shouted an especially revolting expression of Jew-hatred: “Hamas, Hamas, Joden aan het gas” ( Hamas, Hamas, all Jews to the gas). Last October, a Muslim radical with a long police record attacked two police officers in Amsterdam. One of the officers nearly died; the attacker was shot. This event touched off days of rioting and car burning, but the Dutch press avoided any mention of Islamic radicalism

In Copenhagen recently Muslim demonstrators were heard to scream Alla-hu Akbar while giving the “Heil Hitler” salute and calling for the death of Jews.

The United Nations: No Friend of Freedom While such demonstrations are taking place in many parts of the world, the Islamic bloc at the United Nations is busy furthering the Islamization of the West. In 1990, the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) adopted the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam.

While it pays lip service to the freedom of all people, it makes very clear that all rights and laws are to be interpreted and applied in accordance with Islamic law. For example, article 24 states: “All the rights and freedoms stipulated in this Declaration are subject to the Islamic Shari’ah.”

The OIC, now the largest voting bloc, is determined to use the UN as the wedge to silence all critics of Islam. Since 2005 the General Assembly has passed a so-called anti-defamation resolution, which until now has been non-binding. The OIC has begun a campaign to have the UN adopt a binding resolution, which in effect would criminalize all criticism of Islam.

Last year the UN Human Rights Council - including China, Angola, Cuba and Saudi Arabia - adopted a resolution that moved a step closer to such criminalization. It decided to mandate the Special Rapporteur of Freedom of Expression not only to report violations of this freedom but also to include cases in which that freedom is “abused.” Such “abuse” will include all criticism of Islam.

As the Canadian delegation noted: “instead of promoting freedom of expression the Special Rapporteur would be policing its exercise.” It is clear that the backers of this anti-defamation resolution want to silence all critics of Islam. Why have the delegations of the free nations not opposed this move in clear and unmistakable ways?

Only recently did the French ambassador on behalf of the European Union warn that the EU would not accept such a resolution which in fact would destroy the freedom of expression. But most of the Western UN members failed to condemn this attempt to silence the critics of Islam. Although the Canadian representative protested against this resolution, in the end Canada abstained rather than vote against it. The U.S. also abstained.

The next battle lines are now being drawn in preparation for he forthcoming 2009 Durban Review Conference (Durban II). This UN World Conference Against Racism shows all the signs of a repeat performance of Durban I, which in fact became a platform for vicious anti-Israel and pro-Islam propaganda. One of its agenda points will be a recommendation that the UN make defamation of Islam a criminal offence and thus no longer allowed under the “pretext of freedom of religion, counter terrorism or national security.”

That the UN has degenerated into a nest of scheming power blocs mostly tilted against the Western democracies, is bad enough. But that those very same democracies allow their own legislative and judiciary institutions to silence the critics of radical Islam is beyond belief.

The case of Geert Wilders is especially reprehensible, but the same thing is happening in England, France, Germany, Belgium, the U.S, Canada, and elsewhere. The biggest challenge is to distinguish truth from falsehood. Not a bad rule of thumb is to be very suspicious of the ruling majority, especially if they belong to the herd of the politically correct.

If you really want to understand the full scope of the controversy surrounding Geert Wilders, I can wholeheartedly recommend Bat Ye’or’s Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis.»

Julgamento de Wilders (3)

Entrevista com o professor de direito Afshin Ellian(1), iraniano radicado na Holanda, in Gates of Vienna:
«(...) You said that the Wilders Trial reminds you of justice in your country of origin, Iran. Is that not somewhat exaggerated? “The Netherlands, of course, is not comparable with Iran, it is but about the experience. If you cannot say that the Islam is a backward religion and that Muhammad is a criminal, then you are living in an Islamic country, my friend, because there you also cannot say such things. I may say Christ was a f** and Mary was a w****, but apparently I should stay off of Muhammad.” (...)»
Lede tudo. (1) - Afshin Ellian was born February 17, 1966 in Tehran, Iran. In 1983 he fled the regime of Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran. He had studied medicine in Kabul an came to the Netherlands in 1989, where he studied criminal law, constitutional law, and philosophy. At present he is a professor of law, a poet, a columnist (Elsevier, NRC Handelsblad), and a professor of citizenship, social cohesion and multiculturalism at the University of Leiden.

Julgamento de Wilders (2)

«Far-right MP Geert Wilders on trial for discrimination against Muslims Geert Wilders, the far-right MP who likens the Koran to Hitler’s Mein Kampf, goes on trial today in a politically charged test of the limits of tolerance and free speech in the Netherlands.

Mr Wilders, 46, leader of the Freedom Party, is charged with incitement and discrimination against Muslims over his outspoken comments attacking Islam and for his film, Fitna, which juxtaposed images of 9/11 and beheadings with verses of the Koran. He has called the Koran “a fascist book” and described Islamic culture as retarded.

Mr Wilders (...) has called his indictment a political trial but the Amsterdam Court of Appeal decided that it was in the public interest to prosecute him because his comments have been “so insulting to Muslims”.

“I am being prosecuted for my political convictions,” Mr Wilders said this week.

“The freedom of speech is on the verge of collapsing,” Mr Wilders added. “If a politician is not allowed to criticise an ideology anymore this means that we are lost, and it will lead to the end of our freedom. However, I remain combative: I am convinced that I will be acquitted.”

He faces up to two years in prison if convicted but his opponents fear that, win or lose, his Freedom Party will receive a boost in next year’s election where it is expected to challenge the ruling Christian Democrats for the largest party vote.

Mr Wilders has received numerous death threats for his campaign against the “Islamisation of our societies” views but has built a large following by exploiting a backlash against relaxed Dutch immigration policies, vowing to close Holland’s borders if he comes to power.

“My supporters say, ‘At last there is someone who dares to say what millions of people think’. That is what I do.” Today’s hearing in Amsterdam district court is a formal opening session to determine who will be called as witnesses and whether they will all be heard in public.

(...)

“The Court of Appeal determined that statements equating Islam to Nazism were a punishable insult to Islamic worshippers and therefore constituted ground for criminal prosecution,” she said.

In its judgment ordering the prosecution of Mr Wilders the Court of Appeal stated: “The court considers this so insulting for Muslims that it is in the public interest to prosecute Wilders. By attacking the symbols of the Muslim religion, he also insulted Muslim believers. In a democratic system, hate speech is considered to be so serious that it is in the general interest to draw a clear line.”»

Apenas uma observação: discordo em absoluto da classificação de Wilders e do PVV como partido de "extrema-direita". Nas declarações de Wilders nada aponta nesse sentido, como afirma Daniel Pipes no artigo hoje aqui divulgado. De resto, a notícia foca alguns dos pontos essenciais deste caso. Via Jihad Watch.

Julgamento de Wilders: primeira sessão

«Islam critic Geert Wilders goes on trial in Netherlands Amsterdam - The trial of Dutch member of parliament and Islam critic Geert Wilders for discrimination and incitement to hatred opened in an Amsterdam court on Wednesday. The court is to decide whether the leader of the liberal-rightist Freedom Party PVV violated Dutch law by calling the Koran a "fascist book" and Islam a "backward culture." At the start of proceedings, the presiding judge said it had been "suggested" that the court had already convicted Wilders before its first hearings. He would therefore "like to emphasize that only after the last word in these hearings has been said, the court will deliberate about its decision." In his opening statement, Wilders' lawyer Bram Moskowicz questioned why the trial was taking place in Amsterdam rather than in The Hague, where his client works. Most of the complaints filed against Wilders since 2006 were related to remarks he made as a lawmaker in the Hague-based parliament, he said. Moskowicz also argued that Wilders' remarks about Islam were made only in the context of his work as a lawmaker, and that he never spoke "a titre personnel," or in his personal capacity. Prosecutors claim Wilders' 16-minute internet video Fitna, released in March 2008, incites people to hatred against Muslims. The film warns against the spread of radical Islam and the alleged "Islamization" of the Netherlands. Wilders faces a maximum of 16 months imprisonment or a fine of 10,000 euros (14,000 dollars) if convicted on all the charges. Almost 6 per cent of the Netherlands' 16.5 million inhabitants are Muslim.»
A propósito desta última frase, ler a entrada Efeitos corrosivos. Acrescento um novo separador: Serviço Público. Via Tundra Tabloids.

Julgamento de Wilders

Começa hoje o julgamento de Gert Wilders, o qual tentaremos acompanhar aqui e no twitter. Podemos começar esse seguimento lendo um texto de Daniel Pipes publicado no sítio da National Review:
«Why I Stand with Geert Wilders Who is the most important European alive today? I nominate the Dutch politician Geert Wilders. I do so because he is best placed to deal with the Islamic challenge facing the continent. He has the potential to emerge as a world-historical figure. That Islamic challenge consists of two components: on the one hand, an indigenous population’s withering Christian faith, inadequate birthrate, and cultural diffidence, and on the other an influx of devout, prolific, and culturally assertive Muslim immigrants. This fast-moving situation raises profound questions about Europe: Will it retain its historic civilization or become a majority-Muslim continent living under Islamic law (the Shari’a)? Wilders, 46, founder and head of the Party for Freedom (PVV), is the unrivaled leader of those Europeans who wish to retain their historic identity. That’s because he and the PVV differ from most of Europe’s other nationalist, anti-immigrant parties. The PVV is libertarian and mainstream conservative, without roots in neo-Fascism, nativism, conspiricism, antisemitism, or other forms of extremism. (Wilders publicly emulates Ronald Reagan.) Indicative of this moderation is Wilders’s long-standing affection for Israel that includes two years’ residence in the Jewish state, dozens of visits, and his advocating the transfer of the Dutch embassy to Jerusalem. In addition, Wilders is a charismatic, savvy, principled, and outspoken leader who has rapidly become the most dynamic political force in the Netherlands. While he opines on the full range of topics, Islam and Muslims constitute his signature issue. Overcoming the tendency of Dutch politicians to play it safe, he calls Muhammad a devil and demands that Muslims “tear out half of the Koran if they wish to stay in the Netherlands.” More broadly, he sees Islam itself as the problem, not just a virulent version of it called Islamism. The PVV has done well electorally, winning 6 percent of the seats in the November 2006 national parliamentary elections and 16 percent of Dutch seats in the June 2009 European Union elections. Polls now generally show the PVV winning a plurality of votes and becoming the country’s largest party. Were Wilders to become prime minister, he could take on a leadership role for all Europe. But he faces daunting challenges. (...) Wilders must also overcome his opponents’ dirty tactics. Most notably, they have finally, after two and a half years of preliminary skirmishes, succeeded in dragging him to court on charges of hate speech and incitement to hatred. The public prosecutor’s case against Wilders opens in Amsterdam on January 20; if convicted, Wilders faces a fine of up to $14,000 or as many as 16 months in jail. Remember, he is his country’s leading politician. Plus, due to threats against his life, he always travels with bodyguards and incessantly changes safe houses. Who exactly, one wonders, is the victim of incitement? (...) Ironically, were Wilders fined or jailed, it would probably improve his chances to become prime minister. But principle outweighs political tactics here. He represents all Westerners who cherish their civilization. The outcome of his trial and his freedom to speak have implications for us all.»