Brigitte Bardot Convicted/Fined...for expressing her thoughts

[the iron horse]

Welcome the Thought Police:
French screen icon Bardot fined for anti-Muslim remarks

 

[INDY500]

Elle était vraiment sensationnel!!

 

[dazzlingamy]

it all comes down to a point of view. While her opinion is valid abou the treatment of animals, saying that muslim people are destroying the country seems to be over the top. While i don't agree with a fine, we just know some people get their backs up about anything, and muslims who are pretty virtriolic about themselves and their society, love to get their backs up about everything.

 

[verte76]

Yeah, saying that Muslim people are destroying the country is over the top. Anti-Muslim remarks piss me off dammit!

 

[financeguy]

She's only saying what a large proportion of French people think (otherwise Le Pen wouldn't have come so close to being elected President).

 

[melon]

She's only saying what a large proportion of French people think (otherwise Le Pen wouldn't have come so close to being elected President).

I think Le Pen's rise had more to do with "protest" votes against the socialists. They went beyond humiliating them with a close contest, and sent Le Pen over the top.

Nonetheless, France has a demonstrated problem with ethnic diversity that is well-documented. Le Pen is just beside the point.

 

[Vincent Vega]

Another factor was that voter turnout was low as far as I know, which gives rise to the fringe.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

It's her opinion and she may have some valid points about the affects of immigration on her country. I think it's wrong to fine someone for what they believe based on their own personal experiences. If someone threatens someone's life, that's different, but I think it's terrible a longtime French citizen and star who in her view has her country's best interests at heart and in her view is trying to save their culture getting treated criminally over this is a disgrace. This wouldn't even happen in America under Bush.

 

[A_Wanderer]

You enjoy the first amendment and as long as it isn't interpreted in a very nasty way (it could happen, it has in the past) your safe.

 

[Laura M]

She's only saying what a large proportion of French people think (otherwise Le Pen wouldn't have come so close to being elected President).

Another factor was that voter turnout was low as far as I know, which gives rise to the fringe.

I think many folk had also assumed that Lionel Jospin would go through to the second round. When that didn't happen there was a huge turnout to ensure that Chirac was re-elected. I think if people had realised LePen could have won the first round many more people would have voted. In reality there was a very slim chance that he would ever be President. I think Chirac had something like 80-85% of the votes.

 

[mama cass]

(otherwise Le Pen wouldn't have come so close to being elected President).

that was more of a protest vote backfiring actually

 

[anitram]

Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences.