Saudis rise to Dutch bait
Reuters (via) reports that Dutch populist politician, Geert Wilders has been baiting Muslims again. This time by saying that Muslims should “tear out half the Koran” if they wanted to live in his country and claiming that he would chase Mohammad out of the country if he were alive today.
Saudi Arabia has risen to the bait and are demanding that he withdraw his statements and apologise. Wilders, not surprisingly, has said that he won’t be retracting any of his remarks.
“Have they gone completely mad? It is scandalous that a country which does not have freedom of speech teaches me a lesson. They must learn that when you are a parliamentarian here, you may say what you want.”
Personally, I think that Wilders is a prat with a bad haircut. But he’s an elected prat and, even if he didn’t have a parliamentary seat, he should be entitled to express his views.
It’s not for the Saudis - or anyone else - to limit what can and can’t be said.
Tuesday 20 Feb 2007 | Paul | Saudi Arabia, The Netherlands
