An Englishman's Concern

Our regular correspondent, David Lott, an Englishman living in France, laments some recent reporting in the British media.  A retired commercial and Royal Air Force pilot, and former United Kingdom Independent Party candidate for the House of Commons, David now tends his garden in Normandy with his lovely wife.  He shares his worries and concerns about on-going migration challenges to European culture and political values. 

His words and those of an anti-immigration political leader in the Netherlands capture some of the rising populist angst in Europe and the USA. Whatever one's stance on these issues or the recent presidential election in America, there is the question of freedom of speech in Western nations.-Glenn N. Holliman

David Lott writes:

I am normally cheerful and optimistic about the future but I have to say I am becoming fearful and almost feel as though people such as myself are becoming prey in the eyes of the establishment. It seems as I am white, old and critical of those who look down upon us from their great establishment heights that I am fair game for abuse, lies and the source of all that is evil. My crimes: helping to win Brexit and supporting President-elect Trump.

The other evening I watched with incredulity a major TV News programme conducted by the anchor, Jon Snow, who asserted that President-elect Trump's victory was entirely due to the support of white supremacists! This man is a household name and respected by many (but not I). In addition he had as a backdrop the Stars and Strips flag of the USA, on it was printed SUPREMACY in large letters and the flag now appears behind him every evening when the US presidential issue arises. The subliminal message is clear.

After his rant on white supremacy he mocked Trump's criticism of journalists who had opposed his campaign and then addressed an African American Trump supporting journalist invited by TV link whom he commenced to bully cruelly on the grounds of her race and credentials by saying she must also support white supremacists and was a disgrace to her race and her profession. She replied that there were only 3400 white supremacists in the US so it would have been difficult for them to have swung the election. He cut her off commenting that the interview had not been revealing.

His behaviour exhibits the normal state of hysteria here in the UK broadcast media. They behave like jackals trying to bring down the peoples vote here on Brexit and that of the victory of Donald Trump in the USA. Even I, of lowly status, have had my phone hacked and been subject to a journalistic 'fishing' exercise. 

So I present to you below Geert Wilder's defence speech to a Dutch court where he is on trial in the Netherlands to the following crime: in that 'He incited racism by asking a group of his supporters if they would indicate if they want more or less Moroccans allowed to enter the country'. Geert is the leader of the Freedom Party in Holland and is making great strides in the polls. His predecessor was murdered. I hope you find it revealing. 

"Mr. President, Members of the Court:

When I decided to address you here today, by making a final statement in this trial against freedom of speech, many people reacted by telling me it is useless. That you, the court, have already written the sentencing verdict a while ago. That everything indicates that you have already convicted me. And perhaps that is true. Nevertheless, here I am. Because I never give up. And I have a message for you and the Netherlands.

For centuries, the Netherlands are a symbol of freedom.

When one says Netherlands, one says freedom. And that is also true, perhaps especially, for those who have a different opinion than the establishment, the opposition. And our most important freedom is freedom of speech.

We, Dutch, say whatever is close to our hearts. And that is precisely what makes our country great. Freedom of speech is our pride.

And that, precisely that, is at stake here, today.

I refuse to believe that we are simply giving this freedom up. Because we are Dutch. That is why we never mince our words. And I, too, will never do that. And I am proud of that. No-one will be able to silence me.

Moreover, members of the court, for me personally, freedom of speech is the only freedom I still have. Every day, I am reminded of that. This morning, for example. I woke up in a safe-house. I got into an armoured car and was driven in a convoy to this high security courtroom at Schiphol. The bodyguards, the blue flashing lights, the sirens. Every day again. It is hell. But I am also intensely grateful for it.

Because they protect me, they literally keep me alive, they guarantee the last bit of freedom left to me: my freedom of speech. The freedom to go somewhere and speak about my ideals, my ideas to make the Netherlands — our country — stronger and safer. After twelve years without freedom, after having lived for safety reasons, together with my wife, in barracks, prisons and safe-houses, I know what lack of freedom means.

I sincerely hope that this will never happen to you, members of the court. That, unlike me, you will never have to be protected because Islamic terror organizations, such as Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and ISIS, and who knows how many individual Muslims, want to murder you. That you will no longer be allowed to empty your own mailbox, need to carry a bulletproof vest at meetings, and that there are police officers guarding the door whenever you use the bathroom. I hope you will be spared this.

However, if you would have experienced it — no matter how much you disagree with my views — you might perhaps understand that I cannot remain silent. That I should not remain silent. That I must speak. Not just for myself, but for the Netherlands, our country. That I need to use the only freedom that I still have to protect our country. Against Islam and against terrorism. Against immigration from Islamic countries. Against the huge problem with Moroccans in the Netherlands. I cannot remain silent about it; I have to speak out. That is my duty, I have to address it, I must warn for it, I have to propose solutions for it.

I had to give up my freedom to do this and I will continue. Always. People who want to stop me will have to murder me first.

And so, I stand here before you. Alone. But I am not alone. My voice is the voice of many. In 2012, nearly 1 million Dutch have voted for me. And there will be many more on March 15^th.

According to the latest poll, soon, we are going to have two million voters. Members of the court, you know these people. You meet them every day. As many as one in five Dutch citizens would vote the Party for Freedom, today. Perhaps your own driver, your gardener, your doctor or your domestic aid, the girlfriend of a registrar, your physiotherapist, the nurse at the nursing home of your parents, or the baker in your neighbourhood. They are ordinary people, ordinary Dutch. The people I am so proud of.

They have elected me to speak on their behalf. I am their spokesman. I am their representative. I say what they think. I speak on their behalf. And I do so determinedly and passionately. Every day again, including here, today.

So, do not forget that, when you judge me, you are not just passing judgement on a single man, but on millions of men and women in the Netherlands. You are judging millions of people. People who agree with me. People who will not understand a conviction. People who want their country back, who are sick and tired of not being listened to, who cherish freedom of expression.

Members of the court, you are passing judgement on the future of the Netherlands. And I tell you: if you convict me, you will convict half of the Netherlands. And many Dutch will lose their last bit of trust in the rule of law."

 Comments welcome