How come "Holocaust denial" is illegal in various European countries?
152740
Because they do not have a constitutional provision like our First Amendment which guarantees freedom of speech.  In America, you can say whatever dumb thing you want.  Of course, other people will call you dumb, because that is their freedom of speech.  It works pretty well, on the whole.  Liable, slander, and inciting to riot are exceptions.  For example, if you shout "FIRE!" in a crowded theater, you must expect to be held responsible for the resulting injuries when people panic to get out of the theater.
761944
Mentioning events in history doesn't make you a racist. It's ok to say "Holocaust."\n\nThings happen because either: \n\n1. There is no God and actions in life are completely random.\n2. Fate, destiny, testing faith, etc. exists.\n3. There is a God, but there is no divine plan and actions in life are completely random.\n\nAnd what ever you choose to believe above, bad things happen in life...to everyone.
368670
Of course it is real OVER 6 million people were killed by the Nazi's.  \n\nThere is tOo much evidence to proof otherwise. Did you see the TV film of the bodies, and the gas chambers.\nAnd is there no more Jews in Europe...\n\nI hope Ahmedjinhad does have that conference, and invite REAL scholars. Then he will learn the truth.\n\nIgnorance means history will be repeated. Holocust should never happen again
1110573
The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. "Holocaust" is a word of Greek origin meaning "sacrifice by fire." The Nazis, who came to power in Germany in January 1933, believed that Germans were "racially superior" and that the Jews, deemed "inferior," were "life unworthy of life." During the era of the Holocaust, the Nazis also targeted other groups because of their perceived "racial inferiority": Roma (Gypsies), the handicapped, and some of the Slavic peoples (Poles, Russians, and others). Other groups were persecuted on political and behavioral grounds, among them Communists, Socialists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and homosexuals. \n\nBelow is an informative link all about the Holocaust.
841556
From what I have seen it is Muslims who have gone on a rampage blowing up subways, attacking foreign embassies, murdering artists and film-makers.  Gee let me think, I can't think of any reason Europe has to fear or despise Muslims.
1110842
The belief in racism is not illegal as this would violate the constitution. However, many racist acts are illegal.
375251
General European prejudice against Jews was already centuries old, and it had carried over to North America because the US was founded by European immigration. This is a prejudice against any "outside" group, and also extended to other people who were not local (new foreign immigrants, Gypsies, etc.). For more information on the Holocaust and the factors leading up to it, try the links below.
171903
The Holocaust was more than a Jewish event. Records kept by the Germans prove they exterminated millions of Communists, Czechs, Greeks, Gypsies, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, mentally and physically handicapped, Poles, resistance fighters, Russians, Serbs, Socialists, Spanish Republicans, trade unionists, Ukrainians, Yugoslavians, prisoners of war of many nations, and still others whose identity may never be recognized. Their victims, according to one survivor of four different concentration camps, "were of some thirty nationalities, from Nepalese to Andorrans, and of a variety of racial and linguistic stocks ranging from Basques to Buriats and from Ladinos to Lapps". When people were not immediately exterminated, they were sent to work and/or concentration camps. There the prisoners were divided into six penal categories and given patches on their clothing for identification purposes. Ordinary criminals were assigned green; political prisoners wore red; black was worn by asocials (slackers, prostitutes, procurers, etc.); homosexuals wore pink; conscientious objectors wore purple, and the Jewish people wore yellow.\n\nOh and by the way Hitler was NOT of the jewish faith ... Hitler, himself, was a Catholic.
286347
The denial of the Holocaust was actually invented by an American for a cause that is now dead, and the solution it was supposed to aid has been hijacked by people even more evil than those it was supposed to fight. It was invented, knowing that it was a lie, because an American veteran of the Second World War came out believing that the crimes of Stalin were far worse than the crimes of Hitler, and that the only political force that could stop Communism in the long run was National Socialism. He felt it had been a mistake to stand with Stalin against Hitler (no matter how evil Hitler was) because Democracy was too weak, decadent and self-destructive.\n\nHowever, he knew that the Holocaust was too horrible a crime for the American public ever to forgive, even if the majority of Americans still harbored ill feelings towards Jews in an impersonal way. The only way America would ever come around to National Socialism would be if it could eventually be convinced that the Holocaust never happened. This was going to be the work of generations, because there simply was too much evidence, and there were too many survivors.\n\nSince then, of course, the Iron Curtain has fallen and Communism is dead (even if corporate America is propping it up for slave labor in China). The purpose for the deceipt no longer exists. Even worse, the plan has been taken over by White Supremacists whose intentions are far more sinister to all concerned. \n\nWhat concerns me most, however, is the bad trend in study we are seeing in a completely unrelated field, that of Intelligent Design. One of the tenets of ID is that, because there is no competing document written at the time of the beginning of the universe than the Bible, there can be no other reliable witness than Adam. Soon, the last of the Holocaust survivors will be gone, and there will be no living voice to give direct testimony that this crime really did happen. We should be very careful what we wish for, because we may get it in a completely unintended manner.
127970
I don't believe it's a matter of being appropriate or not.But the idea behind the "holocaust" cartoons is to turn the tables on the whole free press argument given by the european newspapers.They've claimed (Le Monde,Die Welt, etc)that freedom of expression justifies their publishing such cartoons.I think they've forgotten there are two concepts there,of which freedom is the more important and it implies respect towards others and their beliefs in this case.\nMy freedom ends where another person's begins.\nI understand the muslims rage but i don't support their violent reactions.Still the course of action taken by some of these european newspapers is not helping.\n( i'm a catholic)
591739
it's banned in Belarus.And in one other country, i forgot which one.\n\nSo, again, the catholic church seems to get what they hoped for.\n\n(ps, i know u hate the da vinci-code-questions...ur kinda bored tonight,huh? lol)
481991
Id say people in the Middle East have an extremely biased view (if any) on the Holocaust. Im Lebanese, living in Lebanon, and i can say that the Holocaust is praised (unfortunately) in most Arab countries since Israel is viewed as the main enemy (along with the US). It's sad to see educated people praising Hitler and the horrible genocide he commited against Jews. Being an Arab Christian, my backgroud education gave me the right idea about the genocide. However, most Muslims have this haine for Jews (mostly because the Sheikhs and Arab leaders examplify Israelis and Jews as the force of evil and war in the world). I dont want to sound too pessimistic but a better education will not be the solution because Imams (or Sheikhs, as in muslim religious leaders) will still endoctrinate their followers... The only solution in my opinion is the creation of two states (Israel and Palestine) after both forces recognize one another according to international law. It's a shame extremism (whether ultra-orthodox jews or fanatic muslims) is the obstacle of bringing people together..
263147
OH MY GOD! this is horrible, I can't believe the UK, Italy and Germany refused to help, this is riduculous! They must remove those silent killers now!\n\nThis is a scandal by all measures! how come we never heard about this before???\n\nPlease continue speaking about this matter as i'm sure with time, those shameful governments will have to answer to such crimes. land Mines Kill, why would Egypt have to clean up this mess? Egypt isn't a rich country, the countries that planted those landmine must be the ones to clean them up now! \n\nExcellent Question, thanks for enlightening us all!
931067
COUNTRIES WITH LAWS AGAINST HOLOCAUST DENIAL \nAustria\nBelgium\nCzech Republic\nFrance\nGermany\nIsrael\nLithuania\nPoland\nSlovakia\nSwitzerland
254312
Sure, it could be argued that censoring it lends it an appearance of legitimacy, but I think any risks of people taking it more seriously because it is recognized and censored do not outweigh the necessity of taking into account the pain and offense that some people might feel at the prospect of these ideas.  Holocaust denial, for example, is a spit in the face - to put it mildly - to millions of Jews and other peoples who suffered at the hands of the Nazis.  Denying them the right to their history is unfair, and only expounds a problem that has already been exacerbated.\n\nNazism, on the other hand, is arguably a valid concern.  Though I doubt facism would ever rise to the same level it peaked at in the thirties and forties, it is still a legitimate political ideology, and it goes by many names, one of which is Nazism or Neo-Nazism.  To allow people to run rampant with such ideas is another affront at the history of atrocities committed in the name of such facism, and ought to be prevented.\n\nThe issue of freedom of expression - which does not exist in Germany to the extent that it does here in the US - should not be misused so as to condone such behaviours and ideas.  I think the US is even too lax in this department, allowing such groups as the KKK to voice their sentiments.  There is a limit to where freedom of expression impedes upon another person's ability to experience civil freedom, and that's unallowable.  This could shoot off into a related debate, concerning where to draw the line and why, but point being, I do think it ought to be censored.  Ideas such as these should not be condoned by "civilized" humanity.
491514
There is an excellent and very detailed analysis of this question in the book "Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time" by Michael Shermer. He discusses the motivations and tactics of those who deny the Holocaust ever happened; then he goes on to provide evidence of how we know it did. It's a fascinating book. I highly recommend it.\n\nAnd yes, as you can imagine, they are largely anti-Semitic with a bit of a paranoid streak, and tend to be conspiracy theorists as well.
825439
I don't agree on any country turning their backs on another holocaust (that is what is happening in Darfur). As the most powerful nations we owe it to help these people get out of the suffering and torture. If we turn our heads away we are no different than those who torture because we see it and did nothing. We cannot afford to do nothing and say we are fighting for peace and stabilization in Iraq.