Geert Wilders cancels appearance at US conservative event over antigay remarks

[Martinus]

Antigay Activist Prompts Dutch Pol to Pull Out of L.A. Film Premiere
By Advocate.com Editors


Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician best known for his harsh criticism of Islam, has pulled out of the Los Angeles premiere of a documentary based on his life because he opposes antigay statements made by the chairman of the Christian Action Network, a conservative group that coproduced the film. 

The premiere of Islam Rising: Geert Wilders' Warning to the West, set for May 1, was canceled as a result.

Christian Action Network president Martin Mawyer has a history of making antigay statements, dating back to Ellen DeGeneres's coming-out episode on her sitcom. Mawyer sent an e-mail to network members saying DeGeneres "dumped her filthy lesbian lifestyle in the middle of your living room."

A spokesperson for Wilders said he and event organizer Freedom Defense Initiative pulled out of the premiere because he didn't want people to think he condoned the antigay statements.

A controversial figure in the Netherlands, Wilders has been an outspoken critic of what he calls the "Islamization of the Netherlands" and has prompted several complaints. A Dutch court recently ordered the country's public prosecutor to try Wilders for hate speech.

Islam Rising: Geert Wilders' Warning to the West is a coproduction of PRB Films and the Christian Action Network.

www.advocate.com

[Monoriu]

Pot, kettle?

[CountDeMoney]

Call me when Gene Wilder does it.

[Neil]

Good.  Bigoted fucks like that have no place on my continent.

[Caliga]

I don't know who this guy is, but I'm surprised he didn't realize a group called "Christian Action Network" would hate gays.

[Martinus]

I don't know who this guy is, but I'm surprised he didn't realize a group called "Christian Action Network" would hate gays.

He is from the Netherlands - Christian groups there are pretty neutral on gays. And in the Netherlands a lot of anti-muslim politicians point to, among others, increasing attacks on gay people, as a reason to curb muslim immigration (Pim Fortuyn was gay too).

He is a rather (in)famous Dutch MP who compares Quran to Mein Kampf and is a staunch opponent of Islam and immigration from Muslim countries, and made several movies about it. His profile increased when some time ago he was refused entry into the UK by the British Home Office on grounds of a "threat to the tranquility of the realm" (the decision was later reversed as illegal).

[Josquius]

I don't know who this guy is, but I'm surprised he didn't realize a group called "Christian Action Network" would hate gays.

He is from the Netherlands - Christian groups there are pretty neutral on gays. And in the Netherlands a lot of anti-muslim politicians point to, among others, increasing attacks on gay people, as a reason to curb muslim immigration (Pim Fortuyn was gay too).

He is a rather (in)famous Dutch MP who compares Quran to Mein Kampf and is a staunch opponent of Islam and immigration from Muslim countries, and made several movies about it. His profile increased when some time ago he was refused entry into the UK by the British Home Office on grounds of a "threat to the tranquility of the realm" (the decision was later reversed as illegal).

So he's your kind of bigot?

[Caliga]

Hmm... it's weird to me that he is such an anti-Muslim bigot and yet wouldn't also hate gays.  I guess bigotry is irrational by its very nature, though (and yeah I had heard of Pim Fortuyn, and remember his name because it sounds like Bib Fortuna  )

[Martinus]

In a word, yes.

Here is his wiki profile http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Wilders

He seems to be a rightwinger, but gotta say that he puts an interesting spin on the ideology. He is pro-gay, himself an atheist (although considers Dutch Christians his allies), and recognizes humanist tradition (along with Christian and Judaic ones) as the basis for the Western values. He is also pro-Israel and pro-Jewish.

I think his views would be welcome on Languish.

[Martinus]

Hmm... it's weird to me that he is such an anti-Muslim bigot and yet wouldn't also hate gays.

Me, grallon, CdM. It's not that uncommon.

Besides, Islam is becoming a problem in Europe, irrespective of whether the bigoted response is an overreaction or not. Western Europe (especially the Benelux and Scandi countries) thought that had eliminated anti-gay hate crimes from their populace at some point, but these crimes are on the rise again, and perpetrated by Islamic immigrants - Sweden may not have American Baptist rednecks going to gay neighbourhoods to beat up some fags, but this role is being taken over by muslim immigrants.

[Caliga]

Well, I personally have nothing against Islam, but I do take issue with religious zealotry, and you Euros really need to figure out a way to secularize those folks before they become the majority in various European countries.

I would feel the same way if Mormons were in danger of becoming the majority in the United States anytime soon.  Again, no particular problem with the religion per se (cue Spellus telling me why I'm wrong), but the mindset of those who tend to practice it.

[Cecil]

Well, I personally have nothing against Islam, but I do take issue with religious zealotry, and you Euros really need to figure out a way to secularize those folks before they become the majority in various European countries.

I would feel the same way if Mormons were in danger of becoming the majority in the United States anytime soon.  Again, no particular problem with the religion per se (cue Spellus telling me why I'm wrong), but the mindset of those who tend to practice it.

That would be racist. 

[Caliga]

  In neither case I mentioned was race brought up.  Islam=religion, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints=religion.

[Josquius]

Hate crime by 'Muslims' though is...iffy stuff.
Sure, there is a small amount of it being down to extremist Islam; hardcore nutters who want to cleanse the gays in the name of Allah and all that crap.
A lot of it though, most of it in fact, is just standard non-working class thuggishness. Muslim communities tended to immigrate in the post-war period to man Europe's industry. When the industry died it left lots of disenfranchised, hopeless communities- many of which are heavily Muslim. A lot of the crime coming from these poor neighbourhoods though is nothing to do with Islam, these kids are just thugs in the same way white and black kids can be. They're often heavy drinkers with it for instance.
Secularisation will cure extremism but then that's not really the problem. The problem is secular, well integrated kids.

[The Larch]

I don't know who this guy is, but I'm surprised he didn't realize a group called "Christian Action Network" would hate gays.

He is from the Netherlands - Christian groups there are pretty neutral on gays. And in the Netherlands a lot of anti-muslim politicians point to, among others, increasing attacks on gay people, as a reason to curb muslim immigration (Pim Fortuyn was gay too).

He is a rather (in)famous Dutch MP who compares Quran to Mein Kampf and is a staunch opponent of Islam and immigration from Muslim countries, and made several movies about it. His profile increased when some time ago he was refused entry into the UK by the British Home Office on grounds of a "threat to the tranquility of the realm" (the decision was later reversed as illegal).

And has a wonderful mane of hair.