Belgian Regime Keeps Harassing The Brussels Journal (2)
From the desk of Paul Belien on Wed, 2006-08-09 19:53
This morning the police came to my door again to question me about allegedly racist articles on The Brussels Journal. I was not in. Tonight the local police phoned to “invite” me urgently to the police station. In Belgium any leftist or totalitarianist can lodge a complaint against “internet racism” through a Belgian government website and the judiciary starts an investigation. Apparently someone in Ghent has lodged a complaint against this website. I am not allowed to know who this person is, but I am requested to come to the police station to be interrogated. I told the officer that I refuse to justify my writings for anonymous complaints. “I am not living in the Soviet Union,” I told him (though I fear I am).
As a matter of principle I will not go to the police station. I defend the freedom of the press, which implies the right of journalists not to be questioned by the authorities about articles and opinions that they write or edit. I told the officer that if the police wants to question me they will have to arrest me. The Belgian authorities are clearly intent on intimidating us and closing down this website.
Nazis in Belgium
Submitted by Mrs Daisy on Wed, 2006-09-06 23:50.
This message made by another in the comments, I was delighted to see and want to reiterate:
"I teach history at two American colleges and I was almost certain that the Nazis lost World War II. Apparently I am mistaken."
those who do not understand, do a search for Vlaams Blok and Nazis and maybe you change your mind about policing journalists.
Policing Road Safety in Belgium and Belien
Submitted by Mrs Daisy on Wed, 2006-09-06 23:42.
Police in Belgium should spend more time on road safety. http://roadsafetywatchbrussels.blogspot.com
However, those who commented without knowing about those who support Vlaams Blok should read on:
http://www.vdare.com/misc/belien_041109_belgium.htm
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/paulbelien
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/1069
Europe must worry about the future if people are not more open-minded and accepting that living alongside one another and not integrating will instill never ending misunderstanding and hatred. A pluralistic society that integrates and brings together rather than dividing is key. National and regional (Flemish) borders no longer means being protected from external forces which must be reckoned with.
No edits of this, besides grammatical, ok, Paul B.?
Police in Belgium should
Submitted by Mrs Daisy on Wed, 2006-09-06 23:40.
Police in Belgium should spend more time on road safety.
However, those who commented without knowing about those who support Vlaams Blok should read on:
http://www.vdare.com/misc/belien_041109_belgium.htm
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/paulbelien
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/1069
Europe must worry about the future if people are not more open-minded and accepting that living alongside one another and not integrating will instill never ending misunderstanding and hatred. A pluralistic society that integrates and brings together rather than dividing is key. National and regional (Flemish) borders no longer means being protected from external forces which must be reckoned with.
No edits of this, besides grammatical, ok, Paul B.?
Police investigation
Submitted by Roland Piron on Tue, 2006-08-15 17:06.
Hang in there, paul : they're getting desperate.
Roland Piron
Support
Submitted by Michaël Bauwens on Tue, 2006-08-15 10:42.
I support you Paul, and your family, and all the contributors of this website.
SUPPORT
Submitted by Voyager on Sun, 2006-08-13 20:39.
Can you file under The European Convention of Human Rights - The Right To Free Expression ?
http://www.hri.org/docs/ECHR50.html
ARTICLE 9
ARTICLE 10
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. this right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.
ARTICLE 13
Contact MEPs and British Parliamentarians and The New York Times and US Blogs -
We must show that Belgium, cannot act as it did on the Sterm Magazine affair
Support from Canada
Submitted by DrD on Sat, 2006-08-12 00:29.
Keep up the good work Paul. Your blog is followed by many here in Canada and news of your plight is being widely disseminated. You have our support. You are the "canary in the coal mine'. As you fare, so will we in time. If things get really ugly and you need further support, financial or otherwise. Let us know.
But , Paul you ARE in a Soviet Republic !
Submitted by Stateless Guy on Fri, 2006-08-11 16:32.
I used to say Belgium was not a democratic state (As the public opinion can't influence the way the country is un-governed.) but with some freedom of the press.
I was wrong, indeed. There are elections who just ratify the opressing rule of parties like in the USSR but the press is also menaced.
Altough i usually disagree with your theories, you have my support.
The whois records point to
Submitted by rosignol on Fri, 2006-08-11 15:59.
The whois records point to Paul as the owner of the domain, but people can provide incorrect addresses to their registrar.
Might I suggest the domain be registered in the name of Thomas Jefferson, with the contact email address [email protected]? The ISPs really don't care if the name is your real one, so long as the contact email works and the bills get paid. I know from experience- I work at one.
ThoughtCrime in Belgium
Submitted by Louminatti on Fri, 2006-08-11 04:13.
Chin up, Paul. Lots of us on the other side of the pond are cheering for you. Everyone needs to remember that while this crap goes on in Belgium, bloggers in the US are NOT safe. Lots of busybodies here are also anxious to enforce ThoughtCrime laws. Are you ready for a late-night knock on your door from the police because of what you wrote on a blog? No? You say it can't happen here?
I bet the folks in Belgium were saying the same.
The Brussels Journal
Submitted by USAntigoon on Thu, 2006-08-10 23:59.
I fully support this website.. I do read the Flemish website newspapers almost daily and it is unbelievable how left wing slanted they are.. They also love to "shoot" those who try to tell the truth...
Keep up the good work and keep on fighting for the "real" freedom of press...
I, too, want to express my
Submitted by Sam Houston on Thu, 2006-08-10 23:30.
I, too, want to express my support and concern for this website. Political correctness is a tool being used by Muslim jihadists against the countries that they want to destroy. Belgium is certainly on that list and Belgian authorities need to realize that shutting down websites that "offend" these jihadists is looked upon simply as a sign of weakness by those people. It cannot be allowed to happen. This site must not be shut down by the demands of people who cannot stand to have someone speak the truth about what they are doing to the rest of the world.
Good luck to you. We'll all be watching and waiting to see what happens.
I support the Brussels Journal
Submitted by leroidavid on Thu, 2006-08-10 22:09.
I totally support The Brussels Journal.
It is a very good Internet media, reporting with accuracy on the dangers that threaten Europe and the free world.
The liberty of the press shall be protected!
I hope this site can stay
Submitted by Kenny on Thu, 2006-08-10 21:52.
I hope this site can stay online . I just registered and have a lot of reading to catch up with .
You have my honor and support
Every nation that is
Submitted by Gentenaar on Thu, 2006-08-10 21:51.
Every nation that is willing to give up a little liberty to gain a bit of security will deserve neither and lose both...
Keep up the good work , Paul .
Every nation who gives
Submitted by Gentenaar on Thu, 2006-08-10 21:47.
Every nation who gives up a bit of liberty to gain a bit of security will deserve neither and lose both...
Keep up the good work , Paul .
Stand rigid for the next battle , peace means reloading your guns......
Belgian government
Submitted by tcmclin on Thu, 2006-08-10 21:07.
I teach history at two American colleges and I was almost certain that the Nazis lost World War II. Apparently I am mistaken.
Support and Fears.
Submitted by Sock Puppet of Doom on Thu, 2006-08-10 20:58.
I support your freedom of thought and speech unconditionally.
These foolish ones who think they can stop a conflict the West did not start nor have we even begun to fight are allies of the islamofascists whom actually did. "Thought crimes" and "hate speech" utterly Orwellian.
I fear the same things happening in my country if the Left/Democrats come to power.
Support
Submitted by BeckyJ on Thu, 2006-08-10 20:37.
I've been reading this blog for a while and really enjoy the "conversation." Keep up the good work. I will be using this in my political science classes as an example of radically curtailing freedoms in liberal democracies due to pressure from fundamentalists (I wish I only had the USSR as an example or curtailed freedoms!)
more support
Submitted by George2 on Thu, 2006-08-10 20:13.
This is so mind boggling … is Belgium still a country where a mind is allowed to think? Thinking and expressing these thoughts are our future. Are we going to give up our future because of some hyper control freak in a dark office? Who ever voted for this?
Of course I give my support, also for my own future.
More support
Submitted by Snorri Godhi on Thu, 2006-08-10 18:02.
I too want to add my support, for what it is worth. Who knows, maybe the Belgian police will count the messages of support here...
Belgium : the Kingdom with little dictators
Submitted by Ray de Bouvre on Thu, 2006-08-10 17:57.
I'm chocked about what's going on in this miserable country. The Constitution guarantees freedom of opinion and press, except for those individuals who try to explain that Western Europe is drawning and will soon become a region where islamic fanatics rule. We are giving away our culture, our territory, our money, our tolerancy, our entire civilisation.
I support Paul Belliën with this mail and I know that a great part of the Flemish Nation stands behind him .
Mijnheer Belliën, u bent voor velen het symbool van de vrijheid van geest en het verzet tegen de bezetting van ons land. Een Vrij Vlaanderen voor Vlamingen !
Flemish independence
Submitted by JimMtnViewCaUSA on Thu, 2006-08-10 16:59.
Please keep BrusselsJournal going as long as possible. Unfortunately, the police will likely have more important work to do than harrass Christian journalists, as the Islam vs Rest-of-World contradictions sharpen.
Best wishes for Flemish independence. Then, at least half of Belgium would have a chance for freedom.
Cyber-stalinism
Submitted by Fellow Peacekeeper on Thu, 2006-08-10 14:27.
Holy crap, that is unbelievable. Anonymous denunciation by filling in a web form?
Show no fear, that is giving them exactly what they want.
http://therearguard.blogspot.com/
Move server
Submitted by Odin on Thu, 2006-08-10 14:04.
Move the site to a danish server as soon as possible. Here we still have freedom of speach.
Good luck
Odin
Not Legal Advice
Submitted by Dog of Flanders on Thu, 2006-08-10 14:17.
Both the server and domainname registrar are located in the US, which is exactly the reason Paul has been invited to the police station: unless Paul voluntarily admits to having written the articles in question, there isn't much that the police will be able to do.
The whois records point to Paul as the owner of the domain, but people can provide incorrect addresses to their registrar.
If Paul remains uncooperative, the police will need to subpoena the payment details for the domainname from the registrar in Baltimore. Easier said than done.
Please report my Blog
Submitted by ScottSA on Thu, 2006-08-10 16:03.
http://lighthorse.blogspot.com/
Please feel free to report my blog, and in fact I think we should all report each other's blogs and most online libraries to boot. I have deeply offended myself by allegedly spewing hate, and deserve to be taken to task for it. Mind you, so does Malcolm X, Jesse Jackson and a few others, not to mention Bill Clinton's irrational hatred of Serbians...why, I think everybody spews hate and deserves to be reported. I wonder if their website can handle thousands of simultaneous complaints...all valid of course...
Freedom of Speech
Submitted by Jude on Thu, 2006-08-10 08:13.
'The punishing of wits enhances their authority' saith the Viscount of St Albans 'and a forbidden writing is thought to contain a spark of truth that flies up in the faces of them who seek to tread it out.' (and all the other good things John Milton wrote in his Aeropagitica in 1644.) That this sort of thing is happening yet again is an indictment on those who are framing the laws in Europe. Thank goodness these people were not around to censor Lucilius or Catullus et al. You have my support in this issue Mr Belien.
Truth Will Win Out
Submitted by Mission Impossible on Thu, 2006-08-10 05:00.
Paul, here we go again. Chin up, and keeping ploddin'.
I have taken a print copy of your latest harrassment report, and it will be mentioned in a book I am writing. This news will be disseminated by hook or by crook.
The Left's great soft-totalitarian project has been seen for what it truly is. We are left with only one course of action. Meanwhile, the whole sorry mess could start to collapse under its own contradictions anyway before five more years.
Censoring criminal teacher's crime
Submitted by Miriam on Thu, 2006-08-10 01:43.
Or this crime again on Hindu girl aged 15 by an islamist brute:
"Teacher held for marrying, raping minor
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: A 37-year-old computer teacher from Dahisar was arrested on charges of luring a 15-year-old girl into marriage and later raping her.
Mohammed Junaid Hassan Zaidi gave computer lessons at Moreshwar Mishra high school at Rawalpada, Dahisar. The victim, Himani (name changed), was one of his students.
Police said Zaidi had befriended the girl by offering her chocolates and taking her out. He lied to her that he was only 20 years old and single. “Zaidi took Himani to a mosque in Vasai and married her according to Muslim rites. He then took her to a series of lodges across Mumbai where she was raped,’’ said an investigating police officer.
Earlier this week, Zaidi eloped with the girl to New Delhi. The girl’s family complained to the police following which they started questioning Zaidi’s brothers. “Zaidi’s brothers informed him that the police were looking for him.
Zaidi, along with Himani then took the next train to Mumbai. But Zaidi made Himani alight at Baroda station and asked her to go to her relative’s place in Ahmedabad. By then, the police forced Zaidi’s father to speak to his son the cell phone. When Zaidi returned to his Mira Road residence, the police were waiting for him in plain clothes.
The police arrested Zaidi on charges of luring a minor girl into marriage and then raping her. He was booked under sections 363, 366 and 376 of the Indian Penal Code. The police also fetched Himani from her relative’s residence.
URL:http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Daily/skins/TOI/navigator.asp?Daily=TOIM"
------------
Lynching by stoning of Hindu festivities go largely unreported as acid attacks on HIndu women too.
Some blogs could not report islamic crimes
Submitted by Miriam on Thu, 2006-08-10 01:38.
Like this on a Hindu girl by an islamist criminal:
"Pregnant schoolgirl pays with legs - for love By Krittivas Mukherjee, Indo-Asian News Service
Kolkata, Feb 26 (2005) (IANS) To most people, love is the elixir of life. But for Moushumi Mondal, a schoolgirl in West Bengal, it has been her greatest enemy that almost took her life and left her crippled.
A few months ago, Mondal, a student of Class 11 from Mahmudpur in Murshidabad district, was like any other girl in love, full of hopes, vim and a zest for life.
According to Mondal, after spending several days together, Khan told her that he was married and that he was not in a position to marry her.
Mondal went to see Khan at the appointed place by a railway track. There, after some sweet talk, Khan pushed her in front of a running train. Luckily, she fell in such a way that only her legs came under the wheels of the train.
"Still, I wanted to save Zakir. I didn't want to tell police that he had tried to kill me. But a few people had seen him pushing me in front of the train," Mondal, who lost her both legs from the knee told reporters from her hospital bed. To add to her misfortunes, she has been diagnosed as two months' pregnant."
Threats to our freedom
Submitted by Bob Doney on Thu, 2006-08-10 00:31.
Please accept this as one feeble but sincere vote of support from the UK, Paul. Your site has always published thoughtful and intelligent articles.
I've disagreed with a lot of the opinions your writers have put up here, but their tone has invariably been civilised and reasonable. And I certainly know more about Belgium than I did two years ago!
Good luck, and hopefully the authorities will soon realise they are barking up the wrong tree.
Bob Doney
Submitted by ScottSA on Thu, 2006-08-10 00:14.
http://lighthorse.blogspot.com/
I spread it as far as I'm able in North America
Then I reported Cyberhate to Cyberhate:
The message I am sending is: a report on a racist website
My report refers to: a website - blog
I am contacting you as: others (gsm, sms, ...)
My personal details:
[email protected]
May these details be revealed while handling your report?: no
Person or organisation about who/which you are reporting: Cyberhate Belgian Government
Hatespeech you want to report:
Do you fools have any familiarity with the concept of free speech? You blithely ignore the fact that your country is being taken over by radical Islamists, your women are being raped and your coffers plundered by aliens who disrespect you, and your response is to harass people for complaining about it? Are you insane? http://www.cyberhate.be/?locale=en&keepsession=1 The entire concept is abhorent. Grow up. dd-mm-yyyy hh:mm
The following elements sustain my report: others:
Sounds like the USSR to me
Submitted by LonestarM on Wed, 2006-08-09 21:57.
Is this really happening in a liberal European democracy? When my European friends (who live here in the USA) smirk at me when they discuss some "restrictive" local ordinance (like the restriction of topless sunbathing at beaches and pools), I'll direct them to this article - with a smirk of my own.
Keep up your good work and the protection of free speech.
Total recall
Submitted by Dog of Flanders on Wed, 2006-08-09 21:14.
"I can't imagine what the police would need to talk about."
To begin with, the police would like Paul to confirm (or deny) he is the author of the article in question.
The police are lazy by definition, they don't want to go to the trouble of sending subpoenas to the registrar of the brusselsjournal.com domain (who just happens to be located in Baltimore and will be very unimpressed, to say the least).
Police state harassment
Submitted by jgillmartin on Wed, 2006-08-09 21:05.
Just want to encourage you all and let you know you, your family, and TBJ are all in my prayers.
John @ The CRIB
@Paul Belien
Submitted by traveller on Wed, 2006-08-09 21:14.
You seem to be the only rampart against state dictatorship in Belgium, that's why they increase the pressure, but the publicity it gives this blog is priceless, you couldn't ask for a better publicity campaign. Good luck and God bless.
Support
Submitted by XY on Wed, 2006-08-09 20:49.
I too want to express my support.
Police Visit
Submitted by lumberjack on Wed, 2006-08-09 20:38.
I can't imagine what the police would need to talk about. You would expect that the police can read. Prosecutors too, though they might need help with the big words.
OK, I just realized that making fun of prosecutors might be a hate crime in Belgium. So let me apologize right now and say that I have nothing but respect for any law enforcement agency that has done such a good job cleaning up crime that it now has time to police thoughts and words on the internet.
Let's all hope that when they're done with the bloggers they go after users of the "blink" tag, and senders of Viagra spam.
Obstacles
Submitted by Peter Sjøstedt on Wed, 2006-08-09 20:15.
"What doesn't destroy you makes you stronger"
Which particular article, if any, does the complainant refer to?
Support
Submitted by Cogito on Wed, 2006-08-09 20:12.
I want to express my support for you and your important project, Paul, as well as for your family.
Already you are writing European and Flemish history.