The Public Prosecutor Service is investigating whether a joke made by American comedian Zack Fox about Geert Wilders is punishable. The American comedian asked the audience during his show in Amsterdam last week whether they were "gonna kill him, or what.”
  • johan@feddit.nlEnglish
    474·
    11 months ago

    Ha! He’s a comedian making a joke. Perhaps not the best joke, but obviously a joke. He’s even on stage in his role as comedian.

    After all the vile things Wilders has said that were dead serious I feel like this is nothing.

    Probably good publicity for the comedian though, and of course it’s some political points for Wilders and the rest of the far-right (“look how violent these left-wing people of color are!”).

    • quindraco@lemmy.worldEnglish
      33·
      11 months ago

      The Netherlands don’t have freedom of speech, though, so that’s immaterial. The closest thing they have is Article 7, Subarticle 3 in general, which only means they can’t legally be compelled to seek prior approval for speech.

    • gerryflap@feddit.nlEnglish
      37·
      11 months ago

      This is not a joke that is very appropriate though. In the early 2000s a politician similar to Wilders was killed for his opinions. Another (even further) right-wing politician was assaulted twice in the past few months, and Wilders himself hasn’t been able to go anywhere without bodyguards in the past few years. We’re still a democracy, Wilders should be able to say things without getting constant death threats. Unlike the US, things are not yet as polarized here. To me it feels like the comedian made a very inappropriate “joke”, even if I also absolutely despise Wilders

      • johan@feddit.nlEnglish
        6·
        11 months ago

        Yeah I understand the context of Pim Fortuyn of course and I agree it’s not a good joke or anything like that. I just feel like this is made into way too big of a deal for what was probably an off thr cuff comment.

        I do think that “fuck around and find out” should be true. Baudet for example is just a fascist who is friends with the Russians and wants to destroy democracy in the Netherlands. I honestly think that until his party is outlawed it’s a good thing he gets hit with umbrellas and beer bottles. Fuck him so hard, I don’t think what he says should be tolerated.

        • gerryflap@feddit.nlEnglish
          13·
          11 months ago

          Baudet is definitely on the edge yeah. Obviously there somes a moment where you shouldn’t tolerate the intolerant and a democratic society shouldn’t protect the undemocratic in the name of democracy. Up until now I don’t think either of them has done enough to deserve that tho. Randomly calling for a politician to be killed, even as a joke, is in my opinion still bad taste. It’s not the way I’d want Dutch politics to go, even for those who I disagree with. Violence and hate only creates more violence and hate

  • Burn_The_Right@lemmy.worldEnglish
    336·
    11 months ago

    Further evidence that conservatives are fascists… They aggressively seek to limit the free speech of any who may dissent or insult them.

    • jwt@programming.devEnglish
      164·
      11 months ago

      Not at all, you clearly didn’t read (or understand) the article:

      "Halsema described the comment as “extremely questionable and distasteful.” She reported having been in contact with the Public Prosecution Service, which will determine whether the incident constitutes a punishable offense or falls under freedom of speech.”

      (Halsema being Mayor of Amsterdam and - with her GroenLinks background - the complete opposite of conservative)

  • agitatedpotato@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    11 months ago

    Zacks built a image around saying shit very unseriously and jokingly, a good lawyer will be able to use that image he’s created to argue his stage persona was continuing on. If you don’t know Zach Fox let me share a line from his song Jesus Is The One. ‘Imma dip my balls in some thousand island dressing. Cuz I got depression.’ Maybe I just wanted a excuse to bring that up but that’s the character he is/plays. I think his history makes it hard to take this seriously or criminally.