Freedom of the Press - or: The Story of Dieter Hanitzsch

Isn't there a German law about 'insulting' a head of state that Erdogan tried to take advantage of?

Hi Ken. Thanks for showing interest in German affairs!
There was that old law (§ 103),that allowed to persecute insults on heads of foreign states.
When the Erdogan/Böhmermann affair showed up in 2016 it led to an emotional public discussion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%B6hmermann_affair
I'm pretty sure there was some funds, loans and perks assured to Turkey to shut the whole damn thing down.
The Bundestag then had that law abolished in 2017 - naming it outdated.

I have a subscription to The Economist. :)

Any suppression of free speech, even obnoxious speech, is abhorrent to me. Good to hear the Bundestag got rid of that. There shouldn't be any law or device giving comfort to budding authoritarians.

are You kidding me ?!?
The same time that they abolished an irrelevant old law originally ment to protect Kings&Dukes Secretary Maas introduced a new one - the "Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz" ("network enforcement law") - allowing for some 10000 Euro-fees on 'hatespeech' on social media - an arbitrary law, for who would judge what's hatespeech? Sad to say - but there's a total fear and a blatant cencorship on social media now ...
that guy Maas is one of the most hated politicians in Germany
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz#Freedom_of_speech

Yeah, I know what hate speech sounds and looks like, but the law is supposed to be blind to distinctions. I want idiots and fools to be able to have their say so that I know where they are and how foolish they may be, but their having free speech rights protected also protects the free speech rights of non-morons.

The other day we had a high school kid file a lawsuit against his school when they ordered him to cover up a pro-Trump during a politics class. Now the student may be a fool for supporting that tin pot wanna-be dick-head-tator, but he's right in that he shouldn't be suppressed in his speech. That said, if Trump and his supporters had their way the free press would be shut down and those who would wear anti-Trump shirts would be constrained. But irony still doesn't excuse the bad choice the high school principals made.

Thanks.

*pro-Trump shirt*

:) ++

imgflip.com/i/2athzy

Which is to say, I agree with your comments above

Thanks. :)

imgflip.com/i/2av24h

:)

That might come in handy around here. ;)

;)
http://instantrimshot.com/index.php?sound=rimshot

I love political cartoonists, one of the roots of memeing. Szep is a favorite cartoonist of mine. Upvote.

[image deleted]thanks for Your kind remarks - appreciate.

:)

thanks for sharing Your attention.
fyi
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/german-papers-netanyahu-cartoon-criticized-as-anti-semitic/2018/05/17/a7d8de60-59ac-11e8-9889-07bcc1327f4b_story.html

Very well thought out and executed. Thanks for the meme. Touchy subject handled well. Ups.

thx for Your kind remarks. appreciate.

I can't speak to the merits of the underlying issues, but I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of the press and that includes poets, comedians, comics, satirists and court jesters of all kinds.

imgflip.com/i/2as90n
2as90n.jpg (click to show)

Sad day.

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