# Israel shocked at Swedish tabloid's freedom of speech **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 21, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198 "2009-08-21T14:09:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/321 "2009-08-28T11:33:52Z")
> [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > Here’s an idea - stop shouting “I’M A JEW!” everywhere you fucking go. “I’m just sayin’, she was askin’ for it, dressin’ like that!” There really aren’t enough :rolleyes: in the world for this. It’s a total loser as a defense for antisemitism, it’s not accurate at all, and it appears to be a failed attempt to be “edgy.” > [@bengangmo](#): > > Who, in this thread brought up “blood libels”? **Alessan** , in (I think) post 17. > [@](#): > > Aren’t blood libels historically anti jewish? Israel is the \_\_\_\_\_\_ state. [You fill in the blank.] > [@](#): > > By linking the current (stupid) claims to blood libel they are being linked to some sort of absurd anti jewish cabal that is out to persecute all jews. I’m fascinated by the amount of straw being thrown around here: even though nobody has said this article is the work of an international conspiracy, maybe a dozen posters have said it is being blamed on a conspiracy. Nobody has said Israel should be immune from criticism - maybe **Alessan** gets close to that line - but “you think everyone who criticizes Israel is an antisemite” has been posted probably a dozen times, too. > [@Mikkel](#): > > It seem that Aftonbladet gets[sued](http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1251145124980). By some random Jewish lawyer, of course, not by anyone directly connected to Israel. This probably won’t go anywhere, it may or may not be ambulance chasing, and like the Israeli government’s response, it is likely a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/322 "2009-08-28T12:14:11Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > By some random Jewish lawyer, of course, not by anyone directly connected to Israel. This probably won’t go anywhere, it may or may not be ambulance chasing, and like the Israeli government’s response, it is likely a bad idea. I think that it will be thrown out of court, it’s an explosive case and has nothing to do with USA, it should either go before an Israeli or a Swedish court. I hope someone, either Jew or Israeli talesman will sue Aftonbladet in Sweden. > [@Marley23](#): > > Alessan, in (I think) post 17. You’ll find the word in message 52 too (a citation from Dagens Nyheter who cite Minister Yuval Steinitz). No doubt the phrase has been used in the Israeli press. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/323 "2009-08-28T12:23:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > “I’m just sayin’, she was askin’ for it, dressin’ like that!” > > There really aren’t enough :rolleyes: in the world for this. It’s a total loser as a defense for antisemitism, it’s not accurate at all, and it appears to be a failed attempt to be “edgy.” You know those girls who dress up all sexy and then go wandering in the local park all alone? They ARE asking for it! In the same way, if you set up your “homeland” in a place where no fucker likes you, because of some self-bestowed “divine right”, that is asking for it also. And, you might not rate me, but I’m ‘edgier’ than you will ever be. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/324 "2009-08-28T12:47:21Z")
> [@Mikkel](#): > > You’ll find the word in message 52 too (a citation from Dagens Nyheter who cite Minister Yuval Steinitz). No doubt the phrase has been used in the Israeli press. I also used the phrase repeatedly myself, because that’s exactly what this is. **treis** made a couple of good points, but at the end of the day, this thing not only walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it carries a picket sign that reads “I’M A DUCK.” > [@ivan\_astikov](#): > > In the same way, if you set up your “homeland” in a place where no fucker likes you, because of some self-bestowed “divine right”, that is asking for it also. I didn’t realize the Jews set up their homeland in Sweden! And it’s too bad they didn’t - the world would be populated with millions of tall, beautiful, funny blondes. Meanwhile it’s no excuse for lies and prejudice, just like “she was asking for it” isn’t an excuse for rape. > [@](#): > > And, you might not rate me, but I’m ‘edgier’ than you will ever be. 😉 That and $2 will get you a coffee. More important, I know that not all of the problem of Israel or Jews are caused by people shouting “I’m a Jew!” Israel being in the Middle East causes a lot of problems, but did you know that plenty of people disliked Jews before they set up a country in Israel? It’s true! Take out a book on European history in the 1930s and 1940s if you don’t believe me. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/325 "2009-08-28T12:54:25Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I also used the phrase repeatedly myself, because that’s exactly what this is. **treis** made a couple of good points, but at the end of the day, this thing not only walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it carries a picket sign that reads “I’M A DUCK.” It isn’t even really close to antisemitism. The guys a nutter and probably holds other nutter beliefs, but there isn’t anything in the article to suggest antisemitism. If that article is antisemitic than virtually any criticism of Israel can be construed the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/326 "2009-08-28T13:06:51Z")
> [@treis](#): > > It isn’t even really close to antisemitism. Other than sharing a resemblance to blood libels. > [@](#): > > If that article is antisemitic than virtually any criticism of Israel can be construed the same way. So you keep saying, without evidence or without defining any particularly good reason this would be the case. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/327 "2009-08-28T13:07:11Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I didn’t realize the Jews set up their homeland in Sweden! And it’s too bad they didn’t - the world would be populated with millions of tall, beautiful, funny blondes. Meanwhile it’s no excuse for lies and prejudice, just like “she was asking for it” isn’t an excuse for rape. You can’t deny that the people displaced by the founding of Israel perpetuate the hatred. That would probably have happened in Sweden or Denmark too. Not that it has much to do with the article in Aftonbladet or discrimination against Jews. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/328 "2009-08-28T13:11:31Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So you keep saying, without evidence or without defining any particularly good reason this would be the case. I’ve provided arguments upthread, but the jist is virtually any criticism resembles a past slander against the Jews if this is the standard for resemble we are using. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/329 "2009-08-28T13:14:35Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Except for the fact that Israel did not ‘condemn free press’. Since prime minister Netanyahu [demands](http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1109455.html) that the Swedish government officially condemn the article, I would say they do indeed condemn free press. At least Swedish free press. Fortunately, the Swedish government in a rare show of backbone, don’t. Now journalist Aluf Benn working for Haaretz thinks Netanyahu should [fire](http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1110142.html) Lieberman for “bashing Sweden” and yelling anti-semitism. So I guess he’s an anti-semite. Even though he is a jew. The constant martyrdom of the Israeli right-wingers and their claims of European Nazism and Anti-semitism can at best be seen as dark comedy, considering they’re coming from one of the few apartheid states left in the world. Personally I just wish they’d get over themselves and let more level headed people look into the future rather than the past. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/330 "2009-08-28T13:15:53Z")
> [@Mikkel](#): > > You can’t deny that the people displaced by the founding of Israel perpetuate the hatred. Of course. But it’s got jack shit to do with this situation. People were accusing Jews of preying on the bodies of gentiles centuries before Israel existed, among many other lies that treated a small, oppressed group of people as outsiders and monsters. It goes without saying that Jews have it a lot better today, but in some quarters they’re still the subject of the same kind of suspicion and absurdity. The’re no end to the number of things Israel has screwed up with regard to Palestine, but even so, the idea that anybody is harvesting organs is insane and the idea that Israel needs to prove it’s not harvesting organs is a sign of the same kind of suspicion. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/331 "2009-08-28T13:18:09Z")
> [@treis](#): > > I’ve provided arguments upthread, but the jist is virtually any criticism resembles a past slander against the Jews if this is the standard for resemble we are using. We did this a couple of pages ago. Plenty of people in this thread have been critical of Israel while recognizing this story for what it is, including me. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/332 "2009-08-28T13:37:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Of course. But it’s got jack shit to do with this situation. Which is the reason I wrote > [@](#): > > Not that it has much to do with the article in Aftonbladet or discrimination against Jews. It is background, of course. > [@Marley23](#): > > The’re no end to the number of things Israel has screwed up with regard to Palestine, but even so, the idea that anybody is harvesting organs is insane and the idea that Israel needs to prove it’s not harvesting organs is a sign of the same kind of suspicion. I’ll agree that, in my opinion, it’s unlikely that IDF should indulge in stealing organs. Actually I find it more repellent that someone, whose crime apparently was to throw stones at soldiers (not very safe of course), was shot for the crime, not when he was throwing stones, but in cold blood. Here a similar crime, throwing stones at the police, would probably cost between a week and a month in prison if it ever came to court. Probably one of the things Israel has screwed up. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/333 "2009-08-28T13:37:47Z")
I don’t have an opinion on whether the allegations are true or not, it seems possible but not plausible I guess. But it does strike me as odd that there has been no explanation to why out about half the people killed by the IDF are returned cut up from mouth to neck. If you shoot a guy, why do an autopsy? Isn’t it pretty obvious what killed him? The fact that young palestinians are shot and returned carved up aren’t in dispute, only the accusations of why they are cut up. And I would really like an explanation for it. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/334 "2009-08-28T13:40:17Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > People were accusing Jews of preying on the bodies of gentiles centuries before Israel existed, among many other lies that treated a small, oppressed group of people as outsiders and monsters. So were Christians. 1st century AD: > [@](#): > > Now the story about the initiation of young novices is as much to be detested as it is well known. An infant covered over with meal, that it may deceive the unwary, is placed before him who is to be stained with their rites: this infant is slain by the young pupil, who has been urged on as if to harmless blows on the surface of the meal, with dark and secret wounds. Thirstily—O horror!—they lick up its blood; eagerly they divide its limbs. By this victim they are pledged together; with this consciousness of wickedness they are covenanted to mutual silence Although I expect few people are aware of this part of Christian history. Likewise I think you overestimate the average Swede’s – and likely this particular journalist’s too – knowledge of Jewish/European history if you are saying he was deliberately playing on an old blood libel suspicion. I’d say the majority wouldn’t know a blood libel is if it crawled up and bit them in their ass. The article is still a disgrace. I just don’t think it preys on old anti-Semitic suspicions. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/335 "2009-08-28T13:49:30Z")
> [@Mikkel](#): > > It is background, of course. I know you’re aware of it. > [@](#): > > Actually I find it more repellent that someone, whose crime apparently was to throw stones at soldiers (not very safe of course), was shot for the crime, not when he was throwing stones, but in cold blood. Here a similar crime, throwing stones at the police, would probably cost between a week and a month in prison if it ever came to court. Probably one of the things Israel has screwed up. Yes. That’s another one of those things Israel does because it can get away with it and nobody can stop them, but it only inflames things. > [@Stoneburg](#): > > But it does strike me as odd that there has been no explanation to why out about half the people killed by the IDF are returned cut up from mouth to neck. If you shoot a guy, why do an autopsy? Isn’t it pretty obvious what killed him? Somebody offered a theory about this a couple of pages ago and I think it’s got to be the right answer: it’s a way of investigating the circumstances of the shooting, not finding out the cause of death. In theory it’s a good idea for the military to investigate itself, but killing people and then taking them away to cut them up is ghoulish. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/336 "2009-08-28T14:07:42Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > The fact that young palestinians are shot and returned carved up aren’t in dispute, only the accusations of why they are cut up. And I would really like an explanation for it. Aftonbladet has an[interview](http://www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/article5700809.ab)with a spokesman from the Israel Foreign ministry. He say that it is routine to perform an autopsy to find who shot the victim, IDF or Palestines. Unfortunately I’m not good at translating. Another interesting article is[this](http://www.aftonbladet.se/kultur/article5700809.ab), in which a Swedish Jew, Dror Feiler, say that Israels army isn’t Jewish and that Israel confuse the army and the people to stop an investigation. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/337 "2009-08-28T14:16:11Z")
Sorry, wrong first link, here: [http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article5680852.ab](http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article5680852.ab) ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/338 "2009-08-28T14:45:20Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Heh, look at this: > > [The Jerusalem Post - All News from the Middle East, Israel, and the Jewish World](http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251145107193&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull) > > In summary: the family specifically quoted by the news article expressly states that they never, in point of fact, told Mr. Swedish Journalist that they thought the Israelis stole the kid’s organs - he just made that up himself; _however_, they are now demanding an inquiry into whether his organs were, in fact, stolen, _because the possibility was brought up in the news_. > > Thus is smears and lies made into outrage. Aftonbladet have had two journalists in Palestine and interviewed the family, In [this article](http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article5680904.ab) they affirm everything from the first article :rolleyes:. I don’t really trust everything Aftonbladet write, but neither do I think that Jerusalem Post is unbiased. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/339 "2009-08-28T16:12:14Z")
Deleted a load of persecution complex bollocks that I frankly can’t be arsed replying to. I’m just so glad that not everyone in the world sees the sacrifice of so many from my country as such a colossal waste of time. > [@FinnAgain](#): > > What a charming non sequitur. Of course, you could’ve just said “yeah, they retracted the apology”. Actually I asked for confirmation that it has been officially retracted. > [@FinnAgain](#): > > And you could also stop this “Why do you hate [del]America[/del] Sweden’s constitution and freedom of speech!?!?!” stuff. We’ve all seen the cites, and nothing provided here actually says, in any way at all, that a Swedish diplomat could not support freedom of speech while, at the same time, saying that something wasn’t aesthetically pleasing and that they were sorry that it was insulting. Cclearly you are wrong - or that many politicians in Sweden feel you are wrong - as people have been reported to the official body that watches out for constitutional issues regarding what they said. Which I mentioned in my post and you … er … ignored. I am impressed though. I never knew you were a scholar of Swedish Constitutional Law. > [@FinnAgain](#): > > And please quit this silly line about how this is all about freedom of speech and blah blah blah. First off, nobody has requested that freedom of speech be curtailed. Second, as of at least a few months ago, Sweden still had the SBB charged with, yep, censoring films. And Sweden has, yep, rules against hate speech. Well there are certainly a good few people over here (I’ve lived in Sweden for nigh on a decade now) that see it very much as an attack on the freedom of the press. According to people like you not enough has been done, yet those that have done anything are now getting in to trouble for it. But I guess that’s just because we’re all Jew-hating anti-semites because Europe has been before so clearly we either all are now or are all going to be. > [@FinnAgain](#): > > Are you not aware of the events of the “Cartoon Crisis”, or do you just have a ‘woosh’ like noise ringing in your ears? Oh just shut up. Of course I remember it, it was in a bordering country that has close cultural ties to this one and several Swedish papers reprinted them. Also we had our own “Cartoon Crisis” here about a year and a half later and, just like in this case, the Government did not criticise the newspaper. > [@FinnAgain](#): > > Yes, that is exactly what I was saying. Yep. Oh, no, wait… it’s not. It’s the opposite thing of what I actually said and, in fact, has virtually nothing to do with what I said other than to create a false argument for you to play with while pretending it’s mine. I’m sure the word for that sort of thing will come to me sooner or later. Oh I disagree. The implication was clear that anti-racism and whatnot goes for all forms of racism except when it is directed at Jews. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198/340 "2009-08-28T21:01:50Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Deleted a load of persecution complex bollocks that I frankly can’t be arsed replying to. So just to clear it up, you are totally unable to address the actual facts of history, totally unwilling to retract your mistakes, and will continue this absurd spectacle of calling actual history a “persecution complex”. Have I missed anything? You know that a forum labelled Great Debates is not, in fact a good forum for deliberately trying to avoid debate while reiterating your mantra about how Jews who aren’t totally secure in the belief that they’ll never need a refuge again, ever, have a “persecution complex”. > [@Marley23](#): > > **treis** made a couple of good points No not really. Just the same general apologia. His argument boiled down to him alleging that claims of an international Jewish conspiracy dedicated to murdering gentiles and stealing their ‘vital essence’ could not be called anti-Semitic, because other cultures had similar slanders applied to them, too. I kinda doubt that Treis would even apply this rationalization to other situations, it seems to be useful only in attacking those who notice anti-Semitism. I don’t think anybody would use such a rationalization anything but selectively, because it’s such a patent absurdity that it’s generally an embarrassing claim to be making. If you heard someone saying “You can’t trust blacks in America, they’re all predisposed to thievery.” would you say that’s not racist because, dag gum, people also say the same thing about the Rom? If someone said that “you can’t ever try to negotiate with an Irish person because they only understand or respect violence”, would you say it’s not racist because some people say the same thing about Arabs? If someone said that “the Chinese are inherently duplicitous, clannish and only care about money” would you say that’s not racist because some people say the same thing about Jews? Can you even imagine anybody arguing any of that? If someone said that you can’t trust a black man alone with a white woman, because he might rape her and someone then verbally attacked _you_ for calling that racism since, after all, people said the same thing about the Huns (or what have you), would you think that their argument was… a little off? To say the least? But of course, when the cause of the day is repeating the “You can’t criticize Israel without being called an anti-Semite! Help help I’m being repressed!” meme, why, then the Blood Libel isn’t notable because similar slanders have been applied to other groups, too. And, of course, direct claims of an international, murderous Jewish conspiracy to extract the ‘vital essence’ of gentiles is just like a nebulous claim about not spending enough money on certain things. > [@Stoneburg](#): > > Since prime minister Netanyahu [demands](http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1109455.html) that the Swedish government officially condemn the article, I would say they do indeed condemn free press. Yes, and parents who tell their children that they did something wrong are against the entire institution of child bearing and artists who think that a particular piece lacks merit are against paint, itself. Quit this bombast. Asking someone to condemn something while not restricting its continuation, at all, is not condemning free press. And it says nothing good that you’re reduced to such absurd overreaching to make a case. It should also be noted that “freedom of the press” does not cover libel. > [@Stoneburg](#): > > So I guess he’s an anti-semite. Even though he is a jew. Gorsh! Let me guess, this is because anybody who ever criticizes Israel, about anything, is always called an anti-Semite. Right? Right? > [@Stoneburg](#): > > The constant martyrdom of the Israeli right-wingers and their claims of European Nazism and Anti-semitism can at best be seen as dark comedy, considering they’re coming from one of the few apartheid states left in the world. Except, ya know, anti-semitism _is_ still a problem in Europe in crime statistic after crime statistic and survey after survey. The common apologia for that, by the way, is generally "But it’s our immigrants who are jerks! Even though they’re members of our countries, it doesn’t count! " Also, of course, Israel isn’t an “apartheid” state but hey, why stop bombastic rhetoric now? Would you care to accuse the of genocide while you’re at it? > [@amanset](#): > > Actually I asked for confirmation that it has been officially retracted. Then I suggest that you read the thread. The OP, for instance, mentions how Sweden’s ambassador’s comments were removed. > [@amanset](#): > > Which I mentioned in my post and you … er … ignored. Yes, I ignored your comments by directly addressing them. And to really throw you off the scent, I also directly rebutted your claims by discussing the cites that have been given that show that there is no such law in Swedish jurisprudence barring them from expressing aesthetic displeasure, that they do in fact officially engage in censorship and that hate speech, in any case, is criminalized… > [@amanset](#): > > Oh I disagree. The implication was clear that anti-racism and whatnot goes for all forms of racism except when it is directed at Jews. Look, rather obviously you’re not able to discover the explicit meaning of some comments here, let alone their implicit meaning. If you’re this confused, why not just ask me to help you understand? Instead of relying on constant, blatant strawmen, you could actually either address what I actually say or even admit you’re wrong on certain points and retract your mistakes. It’s pretty much the same thing, for instance, as when faced with the UK’s actual conduct relating to the Jews during and before WW II and the creation of the state of Israel, showing that you were totally wrong… you did your best to change the subject very quickly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/israel-shocked-at-swedish-tabloids-freedom-of-speech/507198.md?page=18)