{"id":2057582,"date":"2023-10-06T07:23:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T11:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/swiss-writer-thrown-in-jail-for-calling-reporter-fat-lesbian\/"},"modified":"2023-10-06T07:25:32","modified_gmt":"2023-10-06T11:25:32","slug":"swiss-writer-thrown-in-jail-for-calling-reporter-fat-lesbian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/swiss-writer-thrown-in-jail-for-calling-reporter-fat-lesbian\/","title":{"rendered":"Swiss writer jailed for insulting reporter as &#8216;overweight lesbian&#8217;."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fswiss-writer-thrown-in-jail-for-calling-reporter-fat-lesbian%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2057582&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A Swiss court\u2019s decision to sentence a commentator with 60\u2064 days in prison plus thousands in Swiss francs previews the danger that criminalizing \u201chate speech\u201d poses to \u200dfree speech.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, the French-Swiss\u200d writer Alain Bonnet, also known as\u2062 Alain Soral, was\u200d sentenced for defamation, discrimination, \u200dand incitement of hatred for his criticism of Swiss\u200b journalist Catherine Macherel. Bonnet was convicted\u200c for comments made\u200c on a Facebook video two years ago where he called Macherel a\u2062 \u201cfat lesbian.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fox News <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/swiss-writer-called-journalist-fat-lesbian-sentenced-60-days-prison-lgbtq-groups-applaud-decision\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a> Wednesday that a lesbian\u200c activist \u200dgroup\u2063 celebrated the decision.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis court decision is an important moment for justice and rights of LGBTQI people in Switzerland,\u201d said Murial Waeger, one of the directors of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/nbc-out\/out-news\/swiss-lgbtq-groups-praise-jail-sentence-commentator-called-journalist-rcna118715\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LOS<\/a>, a lesbian\u200b activist \u2062group. \u201cThe conviction of Alain [Bonnet] is a strong signal that homophobia hatred \u2062cannot be tolerated in our society.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fox News reported in a follow-up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/swiss-writer-jailed-insulting-lesbian-journalist-alarms-free-speech-advocates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">story<\/a> Thursday that the two<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/swiss-writer-thrown-in-jail-for-calling-reporter-fat-lesbian\/\" title=\"Swiss writer jailed for insulting reporter as 'overweight lesbian'.\">-month prison sentence\u200b \u201calarms <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dark-money-free-speech-addressed-by-h-r-1\/\" title=\"Dark money, free speech addressed by H.R.1?\">free speech advocates<\/a><\/a>.\u201d But while the episode \u2064might shock American audiences, Federalist Senior Editor David Harsanyi outlined in \u2064his 2021\u2063 book <a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/Eurotrash:%20Why%20America%20Must%20Reject%20the%20Failed%20Ideas%20of%20a%20Dying%20Continent\"><em>Eurotrash: \u200bWhy America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent<\/em><\/a>  how this kind of censorship\u2064 has become routine on the other side of the Atlantic:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Free\u200d speech in Europe \u200dis contingent on the vagaries, conditions, \u2064and restrictions connected to concerns over \u2018national\u2062 security,\u2019 \u2064\u2018territorial disorder,\u2019 \u2018crime,\u2019 and protections of \u2018health or morals\u2019 or the state \u2014\u2062 which are all\u200d flexible notions that empower\u2062 the government to impose arbitrary limits on expression as long as the majority of the European Union approves.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Harsanyi noted \u200cthat 20 EU nations\u200c have \u201cinsult laws\u201d allowing journalists to be charged as defamatory\u2064 criminals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn six European Union member states, defaming a public\u2062 official \u200dis more severely punishable than defaming a private citizen,\u201d Harsanyi wrote. \u201cThe opposite is true in the United States, where celebrities and political figures have a\u200b tough road in trying to shut down or intimidate their \u2062critics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Europe\u2019s governing\u2063 philosophy on \u201chate speech,\u201d however, is on its way to America. A RealClear Opinion <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/real_clear_opinion_research\/poll_is_censorship_a_partisan_issue_149790.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">survey<\/a> of\u2064 1,000 voters in September \u2062found nearly half of Democrats, \u206347 percent, say free speech\u200d should be legal \u2063\u201conly \u2062under certain circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cato.org\/survey-reports\/state-free-speech-tolerance-america#hate-speech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">survey<\/a> from the Cato Institute in 2017 found similar results. Forty percent of the 2,300 American adults interviewed said\u200d \u201cgovernment should prevent people from engaging in hate speech against certain groups in public.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Tristan Justice is the western correspondent for \u200bThe Federalist and the author of Social Justice Redux,\u2064 a \u2064conservative newsletter on culture, health, and wellness. He\u200d has also \u2063written for The Washington Examiner and The \u2062Daily Signal.\u2063 His work has also been featured in Real\u2063 Clear \u200bPolitics\u200b and Fox News. Tristan graduated from George Washington University where he majored in political science \u200cand minored in journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @JusticeTristan or contact him at Tristan@thefederalist.com.\u2063 Sign\u2062 up for Tristan&#8217;s email newsletter <a href=\"https:\/\/socialjusticeredux.substack.com\/about\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-image data-amount=\"5\">\n<h2>Popular<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\"><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u200c How can\u2062 society strike a balance between protecting individuals from harm and preserving the \u2062fundamental right to free expression<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Dangers of criminalizing hate speech and\u2062 restricting \u2064free speech \u2064have\u2063 become increasingly apparent in recent years. This was highlighted \u200dby a Swiss court&#8217;s decision to sentence \u2064commentator Alain Bonnet, also known as Alain Soral, to 60 days in prison and impose a\u200c hefty fine for his comments about journalist \u2062Catherine Macherel.<\/p>\n<p>Bonnet&#8217;s\u2064 conviction\u200d stemmed from remarks he made on a Facebook video two\u200c years ago, where he referred \u200cto Macherel as a &#8220;fat lesbian.&#8221; This \u200bled to his sentencing for \u200ddefamation, discrimination, and incitement of \u2064hatred. LGBTQI activist group LOS celebrated the\u200c court&#8217;s decision, describing it as a\u2064 significant moment for\u200d justice\u200d and LGBTQI rights \u200cin Switzerland.<\/p>\n<p>While some may applaud this verdict \u2062as a stand against homophobia, it has raised concerns among free speech advocates. Fox News reported that\u2062 the two<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ohio-state-researcher-sentenced-to-prison-for-concealing-ties-to-chinese-spy-program\/\" title=\"Ohio State Researcher Sentenced to Prison for Concealing Ties to Chinese Spy Program\">-month prison sentence<\/a> has alarmed advocates of free speech. However, as Federalist Senior Editor David\u2064 Harsanyi\u200b explains in his book &#8220;Eurotrash: Why America \u200cMust Reject\u2063 the Failed Ideas of a \u2062Dying Continent,&#8221; censorship of this kind\u200c has become routine \u200bin Europe.<\/p>\n<p>Harsanyi argues that free speech in Europe is subject to various conditions and restrictions, such as concerns over national security, territorial disorder, crime, and the protection \u2062of health or morals.\u200b These \u200cflexible notions empower\u2063 the government \u2062to impose arbitrary limits on expression,\u200c as long as the majority of the European Union \u2064approves. In fact, Harsanyi highlights that 20 EU nations have laws that allow journalists to be charged as defamatory \u200ccriminals.<\/p>\n<p>What&#8217;s particularly \u2062troubling is that in some European Union member states, defaming \u2064a public official \u200ccarries more \u200csevere punishment \u200bthan defaming a private citizen. This indicates\u200d a troubling imbalance in the protection of free \u2063speech and suggests a tendency to suppress criticism and\u2063 dissent.<\/p>\n<p>This case in \u200cSwitzerland serves as a\u200c warning of the dangers of criminalizing hate speech. While it is \u2063important to combat discrimination and promote inclusivity, it is crucial to strike a balance between protecting individuals from harm \u200dand \u2064preserving the fundamental right to free expression. Critics argue that by criminalizing hate speech, we \u200brisk stifling open debate and limiting the \u2062exchange of \u200bideas.<\/p>\n<p>In a society that values freedom of speech, it is\u2063 necessary \u2064to have robust discussions and \u200dchallenge \u200ddiffering \u2062viewpoints. The suppression of speech, even\u200d if offensive or distasteful, can hinder\u2062 progress and prevent\u200b the exploration of new ideas. Instead of \u2063resorting to punitive measures, efforts should \u200bbe \u200dfocused on education, dialogue, and fostering a culture of\u2064 tolerance and understanding.<\/p>\n<p>As the case in Switzerland and Harsanyi&#8217;s \u2063analysis demonstrate, the\u2062 erosion of free speech can have serious consequences. It is \u200ccrucial to remain vigilant and strike a balance between protecting individuals from harm and upholding \u2064the principles of free expression. Only through\u2062 open and respectful dialogue can we \u2062hope\u2062 to achieve a society\u200b that \u2064values\u200b diversity, inclusivity, and the \u200cfree \u200dexchange of ideas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>court&#8217;s decision: 60 days in prison, hefty fine. Criminalizing &#8220;hate speech&#8221; threatens free speech. Alain Bonnet, aka Alain Soral, a French-Swiss writer, convicted for defamation, discrimination, and inciting hatred due to his critique of Swiss affairs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":494,"featured_media":2057583,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2057582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2057582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/494"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2057582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2057582\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2057583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2057582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2057582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2057582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}