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by The French government has taken an active interest in the way in which its citizens look at history. A new law that has just been approved by the French parliament makes it a crime to deny Turkey waged a campaign of genocide against Armenians between 1915-17. Turkey, which seeks a place in the European Union, denies that it participated in any genocidal activities, and interestingly, Turkey maintains a law in Article 305 of its penal code which allows for the prosecution of those who seek "the recognition of the Armenian genocide." Some analysts believe the new French bill is meant to derail Turkey's bid for EU membership, but the larger question maybe whether it's a good idea to legislate history.
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I am strongly against any sort of legislation like this. I think a person should be able to believe whatever they want about the Holocaust or Turkish genocide (I so wanted to say "delight" instead of "genocide"). It would be great if the public could rally around a previously endured trial to bond and grow together, but patriotism isn't something that you can/should require of the people, in my opinion.
Agreed. Plus, once you legislate against an "idea"- even if it is spurious- that gives the "idea" legitimacy in the eyes of some people- "the government doesn't want us to know the truth!" line of reasoning. The harsh light of day is the best antiseptic for such rot as Nazism, Holocaust/Genocide denial and whatnot.
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Evidence of one's own senses by Anonymous :: NR0 :: on 13 October 2006
In addition to the issue of Turkey's membership of the EU, France has been forced into passing this law so as to remain consistent with their laws which enforce the idea of a WWII holocaust. I believe that the French "holocaust denial" laws even stipulate the specific number of dead Jews in which one must believe in order to remain legally compliant.
We need laws for people to believe that the races are equal, or that X million Ys were killed by Zs, yet we all happily believe that grass is green and the sky is blue without any legislation at all.
I can only speculate as to what distinguishes these evident truths in the latter category from those 'facts' which have only the criminalisation of doubt as the basis of their acceptance.