Anti-Mosque Videogame Politician Found Not Guilty

[Andy Chalk]

Anti-Mosque Videogame Politician Found Not Guilty

An Austrian court has found a right-wing politician responsible for the anti-Muslim videogame Bye Bye Mosque not guilty of incitement.

Around this time last year we told you about [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103284-Austria-Bans-Anti-Mosque-Game] Moschee Baba, AKA Bye Bye Mosque, a cheesy little Flash game commissioned by Austria's far-right Freedom Party in which players prevent the erection of mosques and minarets by shooting them as they go up. It's every bit as lame as it sounds but because of the subject matter, not to mention the fact that the people who emerge from the buildings once they're up can also be shot, it attracted no small amount of controversy.

It was banned by the Austrian government, which also brought charges of inciting religious hatred and defaming a religion against Freedom Party Deputy Gerhard Kurzmann and Alexander Segert, the head of the Swiss advertising company that made the game. But those charges were recently dismissed by an Austrian court.

"It did not reach the threshold of incitement and I would also say this was not the intention," Judge Christoph ruled.

The prosecution said it would appeal the decision but the Freedom Party hailed the ruling as a victory for itself and for opposition to the tide of mosques and minarets that is sweeping across all of Europe. "The judge has unmistakably determined that the question of whether mosque-building should be banned is being discussed all over Europe and that it is a completely legitimate debate," it said in a statement.

But according to the Austrian news agency APA, less than two percent of Styria's population is Muslim and there are actually no mosques in the state with visible minarets. That doesn't seem to bother the Freedom Party much, however; Kurzmann's 2010 run at the state governor's office failed but the Freedom Party is Austria's largest national opposition party and is gaining ground in polls.

The original Moschee Baba is long gone but an updated and yet somehow crappier version called Call of Muezzin: Reconquista Warfare is up at call-of-muezzin.info [http://call-of-muezzin.info/].

Source: GamePolitics [http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/10/14/171790.html]


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[nyttyn]

This...I...

Wow. That's just stupid beyond words. The freedom party is composed of windmill crusaders, and the Austrian government is full of censors.

There are no heroes in this fight, just two sides of idiots competing to see who are stupider. I mean, how do you get "The judge has unmistakably determined that the question of whether mosque-building should be banned is being discussed all over Europe and that it is a completely legitimate debate" from him ruling that it shouldn't be banned due to not reaching a threshold of incitement!?

 

[Exterminas]

Yeah, Austrians are a bit unique. Basically they are like Germans who managed to shove any fault for the Third Reich onto another party (The Germans). They are all very brazen to state that Austria was forced to join Hitler, and thelike, and probably this is a debate that can never be decided properly. But in the end they had their hands in the mess to at least some degree.

But today they don't seem to care for that and let Right-Wing-Douchebags like this one run for public offices, unlike the Germans where this kind of politician rarely makes it over 3-4% in a national election.

 

[Neonit]

yeah, im sure it wasnt meant to insult in any way. it was all fun and games, and lovely clouds and butterflies and oh oh oh what a wonderful world.

that judge has apparently smoked some bad weed.

 

[BgRdMchne]

So anti-semitic free speech is not okay in Austria, but anti-muslim free speech is?

This is why Europe is a joke to most Americans; the blatant hypocrisies.
Free speech for me, but not for thee.

 

[RESURRECTION21]

i do not agree with what thay say about islam but i do agree with the right to say it but they are still bigot assholes

 

[Xan Krieger]

I find it really ironic that the "Freedom" party is apparently against freedom of religion. Perhaps they should be renamed to the Against Freedom Party.

 

[Dense_Electric]

I think this guy is a phenomenal douche bag who should be lynched at the earliest convenience of the human being nearest to him, but if he wants to be a phenomenal douche bag, that's his right to do so, in the same way that Fred Phelps has a right to be a complete ass hat. We don't need to demonstrate how foolish these people are by banning what they say, they're perfectly capable of demonstrating that themselves.

 

[FrostyChick]

No matter how offensive one's views are. No one, and I repeat, no one has the right to punish you for it.
Free speech is free for everyone. No one is above criticism.
You are allowed to say you don't like the game, but you are not allowed to demand it be taken down.
If this were an Islamic "Anti-Western World" game, I would still fight against anyone who deemed it should be taken down.
I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

 

[lionsprey]

So anti-semitic free speech is not okay in Austria, but anti-muslim free speech is?

This is why Europe is a joke to most Americans; the blatant hypocrisies.
Free speech for me, but not for thee.

Sigh... you do know that is a really stupid thing to say? it would be like saying Africa is full of pirates because of the famous Somalian stereotype.

OT
They could at least have the decency to make it a good flash game.

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

So anti-semitic free speech is not okay in Austria, but anti-muslim free speech is?

This is why Europe is a joke to most Americans; the blatant hypocrisies.
Free speech for me, but not for thee.

I was about to correct you, but then I saw it was Austrian, not Australian.

Blast it, dyslexia. Blast it.

OT: Well, I'm not familiar with their law very much, but I do agree that the court made the right choice.

 

[Skizle]

So these guys are kinda like the American Tea Party. I do support freedom of speech, but this is one of the flaws that comes with it, however if this group wants to be responsible for a hate game then by all means go and wreck your political careers.

 

[BgRdMchne]

So anti-semitic free speech is not okay in Austria, but anti-muslim free speech is?

This is why Europe is a joke to most Americans; the blatant hypocrisies.
Free speech for me, but not for thee.

Sigh... you do know that is a really stupid thing to say? it would be like saying Africa is full of pirates because of the famous Somalian stereotype.

OT
They could at least have the decency to make it a good flash game.

Germany, France, and the UK all have pretty bad records on the freedom of speech and freedom of religion front. Maybe Luxembourg or Portugal have true free speech and free religion, but perception is reality.

 

[Use_Imagination_here]

Could an austrian please explain the shitstorm that is your goverment to me?

 

[chadachada123]

What he did shouldn't be against the law, but I think that he was definitely guilty of what the law says is illegal for Austria.

What he did should be considered free speech, but it should also warrant getting him a punch in the face for being such an asshole.

 

[AlotFirst]

So anti-semitic free speech is not okay in Austria, but anti-muslim free speech is?

This is why Europe is a joke to most Americans; the blatant hypocrisies.
Free speech for me, but not for thee.

Last time I checked Americans consider burning religious books to be part of freedom of speech. That's why I don't really care about Americans, or their jokes, because if anything the joke is entirely on them.

 

[BgRdMchne]

So anti-semitic free speech is not okay in Austria, but anti-muslim free speech is?

This is why Europe is a joke to most Americans; the blatant hypocrisies.
Free speech for me, but not for thee.

Last time I checked Americans consider burning religious books to be part of freedom of speech. That's why I don't really care about Americans, or their jokes, because if anything the joke is entirely on them.

It completely is a part of free speech. Speech is any act which conveys meaning. By your logic anything written down shouldn't have free speech implications, because it is not spoken.

If I own a book, I have every right to burn it. Your saying that not only should I not have freedom of speech, I also shouldn't have rights to my own property.

 

[Sparrow]

There are a shitload of mosques popping up over the UK, and I myself find it to be an issue, but this is not the right way to go about it. Honestly, who thought this was a good idea?

So anti-semitic free speech is not okay in Austria, but anti-muslim free speech is?

This is why Europe is a joke to most Americans; the blatant hypocrisies.
Free speech for me, but not for thee.

No, it's ok, just bundle us altogether. Really, it's a completely right thing to do!

 

[FrostyChick]

I'll bet you anything that if it really WAS an anti-western world game and not an anti-islam game the judge would have decided that it should be illegal and taken down immediately...

I'm pretty sure that there are already many video games that are anti-western. And to be honest, they have a right to be there. Doesn't mean I should pay them any attention.

I have lived through a rather rough childhood, and have had to deal with a lot of persecution. I have had to grow a thick skin.