{"id":4136,"date":"2016-05-15T09:52:28","date_gmt":"2016-05-15T09:52:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=4136"},"modified":"2016-06-08T11:42:39","modified_gmt":"2016-06-08T11:42:39","slug":"thou-shalt-not-insult-foreign-leaders-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=4136","title":{"rendered":"“Thou shalt not insult FOREIGN leaders?”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"One idea of how you might end up,\u00a0bad-mouthing<\/a><\/em>\u00a0the ruler of\u00a0Cameroon<\/a>\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

\n

\n

\"\"At lunch the other day I glanced at the \u201cTrending\u201d section, on page 8 of the April 25 issue of\u00a0Time magazine<\/a>. \u00a0(The first issue \u2013 from 1923 \u2013 is at right.) <\/em>\u00a0As noted in an earlier post,\u00a0<\/em>I get the magazines\u00a0hand\u2013me\u2013down<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

The middle item was about German authorities being pressured to\u00a0prosecute a comedian, under a law that \u201cforbids insults to foreign leaders.\u201d \u00a0For reasons noted below, that piqued my interest.<\/p>\n

It seems there\u2019s a comedian in Germany \u2013 a \u201csatirist and television presenter<\/a>\u201d \u2013 named\u00a0Jan B\u00f6hmermann<\/a>. \u00a0He\u2019s the host of \u00a0a popular German TV\u00a0show,\u00a0Neo Magazin Royale<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0Last March he aired a poem,\u00a0Schm\u00e4hkritik<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0(Which translates, \u201cabusive criticism.\u201d) \u00a0<\/em>The poem \u2013\u00a0\u201cfull of profanity and criticism\u201d \u2013 was about\u00a0Turkish<\/a> president Recep Tayyip Erdogan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After the fact<\/a><\/em>, the comedian\u00a0himself admitted that his attempt at humor was \u201cunfunny, beyond crude and hardly worthy of the name.\u201d \u00a0Among other things, the poem called Erdogan \u201cthe man who beats girls,\u201d and also loves to \u201csuppress minorities, kick Kurds, hit Christians, and watch child pornography.\u201d \u00a0(Other \u201caccusations\u201d are\u00a0not fit for mixed company<\/a><\/em>\u2026)<\/em><\/p>\n

Then \u2013 it can be safely said \u2013 came the firestorm<\/a>. \u00a0(As in \u201ca firestorm of controversy.\u201d)<\/em><\/p>\n

The law at issue \u2013 which first appeared in the \u201cPrussian legal code of 1794\u201d \u2013 was designed to keep German citizens from insulting foreign leaders. \u00a0Somewhat ironically:<\/p>\n

The United States tried to make a complaint against a shop owner in the city of Marburg in 2003. \u00a0The shop owner called then-President George W. Bush, a \u201cstate terrorist.\u201d \u00a0But the German government decided this did not go against the law.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In turn,\u00a0Turkish<\/a> president Erdogan<\/a>\u00a0is trying to get\u00a0B\u00f6hmermann<\/a>\u00a0prosecuted under the same law.<\/p>\n

What piqued my interest was the contrast between the German law and\u00a0Exodus 22:28<\/a>. \u00a0That Bible passage says \u2013\u00a0in the\u00a0English Standard Version<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 <\/span>\u201cYou shall not revile God, nor\u00a0curse a ruler of your people<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d \u00a0However, it doesn\u2019t say anything about “bad-mouthing<\/a>\u00a0the ruler of another <\/strong>country.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Apparently, under the law of the Bible you could insult \u201cforeign leaders\u201d all you wanted.<\/p>\n

That seems to be\u00a0par for the course<\/a>\u00a0in other countries around the world. \u00a0You can insult\u00a0foreign<\/em> leaders all you want, but don\u2019t dare \u201ccurse the rule of your<\/em><\/strong> people.\u201d \u00a0See\u00a0This is how these 12 countries will punish you for insulting their<\/em><\/strong> heads of state<\/a>. \u00a0That site noted:<\/p>\n

It may be par for the course in the United States, but in dozens of nations around the world, badmouthing your commander-in-chief will earn you fines, imprisonment or even a flogging.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

One of those countries is\u00a0Cameroon<\/a>. \u00a0(And that’s where the top image came from.)<\/em> \u00a0That country is one of several in Africa which “have laws against ‘sedition’ (read:\u00a0saying stuff your ruler doesn’t like<\/a>) left over from times colonial, and continue to make enthusiastic use of them.”<\/p>\n

But don’t think I’m picking on Cameroon. \u00a0Lots<\/em> of countries have penalties just as bad, if not worse. \u00a0But the notes on that country featured the interesting<\/em> image at the top of the page.<\/p>\n

\"BundesarchivAnd don’t think that Germany is alone in having laws – at least laws\u00a0on the books<\/a>\u00a0– that punish citizens for insulting the leader of another country. See\u00a0No Insulting Foreign Leaders In Iceland, Either<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Iceland has enforced this article in the past. \u00a0On both occasions, it was to prosecute Icelanders who mocked the Third Reich in some capacity. \u00a0In 1934, \u00de\u00f3rbergur \u00de\u00f3r\u00f0arson was charged under the law for an article he wrote about Germany at the time, wherein he called\u00a0Adolf Hitler<\/a>\u00a0\u201cthe sadist in the German chancellor\u2019s seat.\u201d \u00a0Further, Icelandic poet Steinn Steinarr was charged under the same law, when he and a group of others who torn down a Nazi flag flown by the German consulate in Siglufj\u00f6r\u00f0ur.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So why – you might ask – would one country prosecute its citizens for insulting the leader of a foreign country? \u00a0The answer? \u00a0International relations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As noted in The Guardian [on] B\u00f6hmermann<\/a>, the only way to “make sense of this prosecution is to set it in the context that the law\u2019s 19th-century drafters probably envisaged:<\/p>\n

In the specific case of Germany\u2019s section 103, about slighting foreign states, the government must expressly approve the prosecution, presumably because the whole original purpose was to deploy the criminal law as an instrument of foreign policy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And incidentally, this business of punishing your own citizens for insulting a foreign leader is nothing new. \u00a0One notable example from history is\u00a0Sir Walter Raleigh<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"“Sir Walter” was a court favorite of\u00a0Queen Elizabeth I<\/a>. \u00a0(She knighted him in 1585.)<\/em> \u00a0But then came a change of regime, in the form of Elizabeth’s successor,\u00a0King James I<\/a>. \u00a0(The guy who created the\u00a0King James Version<\/a>\u00a0of the Bible, but was “not favourably disposed” toward Raleigh.) \u00a0 <\/em>And Raleigh pushed his luck too far.<\/p>\n

Between bouts in prison, Raleigh was famous for establishing colonies in the\u00a0New World<\/a>\u00a0and “also well known for popularising tobacco<\/a> in England.” \u00a0But in doing all that he made the Spanish king very<\/em> angry. \u00a0(Mainly because he stole lots of gold from Spanish ships.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Things went well as long as his forays produced some income. \u00a0But finally, his luck – and King James’ patience – ran out. \u00a0\u00a0In 1618, “to appease the Spanish,” \u00a0he was arrested and executed.<\/p>\n

The good news from all this is that Jan B\u00f6hmermann<\/a>\u00a0won’t be hung or beheaded. \u00a0(Like\u00a0Raleigh<\/a>, above left.)<\/em>\u00a0 In fact, the “archaic law” now seems so ridiculous – “in the light of day” – that it’s on the path to extinction. \u00a0See\u00a0Germany to Scrap Law [against] Insulting Foreign Leaders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the point I’m trying to make – in case it’s too subtle – is the marked contrast between those laws that punish citizens for insulting foreign leaders, and\u00a0Exodus 22:28<\/a>. \u00a0Whatever else you can say about the 12 countries [that] punish you for insulting their<\/em><\/strong> heads of state<\/a>, they’re at least “following the Bible.” \u00a0I noted another<\/em> marked contrast – between that Biblical commandment as\u00a0practiced and as preached<\/a>” – in On dissin\u2019 the Prez<\/a>. \u00a0(In my other blog.)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Another aside: \u00a0The\u00a0Apostle Paul<\/a>\u00a0was reminded of\u00a0Exodus 22:28<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Acts 23<\/a>. \u00a0He was on\u00a0trial – for “preaching” – before the\u00a0Sanhedrin<\/a>. \u00a0(The “Hebrew Supreme Court.\u201d<\/em>) \u00a0High priest Ananais told\u00a0a guard to \u201cstrike him on the mouth,\u201d and Paul responded as shown in the image below:<\/p>\n

Those standing nearby said, \u2018Do you dare to insult God\u2019s high priest?\u2019 \u00a0\u00a0And Paul said, \u2018I did not realize, brothers, that he was high priest; for it is written, \u201cYou shall not speak evil of a leader of your people<\/strong>.\u201d\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(Which brought up Conservative Christians who say the Bible must be interpreted literally.)<\/em><\/p>\n

But getting back to the subject at hand: \u00a0In Turkey, over \u201c1,800 people \u2013 including schoolchildren \u2013 have been prosecuted for comments posted on social media that insult Erdogan:\u201d<\/p>\n

In Istanbul, opinions are divided on the move against the comedian\u2026 \u00a0\u201cThe president [Erdogan] has his own rights,\u201d said one man. \u00a0\u201cWhen someone insults the German president they put him into the prison, also the American president<\/strong>. (E.A.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Oh really? \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Apparently that guy hasn\u2019t watched\u00a0Fox News<\/a>\u00a0or listened to American talk radio\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"http:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2b\/Angelico,_niccolina_02.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\u201cGod will strike you,\u00a0you whitewashed wall!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

* \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 *<\/p>\n

The upper image is courtesy of\u00a0not bite your tongue about some world leaders \u2013 GlobalPost<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0(Cited in the text as \u201cThis is how these 12 countries will punish you for insulting their heads of state<\/a>.\u201d)<\/em><\/p>\n

Sources used in writing this blog-post include:\u00a0Turkish President Wants German Satirist Jailed<\/a>,\u00a0German Comedian May Face Prison<\/a>,\u00a0CORRECTION BACKGROUND German law: When does insulting a foreign leader become a crime<\/a>,\u00a0Calls grow to scrap law on insulting foreign leaders [Germany]<\/a>,\u00a0Germany to Scrap Law that Prohibits Insulting Foreign Leaders<\/a>,\u00a0Jan B\u00f6hmermann \u2013 Wikipedia<\/a>, and The Guardian view on the Jan B\u00f6hmermann affair<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Re: firestorm. \u00a0See\u00a0\u201cF\u201d Metaphors<\/a><\/em>, including\u00a0Firestorm<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re: Raleigh and Spanish gold. \u00a0One example: \u00a0When his fleet captured an incredibly rich prize<\/a>\u2014 a merchant ship (carrack) named\u00a0Madre de Deus<\/a> (Mother of God) off Flores<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

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The lower image\u00a0is courtesy of\u00a0<\/em>wikipedia\/commons\/2\/2b\/Angelico,_niccolina_02.jpg<\/a>. \u00a0The caption: \u201c\u201cFra Angelico, Dispute before the Sanhedrin<\/strong>\u00a0(1449).\u201d \u00a0The painting is\u00a0based on \u201cActs 23<\/a>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One idea of how you might end up,\u00a0bad-mouthing\u00a0the ruler of\u00a0Cameroon\u2026 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * \u00a0 * At lunch the other day I glanced at the \u201cTrending\u201d section, on page 8 of the April 25 issue of\u00a0Time magazine. \u00a0(The first issue \u2013 from 1923 \u2013 is at right.) \u00a0As noted in an earlier post,\u00a0I get […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4136"}],"version-history":[{"count":61,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4240,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136\/revisions\/4240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}