The South African Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has over the past 6 months or so been the target of much criticism. We, together with other Jewish organisations, took them to task for their disproportionate and excess censure of South African Jewry.
So biased and malicious was their behaviour that many felt that the FXI was merely a front for radical anti-Western and anti-Zionist groups in South Africa.
But this week their Director of Operations Na’eem Jeenah (a prominent member of the Islamist lobby in South Africa no less) came out against the Muslim Judicial Council’s (MJC) claim that allegedly anti-Muslim remarks made by an American Anthropologist on radio 702 constituted hate speech.
On 30 April during the Redi Direko show on Radio 702, the presenter Leigh Benni interviewed Dr Jud Newborn, an anthropologist and political scientist. During the interview, Dr Newborn is purported to have used the phrase ‘ISLAMOFASCIST NAZI FUNDAMENTALIST EXTREMISTS’.
These comments have caused such an outcry in the Muslim community that the MJC has lodged a formal complaint with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) against Radio 702 for hate speech. In a public statement the MJC, supported by our friends at the Media Review Network (MRN), declared that
| these highly irresponsible statements are dangerous and offensive to the religious convictions of the Muslim community. The broadcast was inflammatory and has the potential to damage the harmonious relationship of the Muslims with the various faith groups in South Africa. |
What hypocrisy! These two organisations have been at the forefront of whipping up anti-Jewish feeling in South Africa for years! They have denied the Holocaust, accused South African Jews of working against the interests of the country and accused Israel of behaving like the Nazis. Whenever the Jewish community has responded to these types of vile remarks with legal action, they have accused us of trying to stifle free speech and likened us to the apartheid regime.
Well now they have been given a taste of their own medicine (even if significantly diluted) by non-other than the FXI. Speaking to Muslim radio station Voice of the Cape, Na’eem Jeenah made it clear that the FXI does not believe that the comments made by Dr Newborne amount to hate speech. Moreover, he gave his audience a much needed lesson in democracy 101.
| The point of the FXI in terms of the constitution is that freedom of expression is guaranteed not to people who agree with what you say, but particularly to those who say what is offensive. That is the point of freedom of expression. If we close down spaces for freedom of expression for other people to be offensive about us, then certainly people will close down opportunities for us to express ourselves. |
And that really is the point. The MJC and MRN can’t have their samoosa and eat it. In a real democracy, you can’t champion the right to freedom of speech when it’s used against your enemies but then attempt to curtail it when it is used against you. I must congratulate the FXI and in particular Mr Jeenah for speaking out against the MJC and the MRN. It is certainly in the interest of democracy in South Africa for there to be a strong and independent Free Speech watch dog. Hopefully the FXI will continue to behave as such in the future.
I personally find the remarks by Dr Newborne offensive and do believe that some sort of mechanism is necessary to avoid this type of hatemongering in our public discourse. But one that is consistently applied.
Update:
A reader informs us that having heard the show on 702, Newborn in fact did not generally label Muslims as Islamofascist Nazis; rather, he used the phrase to describe those perpetrating and supporting acts of terror. We never heard the show so can't vouch either way, but if true, this certainly doesn't amount to hatemongering.
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