Double standards(freedom of speech)

[Tri-Nitro-Toluene]

The British historian David Irving has been jailed for 3 years by an Austrian court.

His crime? Stating that he did not think that Auschwitz was in fact a death camp and that the gas chambers there did not exist.

Link

Personally, I couldn't care less about this guy, but the fact that he has been jailed for giving an opinion( even though it was clearly false) annoys me.

Recently the whole world has been witness to protests, flag burning and riots because Western newspapers decided to print some pictures of the Prophet mohammed. The reason they printed them was because they have the right of free speech.

Now, is it just me or is it rather hypocritical to say " We don't mind insulting muslims with pictures that they find offensive, but as soon as someone even mentions soemthing that could even be considered Anti-semitical we're going to jump all over them for having an opinion contrary to the truth."

It's either all or nothing, I don't care whether the jews have been persecuted throughout history. That was then, this is now. Yes the holocaust happened and it shouldn't have. Yes, I feel sorry for those who were gassed to death in Auschwitz but why should society as a whole feel the need to tip toe around the issue and try not to offend one religious group?

The question I ask you is this:

Do we protect the right of free speech and stop prosecuting those who have opinions that are considered hateful and accept that people are going to get offended occasionally?

Or do we hamper this right to try and stop insults agaisnt certain groups of people?

Your thoughts?

[Me-Patch]

Dude I just made this exact same thread topic five minutes before you.

[morefngdbs]

I think putting him in prison was wrong.
The sentence sure doesn't seem to fit the crime.
Lots of people have ridiculous opinions,myself included, and that shouldn't be grounds for incarceration.