http://www.dw.com/en/b%C3%B6hmermann-satire-case-splits-germanys-ruling-coalition/a-19192556

So quite recently a German satirist recited a poem about president Recep Erdogan of Turkey on public television causing an uproar. The Turkish Sultan is now calling on the Germans to prosecute the satirist on grounds of an 1800s German law prohibiting people of defamation foreign heads of states.

A week later Merkel finally gave in and gave the go ahead to start a criminal probe against Böhmermann (the satirist). Public opinion is overwhelmingly in support of free speech and disagrees with Merkels decision. Many view it as appeasing the sultan because Turkey is instrumental in controlling the flow of migrants.

This incident has caused a rift in Merkels own party. It seems that she's getting dangerously close to losing support. I wonder how much of an impact this will have in ousting her from power. Thoughts?

Here's a English translation of the poem btw.

You seriously can't think of a better way to share a poem on a primarily text-based medium than linking a YouTube video, tho?

Every night instead of sleep, fellatio with a hundred sheep. That's golden.

The thing about free speech is it sometimes results in bad real world consequences. Donald Trump's free speech hurts America's image. This guy's free speech might just piss off another sovereign nation so badly that they open the flood gates of migrants. Should free speech be protected? yes. Does that come at a very real price sometimes? yes. Germany just might find the price is another 1-2 million dependents.

Merkel is a fan of George Orwell it seems.

I doubt women and general voters care that much, given their average opinions in Germany.

It's stupid ofc, but Germany have restricted extreme speech since the end of ww2, in regard to racism and holocaust denial. That's a part of their culture now.

Germans tend to go with the flow... if you know what I mean.

ye + turkey is way too important in case of migrants heading to germany, they could basically flood germany if they wanted to

I don't speak German, nor did i look too hard for a text-based translation. You really have a hard on for me don't you?

edit:

In what way is this any different from what Charlie Hebdo did? Or if the price is too great then we need to succumb?

Also dro this is neither racist or denying anything. It's simply satire.

This post was edited by ofthevoid on Apr 16 2016 11:23am

Not the US. No one cares.

Edit: 'murica

This post was edited by PeaceThroughWar on Apr 16 2016 11:38am

It's quite obscene satire. I wasn't saying it was racist or holocaust denial, I was explaining the conditions on which their culture of restricting extreme speech rose from, which America hasn't experienced.