Friday, July 22, 2005

Putting His Money Where His Mouth Is

BBC News reports:
Pizza man fined for war racism

A Danish pizzeria owner who refused to serve German and French customers because of their countries' position on the Iraq war has been convicted of racial discrimination.

Aage Bjerre, who owns Aage's Pizza in Nordby on the tourist island of Fanoe, was fined 5,000 kroner ($787).

Mr Bjerre, 44, said he would appeal, but would rather go to prison than pay the fine.

"I don't want to sell pizza to people from those two countries," he said.

"Every day I turn tourists down, but my conscience is doing fine."

He added: "I feel that I was convicted for supporting the coalition."...

Mr Bjerre said he had received many messages of support from the US, including job offers, and did not rule out accepting one of them.

He says he has already lost nearly 50,000 kroner ($7,800) because of a drop in business, and because of vandalism to his restaurant.
Note Denmark's typically European approach to freedom of speech* -- there is none. It's a McCain-Feingold paradise. It prompts me to suggest a new bumper-sticker for Volvo-driving American liberals:

I ♥ freedom, European style.

(Thanks to my son for the lead.)
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* Consider, for example, the "incitement to religious hatred" bill now being pushed (again) by Britain's Labour Party.