Last March, a German comedian* named Jan Böhmermann got into big trouble for going on television and reading a poem about Turkish President Recep Erdoğan. It wasn’t just any old poem: In an attempt to be as inflammatory as possible, Böhmermann rhymed about Erdoğan having sex with goats and enjoying child pornography and other unsavory things. Criminal charges were filed under an obscure German law against offending foreign heads of state, but then the charges were dropped a few months later. I thought that was the end of it, but apparently not.
Cynthia Kroet, Politico Europe:
A German court on Friday upheld an earlier ruling which bans German comedian Jan Böhmermann from reciting parts of a poem making fun of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, local media reported.
The court in Hamburg ruled in May that re-publication of 18 “abusive and defamatory” verses in the 24-verse poem was not allowed and said the sexual references directed at the Turkish president were unacceptable…
Friday’s ruling said that “artistic freedom is unconditional but not unbounded.”
Unconditional… but not unbounded. I guess it loses something in the translation?
I don’t know anything about German law because, despite the wishes of Richard Spencer, America kicked the filthy Hun in the ass in Dubya Dubya Two. We’re not subject to the whims of any kraut bastard, and that kraut bastard Böhmermann shouldn’t be oppressed in his own country either. He plans to appeal, and I hope he wins. This is ridiculous. He should be able to write about any world leader he wants having sex with any animal he wants, without interference from the state. Free speech, dammit.
Which is why I say, in solidarity with my German brother Jan:
Donald Trump
A goat he humps
(Hat tip: Elliott Hamilton)
*Somehow, not an oxymoron.