The title of this article is sort of strange - since when is it "censorship" for a company to refuse to host hate speech?

I'm disappointed in Network Solutions. Who decides what is hate speech? Obama's pastor can falsely accuse the US of intentionally infecting blacks with the AIDs virus and that is fine to broadcast around the world. But to say that terrorists might have a religious agenda is wrong?

I think Anonymous doesn't understand much about free speech. It works both ways, and those of us who don't like what we hear need to get over it. That's how things work in a free country.

So Network Solutions is going to regulate political speech on the internet now? I didn't realize they were in the business of approving or disproving the content of web sites. Assuming the content hosted is legal, they are doing nothing more than acting as political censor.

Um... how do we know it is hate speech since it never has been aired? That is simply speculation based upon all of the other speculation that has been out there about the film.

If it is factual, and not contrived material, then technically it is a documentary and not hate.

This may set a dangerous precedent. After all, who makes the final decision on what constitutes fair and reasonable discourse, and what constitutes hate?

Network Solutions "pre-censorship" is just that CENSORSHIP! They are politically correct, and a bunch of knee-jerk touchy-feelies. Enough with this crap! If someone wants to create a website with their views, they should be allowed to do so. What the hell does our Constitution mean if a bunch of politically correct morons end up censoring free speech?

I wont register with Network Solutions...what a bunch of wimps....Have they not been on the internet lately..its full of offensive material.

Wow, must be a Muslim in charge there. How else can you explain it....

In the U.S. free speech is a protection offered the citizen to prevent the government from censoring speech. Anyone who has been in the world of work knows that employers (including our government and it's employees) are subject to censorship in the workplace and with regard to representations about the company. The same for its customers.

Censorship only refers to government control over the media - if a private individual chooses to withold service from a far-right bigot like Geert Wilders, that's their perogative.

It's also interesting to note that Geert Wilders supports actual (governmental) censorship - he wants to ban the Koran. This guy is basically the Dutch equivalent of a neo-nazi - why do people support him?

Censorship only refers to government control over the media - if a private individual chooses to withold service from a far-right bigot like Geert Wilders, that's their perogative.

It's also interesting to note that Geert Wilders supports actual (governmental) censorship - he wants to ban the Koran. This guy is basically the Dutch equivalent of a neo-nazi - why do people support him?

The USA have for as long as I can remember been at the forefront of anti communistic and anti censorship countries. it propagates itself as the righteous fighter of freedom. Shame on this beautiful country its government and its corporation for behaving like the chinese communist and the russian KGB. Your dirty linens are are hung for all to see and they smell horribly.
SHAME ON YOU USA.................FOR being a pussy and hiding your tail in your buttocks AND lecturing to all others about FREEDOM!!!!. You have lost all respect from people around the world. Network solutions is but just the tip.

The headlines should read:

A) WEST OUTRAGE AT CALL FOR END OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH; INCLUDING THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH TO SAY or draw ANYTHING ABOUT ISLAM. or

B) YOUR RULES VIOLATE OUR RULES: HERE STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK OUR BONES BUT WORDS CAN NEVER HURT US. or

C) IN ISLAMIA: WE RUSH-TO-DIE TO PROTECT US FROM THE SATANIC VERSES OF THE WEST.

I delivered that exact message in writing to every member of congress in 1989; along with an exact description of the battle tactics that would be used against us.

Network Solutions operates under the permission of ICANN and the government, and is clearly violating this man's right to free speech as a citizen of the world. I think NetSol should have their registrar license pulled; it's not for them to decide who gets to speak, or what is said.

@ Robert HP -
That's kind of a stretch. All corporations have government licenses, but they are by no means part of the government. If I make fabric, I can (and should) refuse to deal with someone who wants to turn that fabric into KKK hoods. Likewise, a corporation that refuses to broadcast this man's hate speech is entirely within their rights.

Maybe someone in Network Solutions should learn to read Arabic. And take a look at a few of the radical anti west anti jesus, anti hebrew,anti anything to do with democracy. I find it a total afront to my dignity and being that these sites are allowed but western sites are now under the sway of censorship.

Let each be the judge of what the truth of a matter is. Network solutions does not need to act as the Saudis and their Imams or Al quid would.
Of course if you are a Muslim who is afraid of the truth you would want to silence your critic. The Koran is and has always been a sexist, hateful and violent riddle and no one can prove otherwise.
I personally, having lived with Muslims from a very young age know them as hatred driven people who lived and are imbibed by the culture of the Koran with intolerance and hatred.

Who, in their right mind, is still registering domain names with Network Solutions?

@ Tony:
I'm pretty sure they don't host those sites either. Most corporations understandably don't like to be associated with any kind of extremist.

I see. Network Solutions believes it has the right to censor access to a website of someone who doesn't agree with the Islamic philosopy.

Who do they think they are?

Why don't they censor some of the Radical Islamic websites that preach hatred and killing of innocent people.

I think someone threatened Network Solutions and they are cowards. If people don't start standing up to the crimes of assault the Radical Islamists are preaching, our world will be lost. I assure you, my GOD does not believe it is OK to kill people in his name. I ASSURE YOU. THEN WHO IS THIER GOD?

This is yet another problem with the Islam movement.
They preach hate and violence for any precived in tolorence to their religeon yet can't take it?

Thats shameful!!!

@ Dave:
That's not the Islam I know. Perhaps you need to actually try to get to know people before you judge them.

What - are the thought police in charge now? I thought that the free exchange of ideas was a good thing - even ideas that "someone" finds "offensive." There's something in any and every idea to offend "someone." Sheesh!

Give Wilder freedom of speech so that he can ban the Quaran and promote Islamophobia. Yeah righ!

Here's another thought - my "religion" believes in freedom of speech and I am "offended" at anyone who does not believe same - because I call it a "religion" means, as Richard Dawkins says, that means that we should accord it some extraordinary measure of unassailability or lack of even discussion? Come on, people - let's get a life here. All you have to do is call it a "religion" and we can't discuss it and/or criticize or even have a open dialogue about it? This is baloney and you can see where it leads. It's like sunlight - if your ideas are not defensible, they don't deserve to stand, except in your own narrow mind - where does it end?

Thanks Network Solutions keeping people off from getting cheap publicity and want come all the time on headline by hearting people faith....thanks

The real reason Network Solutions has silenced this site is because they are terrified that they will be killed by Islamic murderers.

Screw Network Solutions. Every single person who has read this post and doesn't agree must cancel their service with NS. I am certainly going to do that.

Every one of you who compare this politician to a Nazi are idiots. First, YOU DON'T KNOW what video he was going to put on. Who the F are you to say that he is a Nazi without any info? Second, if all the video does is translate the certain passages of Koran, it is perfectly OK, no matter how hideous those passages are. If you don't like it, change the Koran, not the freedom of speech. Third, if you are going to favor just one group, in this case the Muslims, that is illegal. Maybe I am partial to communism and I believe that every democratic website should be removed because it is offensive to my faction. Will NS do it? They better. If not, they should not reserve that right to Muslims alone.

@ Kunem Network Sol.
Geert Wilders wants to ban the Koran. Personally, I find that line of thought kind of scary. Politically, he's a far-right-winger and outspoken racist. (And yes, islamophobia is a form of racism.)

Network Solutions has no problem hosting a site that attacks Christianity because Christians are taught to "Not return evil for evil". Yet because there may be backlash by crazy islamic fundamentalists their going to over ride our freedom of speech before something has happened!! Give me a break!! Sadly our legal system will do nothing and islam will go on being the bigoted, racist, presidential office seeking, whining fundamentalism that is was before Network Solutions decided to be spineless cowards and give in to one of its board members!

I commend Network Solutions for this type of censorship. The time will come when we can do the same to other hate sites including the Muslim ones. Hate speech does not have a place in a civilized society.

Violence trumps free speech now. Network solutions should just make Sharia law part of their EULA and get it over with. Shame on them.

Anytime a group of people set themselves up to analyze a thought or statement and then decide whether others are capable of hearing it they become censors. Yes evaluating hate speech and blocking it if you don't like it is censorship.

The bigger problem is who the censors are. They are not duly elected public officials over whom the people have some say. In this case, it is the stock holders of a company who could be from China, Russia, and even Riyad.

These are not the people I want censoring what I see and hear. Who is pulliong the strings at Network Solutions???

Anytime a group of people set themselves up to analyze a thought or statement and then decide whether others are capable of hearing it they become censors. Yes evaluating hate speech and blocking it if you don't like it is censorship.

The bigger problem is who the censors are. They are not duly elected public officials over whom the people have some say. In this case, it is the stock holders of a company who could be from China, Russia, and even Riyad.

These are not the people I want censoring what I see and hear. Who is pulling the strings at Network Solutions???

Hizbolla.org is registerd with Network Solutions. So apparently you can be an Iranian-backed terrorist organization named "Party of Allah" spieling Goebbels-style propoganda ... but you can't suggest that the Qur'an is an inspiration to the "Religion of Peace" jihadists invading Europe and threating to cut you head off.

How "bizzaro world" is this?

If muslims can promote anti-American and anti Jewish websites, we can promote anti-Islamo terrorist websites... I think all people at network solutions should be punished for supporting Islam and Nazism. IF the website shhowed pics of muslims dancing over a dead Jewish body it would be tolerable... End Islam!! Save the World!

This is totally unacceptable! The website is not meant to incite to violence. Just the opposite!! It wants to warn the Western World about the coming Jihad that the Muslims around the world want to carry out against them. Europeans are about to lose their countries to the Arab immigrants who don't want to become Europeans. They want to take their host countries over by becoming a majority and then changing the country's laws to Muslim religious law. The fact that a US company shut down a website which comes to warn against the Muslim take-over plans is very grave.

Is it that some middle-east based so called sovereign wealth fund has invested a large chunk of its oil money in Network Solutions?

Islamic Nations have already taken over US's financial system. Now they are eying the other corporations at the forefront of technology. Google may be the next.

Robert, you don't have a place in civilized society because you or your children will have been killed by some crazy islamic bastard while flying home from an Aspen Ski trip. Have you all forgotten September 11, 2001!!!

It was the quaran that motivated that attack. It was islam that rewarded those terrorists who died carrying out the attacks. It was Palestine who partied in the freaking streets as our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and friends burned to death!!

Ummm... don't companies have the right to choose who they want to serve. Or does the sign "No shoes, no service" mean something different? A company can refuse to a provide service to a customer for whatever reason they see fit. Its a preemptive attempt to avoid any problems. For example, Denny's won't allow a barefoot customer, cause if the person steps on a sharp object and cuts their foot, Denny's will be sued faster then I can eat a Sunday morning pancake.
On a side note, I keep wondering why people are repeatedly banging their heads against putting down the religion of another person/group? Be it Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Atheism, etc... Why do people find it necessary to belittle the faith of others? I find this a bit archaic as far as human progression is concerned. History proves that nothing good has come from squabbling, especially over religion. People should be free to practice what they want, as long as the beliefs don't hurt others. And in all truth, no religion in the world says that you should beat up thy neighbor, cause he hath not worn your funky clothing and dareth belong to another fraternity. Now, maybe faith followers have caused a riff in the space-time continuum and have deviated from the path of righteousness, but thats not the fault of the faith, just those who are power hungry and causing problems for the rest of the world.
However, need I remind myself, that history also proves that this will continue till the end-of-time, cause humans just can't live together without attempting to assert their beliefs on others.

I've just got a great idea for a movie... a future where people just get along... religions exist side-by-side without problems. People of all shapes, sizes, colors - just coexist for the betterment of mankind. No one will want to watch such a movie, so to spice things up, all the Gods for all the religions have been introduced and have teamed up to set their people straight. So if the followers don't follow, their own Gods can provide whatever wrath they choose. It would have to be filmed in the perspective as used in Cloverfield and should include the perspective of different people from different walks of life.

End of rant.

Shawn, you should read a newspaper. Candlelight vigils and similar statments of solidarity were held across the entire middle east following 9/11. Our enemy is not Islam, our enemy is the corrupt politicians that want to make Islam our Eurasia/Estasia-type perpetual enemy.

Geert Wilders is not a racist but someone trying to expose how Muslims consider non-Muslims to be sub-human and this translates into violence.

Network Solutions has the right to censor anything they want. I think they are cowards and should support free speech. I will also exercise my right to never do business with them again.

The reason "moderate Muslims" do NOT speak out against the radicals is that THEY WILL BE KILLED by their own radical neighbors ! Do we want that to happen in our free society ! We MUST act against the repression of free ideas because we do not fear them that seek to destroy freedom !!
Our institutions are based on free exchange of ideas and we must protect those that express themselves, and conversley punish those that threaten citizens that speak out.

The reason "moderate Muslims" do NOT speak out against the radicals is that THEY WILL BE KILLED by their own radical neighbors ! Do we want that to happen in our free society ! We MUST act against the repression of free ideas because we do not fear them that seek to destroy freedom !!
Our institutions are based on free exchange of ideas and we must protect those that express themselves, and conversley punish those that threaten citizens that speak out.

The reason "moderate Muslims" do NOT speak out against the radicals is that THEY WILL BE KILLED by their own radical neighbors ! Do we want that to happen in our free society ! We MUST act against the repression of free ideas because we do not fear them that seek to destroy freedom !!
Our institutions are based on free exchange of ideas and we must protect those that express themselves, and conversley punish those that threaten citizens that speak out.

@ Wade Martel:
If he isn't a racist, than why does he oppose immigration? Why does he want to ban the Koran?

NO. ISLAMAPHOBIA IS NOT RACISM !!!
Islam is multi-racial so where does that stupid idea come from?
Islam is not a race, or even a species, it is RELIGION.
GEEZ.
NO. Don't ban the Koran. Everyone should read it.
And why are there websites showing GRAPHIC hate violence, rape, child porn ... ??????????????????
where are the real police, and not just the cultural p0lice?

Network Solutions should stick to selling registrations and not decide to force thier own political/religious beliefs on anyone. By limiting one side of a discussion, they effectively have made the other side thiers. That and made it more visible to the public by forcing controversy into the media stream.

Next Network Solutions will be calling for jihad against all other websites they feel is inappropiate and where will we be able to get our downloadable porn from?

ha, NS is run by idiots, this will just turn away customers from using them and show how weak and timid they are. Man up NS and quite being a pansie. freedoms enjoyed by america should be enjoyed by all. we have our kkk.com so stop being the god of the internet, it's not like the word doesn't get out anyway.

@ please:
If you think we shouldn't ban the Koran, than you disagree with Geert Wilders (the maker of this film,) who wants it to be made illegal.
More to the point, Islamophobia, while not "race"-ism per se, is as much a form of bigotry as racism is. Both islamophobic bigotry and racist bigotry use the same psychological mechanism - the thought that "these people aren't like me, therefore they are evil." Read Said's "Orientalism" - that book provides a good account of the western world's false construct of the Islamic/Eastern "other."

Let me get this straight - Network Solutions openly permits the U.S. designated terrorist organization Hizbollah to spew its vile hate speech with impunity via its site at Hizbollah.org, but it censors a website showing nothing but a picture of the Koran and a "coming soon" message?

If this is not "providing material support to terrorists", what is? The DOJ should immediately begin an investigation into possible links between the management of Network Solutions and the terrorist organizations they are plainly fronting for.

I look forward to seeing their CEO doing the perp walk into the courthouse in Alexandria. Maybe if he's lucky, he can get a cell next to Moussaoui's.

http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/fs/37191.htm
(http://www.whois.net/whois_new.cgi?d=hizbollah&tld=org)

When it comes to Muslim or Islam, you have freedom of speach to tarnish their image. But when something, which is slightly against Christianity or Jews it's horrible, terrific and unpardonable. West has always double standard.

@ Dave:
So... wait - you claim to be against censorship, and then say that you want to use the PATRIOT act to detain your political opponents? People like you scare me.

% Anonymous - if banning the Koran and Islamophobia are racism - or its equivalent, what do you think about anti-semitism? Do you also oppose sites that criticize Israel or Judaism? Just curious...

I am afraid that Network Solutions has committed commercial suicide with this vile, craven act of censorship.

I, personally, will be moving such website registrations as I have with the company to other registrars. Further, I plan to encourage everyone I know to take their business elsewhere.

Given the number of vile, hate-filled sites owned by various Islamic fundamentalist groups which are undoubtedly registered with Network Solutions, the unilateral censorship of one of the few opposing websites is completely unacceptable.

May the management of Network Solutions live to see their company and their individual fortunes evaporate and may they die in the miserable and abject poverty that their behaviour richly deserves.

Just curious about censorship...this blog just refused to post one of my messages because I mention their lie about Palestine partying in the streets! I saw the live feeds after September 11th! People need to wake up! You are the infidel and islam is not your friend!! Read the quaran!

Network Solutions has a monopoly on the dot come domains. Selective censorship in deciding what to censor is a slippery slope. But since NSI has is now making censorships by blocking content to the Internet (not unlike China and Pakistan) are they now going to also accept legal liability for content that they fail to block/censor that results in some type of damage? Maybe being named in a class action suit will teach NSI the lesson they so deservedly need.

@ Dave:
Of course I do! A responsible company would refuse to deal with any kind of hate - be it anti-semitism, islamophobia, racism, anti-immigrant sentiment, and so on. We can't deny bigots the right to free speech, but we can, as individuals, refuse to sell them the materials they need to spread their hate.
@ Saikh:
It's not okay to spread hate against Muslims, Jews, Athiests, or Christians - any of these is a form of bigotry. It is okay to criticise specific practices by members of these religions (such as suicide bombing) but to tie the actions of a minority to the beliefs of the majority is sheer bigotry.

It's interesting that Network Solutions is banning Wilders' website because it claims "that Islam's holy scripture urges followers to commit violent acts".

Then Network Solution's spokeswoman says that "a decision was made to deactivate the site given the potential violence that the movie could spark".

It sounds like Network Solutions is saying the same thing Wilders is.

Anonymous ... you are such an incredible tool. For one, every state in the world controls immigration. Does that make every state in the world racist?

Also, there is a good reason this is much more significant than a private company refusing to "making fabric for the KKK." Network Solutions operates under ICANN regulation because for years they were granted a domain registrar monopoly, and are still the dominant registrar.

Whether they are subject to equal provision laws is beside the point. This is a disturbing trend toward submission to violent threats, pure and simple.

Abraham and Sarah were very old and wanted a child. They had tried many times but nothing. Then they decided to take matters into their own hands, contrary to what GOD tells us to do as in "Thy will be done".

They decided to let Abraham have relations with the Maid, Hagar. Hagar bore a son, Ishmael. Hagar mocked Sarah because she couldn't conceive. They kicked Hagar and Ishmael out of the house.

The Bible passage about Ishmael goes something like this: "He will be the Ass of the World". He will be against everyone and everyone shall be against him.

@anon

my point is that kkk has their sites...
as well as
satanists,
perverts,
glorification of serial killers...

this company has taken a pre-emptive measure in order to not make waves while the true evils still "grace" their servers with "free speech"

BTW: don't tell me who I agree with. I neither know or approve of Wilders. He should still have the right to produce and promote his works. Let others decide its merits AFTER, not BEFORE it is even viewed.
You can boycott, sue, protest, and do whatever else you want to do to promote the correct views, but let the foolish hang themselves while we laugh non-violently at the spectacle. If you kill the murderer before he kills, you are the killer, not him, what would you tell your god?
Oh, yeah, that is the issue, whether god/allah wants you to kill those who dont agree with you...
INTERPRETATION!!! I like a loving god better than a vengeful allah, and definitely dislike a mean satan who promotes true degeneracy. can we agree?
Allah=mercy if my "interpretation" is true...

most of these posts make me sick. i am losing hope for the world.

@ |
You don't understand what the term "anti-immigrant sentiment" means. It's not quotas on immigration - every country does that. It's hatred of immigrants themselves - an offense that this filmmaker is certainly guilty of. If you read the things he actually says, trust me - you wouldn't support him any more.

@ TOM
Thanks...someone who finally can see the irrationality of islam and those who support it. Sorry to say that anyone who says they are going to start a "Holy War" against everyone who disagrees with their beliefs is screwed in the head. This is what the quaran says and people need to stop deluding themselves with ideas of peaceful islam. Unless they intend to choose a different book to represent them, the quaran isn't going to preach peace! They will have to BE something else before they can claim something else!! Peaceful just doesn't work!!

% Anonymous - I think you are setting yourself up for a great deal of disappointment.

If you were to ban all criticism of nations, peoples and religions in the name of harmony you are simply setting up a system where iniquity can remain the unchallenged status quo.

I believe that both Islam and Israel deserve to be looked at honestly and critically. It seems you don't trust Mr Wilders to be honest. But why not let him show his work before deciding that he is not sticking to the facts? That is what is offending people here, I think.

network solutions is the registrar for stormfront.org, one of biggest skin head hang outs on the internet. There'd be alot more extremist views there than on Geert's little site.

@ Shawn:
You need to get out more, meet some actual Muslims - any religion can be expressed in nonviolent ways. It's just a matter of personal choice. Bigoted statements that "Islam is inherently violent" help no one.

@ Shawn:
You need to get out more, meet some actual Muslims - any religion can be expressed in nonviolent ways. It's just a matter of personal choice. Bigoted statements that "Islam is inherently violent" help no one.

Annon ... you obviously have not read much of what Wilders has said and written either. He does focus on particular immigrants with dangerous ideologies, but has vocally supported immigration for managable numbers of refugees fleeing the spread of these ideologies. Former muslim, Somali refugee-turned-parlimentarian Ayaan Hirsi Ali is among those forced into hiding with Wilders by these thugs.

Coward posted @ Anonymous:
I know muslims and we have had this same conversation with them. Sadly their prophet preached violence and promoted the piracy of caravans on the trade routes to Medina. He supported violence against anyone who didn't see eye-to-eye with him. He did so for the oldest reason known to man...self!! He profitted from his piracy and it became a religion.

The conquest of the Ottoman Empire brought islam and death to northern Africa, Southern Europe and the Mid-East for hundreds of years.

The conquest of world leaders like Iran's psycho president isn't exactly an isolated incident. There are millions who support him in his own country. Syria is filled with millions more. There are hundreds of millions silently agreeing with those we call fundamentalists. We are in for one heck of a surprise when this sleeping giant wakes!! (Aparently because so many have gone back to sleep after 9/11!!)

If all this is bigotry then it is also reality!! WAKE UP!!

This is an outrageous act of cowardice and bias by Network Solutions. They should lose whatever license they have for control over domain registration.

A registrar draws the line at the bottom. Maximize revenue, minimize cost.

Post a Paypal for the Pius on the page, where proponents can vote with their wallet. Fight blackmail with greenmail, if $20M is not reached, the site goes live.

P.S. - Would be nice to be able to vote with a few cents on articles in the Post. A fun way to offend Weingarten's butcher while generating revenue. Let the offended express their rage financially, emphasizing their alliterative diatribes.

Network Solutions also hosts AlJazeera.com, the terrorist website funded by Saudi Arabia and a big account. I read on the blogs that a Network Solutions spokesperson stated that their decision to yank fitnathemovie was also a financial one. From there it's an easy guess that the Islamists are behind the removal of a site that will expose the negative side of the Koran. This is hardly a first for them.

A registrar draws the line at the bottom. Maximize revenue, minimize cost.

Post a Paypal for the Pius on the page, where proponents can vote with their wallet. Fight blackmail with greenmail, if $20M is not reached, the site goes live.

P.S. - Would be nice to be able to vote with a few cents on articles in the Post. A fun way to offend Weingarten's butcher while generating revenue. Let the offended express their rage financially, emphasizing their alliterative diatribes.

While free speech may not be legally protected on the internet, it should, and I believe for the most part has been. The internet IS the 21st century equivalent of the soap box where everyone should be allowed to voice their opinions, whether others consider them hateful or not. We already have more porn than I can view in a lifetime, as well as skin heads, neo-nazis, satanists, wiccans, christians, muslims, jews as well as anti-all of those beliefs...EXCEPT anti-muslims. Why does free speech end there? What are we afraid of? The truth?

Woops... correction... they host Hezbolla.org, which is actually worse. Apologies.

Osama might have lost the battle but he is winning the war. Whether or not you agree with Wilder or not or even whether this movie even exists is not he point -- the fact that there is such a fear of the muslims already means they are winning. It proves Wilder's point andhe hasn't evened aired it yet! Netsol should get a medal for sucker of the year.

When you are reasonably certain that a particular message is going to create needless violence and human suffering, why would you do it ?
Shame on Osama and shame on Geert Wilders and shame on all the people who support either one of them. They both know that the result of their expression will lead to voilence.

There is a very clear line between freedom of expression and knowingly inviting hatred and voilence.

There's also a very clear line between cowering and standing up.

Prodigy...do you hear yourself. It will create violence BY MUSLIMS!!!! These peace love people everyone is talking about doesn't exist! Not doing the right thing simply because it is going to make someone angry is hardly a reason not to do it. Although there is a word for those who won't...it's coward!
Stand up against the violence islam is threatening all over the world.

Let them know we won't be intimidated by their threats!!

We won't be intimidated, even unto death! Oh wait...4000 American's soldiers have already said that.

If I am not mistaken, the message from individuals such as Ghandi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela sometimes led to violence, even though all were rightly considered peaceful. Should we STOP the message because of what the results may be? If so what of all the other messages on the web? Who gets to decide what is right?

hey prod:

what do you mean "cause violence"?

The meeker adherents of islam will not be prodded into violence against their own less violent interpretations. They fear sects within their own religion will go after them first --

what they keep forgetting, as all the meek and short-sighted who just try to make it through to the next prayer without offending ANYONE, is that once the
radicals
purge the unbelievers
they go after the meek within their own religion also -- islam is supposed to mean unity, but OBVIOUSLY is not really that important, or FORCED UNITY seems to be the goal.
The same muslim peacefuls who do not denounce the violent perversions within their own religion and instead take a defensive position against criticism of these false tenets of it will face the same fate as the heathens once they are finished blowing up the rest of us.

the violent will be violent anyway, and the meek will either choose to denounce their own sects and survive with the heathens and get along with a chance to convert them, or be enslaved or die soon after. A suicide bomb kills the believers in the blast radius as well as the pagans...

Every peaceful muslim should be unafraid of the peaceful truth being revealed and stand up to denounce the errors of fundamentalism -- or is irrational jihad a truth?

OR are REAL MUSLIMS too afraid of themselves?

Sadly Please, islam is afraid of itself. If they admit the violence promoted in their own quran they would have to denounce it all together. Instead they delude themselves by calling islam a "peaceful" religion hoping to Allah no one reads the quaran to verify their words.

I am ashamed of American companies like Network Solutions, New York Times, Washington Post, etc. who refuse to allow free speech such as Mohammed cartoons and Wilders' film. The Europeans are beating us at our own game, namely the right to express oneself freely, even if others feel offended. I think all people of conscience should boycott Network Solutions. We cannot allow Muslims to destroy the fabric of free societies. Remember "Piss Christ" and the Virgin Mary made out of elephant dung in NY? Nobody was getting death threats about those. Insanity should never be allowed to triumph over freedom, rationality, and higher intelligence.

Just wanted to say that I am outraged that the complaints were enough to get NS to act. I think they made a huge blunder in taking this stance for reasons others stated. However, to the poster that called Aljazerra.net a terrorist website. I'll have to strongly disagree, Aljazerra goes out of their way to present balanced commentary and reporting on issues. You do notice that the American media is a bit biased toward events in the middle east don't you? The amount of out right Arab hate that flowered after 9/11 in our country made me quite ashamed and should have made any of you feel the same way who claim to be objective. If you can say that you don't than you have more problems than just being pissed at NS for this act I am afraid.

This is simple self preservation. The CEO of Network Solutions does not want to be shot in the back going home from work or be forced to go into hiding. Islam spread through northern Africa by the sword during the 6th centry. Understand this time they don't need the sword just words.

@ Art
What "freedom, rationality, and higher intelligence" do you find in a ""Piss Christ" and the Virgin Mary made out of elephant dung"?

What about the Sinead-o-Connor incident with the Pope? Was that a valid reaction by the entire world?

Or is it that Christianity has become so watered down that Christians can't see the difference between black and white?

Just as Sen. Obama has opened a national dialog about race and ethnicity for whites, blacks, Hispanics, and other ethnic minorities in America , someone needs to open a national, indeed international, dialog about the religious, political, economic, and cultural differences among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. If we understand each other better, however, that is not to say that Jews and/or Christians will ever find themselves compatible with Muslims and Muslim values. Quite the contrary may be true, so that Western countries really come to realize why they must prevail against the essentially Eastern values of Muslims. At least, however, a forthright, truthful treatment of our differences would allow us all to make informed decisions about such issues as they may affect us. It certainly is not helpful to censor the broadcast of this film. After all, what are the censors afraid of? Apparently, they believe themselves to be the only ones qualified to judge the film on its merits, while I suppose we benighted masses cannot be trusted to view it and decide for ourselves its merits or lack of them.

i keep saying this is about
INTERPRETATION.

The peaceful people (muslim, xtian, jew, buddhist, or spaghetti-monsterist)
can read the same passage as a

VIOLENT RADICAL

and have a completely different reading.

The religion itself is neither peaceful or violent, it is the humans who must
INTERPRET
it that are bent by the
CULTURE
that sees itself as being pushed into a corner by western interests.

And yes every adherent of any religion is afraid of themselves, that is why they need guidance from the almighty, who they need to tell them it okay to do the things that are good, and not do certain things because it would hurt them both physically and spiritually. And guidance leads to absolution and redemption -- necessary for many to make it through the hell that we call earth...

But let artists be artists. I don't like a lot of things, but if I don't like it, I express that and don't purchase the product in question. I'm not going to threaten, bomb, poison, or hurt anyone because that is not my way -- I and others who share non-violent views will only fight if provoked, not offensively for views that are not really representative of what we know to be the truth.

Question for those against Islam: If you had your way, what would you do?

Question for those against any religion, minority or ethnic group: If you had your way, what would you do?

@ Dessel
I have no interest in being objective. You are right, our media is extremely biased yet unfortuntately I haven't taken the time to look at Aljazerra, so I will leave that alone. You mention Arab hate after 9/11 though. Explain to me why we shouldn't hate seeing Palestinians dancing in the streets while our countrymen burned to death. Explain to me why we shouldn't hate that the families of the bombers were given $250,000 by Hezbollah and we turn a blind eye. Explain to me why our government continues to support one terrorist organization while waging war against another. Sadly Dessel, objectivity would make up all kinds of excuses for what I asked. The truth, which is what I seek in all things, is that it comes down to politics and MONEY (the former supporting the later).

The truth is not all Muslims are true followers of the quaran and their prophet Mr. Caravan Pirate. If they were, their true intentions of peace would be without basis in what he preached. Those that truely seek peace need to revamp their holy book because they are in direct violation of it. So either their Holy Book is a farce or they are...that is the simple truth. Those who do follow islam acurately and wholeheartedly are no friend of America or her countrymen. We had better start realizing this before one of them gets elected president!

please forgive my repeated grammatical errors...

HillaryClinton.com offends me! How do I contact Network Solutions ... moreover, If they fail to take action, since they accept responsibility to take action; should I file a class action suit?

@ Dessel

The amount of outright Arab hate that flowed from America after 9/11 did not nearly come close to the amount of outright American hate that flowed from the mideast before, during and after 9/11.

AND that is the biggest difference between our societies. Most Americans, pre 9/11, didn't really care that much about Arabs/Islamists. Most Arabs/Islamists, I believe, hated America before, during and after 9/11.

Shameful prior restraint, and in all likelihood a loser in court as well. Network Solutions should find new management. Sell.

I'm very excited about this latest development in "reasonability".

Let's hope that Network Solutions starts blocking porn, Democrats, Tibet freedom, anti-smoking and alternate fuel sites. There's far too much attention on these unsettling issues, and we know better than you do.

All the talk of censorship and hate aside, what Network Solutions has done is rip the foundations out from under the notion of content neutral Internet service providers. ISPs can no longer insist they remain free of all legal liability for content they host once they assume the prerogative of shutting off content they fear or don't like.

I stopped using Network Solutions years ago due to trashy service. Why give them a dime's worth of business. To put some perspective on this, muslims have railed against cartoons and any free speech expression critical of their religion. There actions have included killing Mr. Van Gogh and numerous threats. Exposing them for what they are is a wonderful idea that merits free hosting, not censorship.

At one point the Internet was dominated
by intellectuals. Now it's in the stage
of stupidity. The same thing happened with TV...and radio.

Check it out:

1. "Hizballah (Party of God)" is #14 on the U.S. State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/fs/37191.htm

2. "Hizbollah.org" is registered with Network Solutions. (Hizbollah's ISP, however, appears to be in Syria.)

Domain ID:D849804-LROR
Domain Name:HIZBOLLAH.ORG
Created On:06-Feb-1998 05:00:00 UTC
Last Updated On:07-Dec-2006 06:17:10 UTC
Expiration Date:05-Feb-2009 05:00:00 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Network Solutions LLC (R63-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:20739530-NSIV
Registrant Name:NO FIRST NAME NO LAST NAME
Registrant Organization:Hizbollah
Registrant Street1:ATTN insert domain name here
Registrant Street2:care of Network Solutions
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Herndon
Registrant State/Province:VA
Registrant Postal Code:20172
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.570708878
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:q75sv55u4aw@networksolutionsprivateregistration.com
Admin ID:16826304-NSIV
Admin Name:Hussein Beydoun
Admin Organization:Hadeelnet
Admin Street1:ATTN insert domain name here
Admin Street2:care of Network Solutions
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Herndon
Admin State/Province:VA
Admin Postal Code:20172
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.570708878

We are talking about a supposed hate site. There is no movie yet. We don't know it's content. It is all presumptions, the necessary basics for discrimination and racism. So anyone in favor of NS because they assume Wilders is a racist, is in fact using the same believe systems and tactics of a racist. Also many of the supporters of NS declare supporters of Free Speech as supporters of Wilders. Again the same basics as racism. There is no movie yet. Furthermore all this attention plays into the hands of Wilders.
This simple fact remains; by the standard of Network Solutions any publishing of the Bible or Koran would be brought down.

This is a "Q.E.D". It's like the fanatics who objected to the movie "True Lies" depicting Arabs as violent. So they threatened to blow up all the theatres that showed it. Their time has gone. Wilders is right and everybody knows it.

NSI aren't regulating anything. They're obviously consulting with someone as in someone in government and they've been advised to lay low or anything might happen. Wilders has had police protection for four years. It's not about censorship. It's not about regulation. It's about these people being crazy and dangerous.

Wilders is 100% correct. We have already lost when religious fanatics or fear of religious fanatics prevent truthful, honest expression from seeing the light of day.

"Freedom" means you can say only what powerful organizations permit you to say.

You are not permitted to express ideas that powerful organizations do not want expressed.

The Internet was once imagined to be a tool of free expression where all ideas could be judged on their merits, but now we're back to the old system of power determining which ideas can be expressed.

Why even continue pretending we have freedom? It's a hollow, phony show.

Since most people are concerned about Freedom of Speech, lets just allow pictures of Jesus getting sodomized, and pictures of Moses getting oral and your sister getting raped. I know this is disgusting and it probably will not get posted, but the point is people who are of a particular religion or group percieve these things with the disgust of the images I mentioned. It is hard for "westerners" to understand the rage these cartoons or movies cause with people. I am not religious, but I have lived in the west and east and I want people to understand the emotions this causes. If you choose not to understand, then we are no better than the "terrorists", "the savages", "them". Choose peace or hatred. Remember the WWII philosopher which said. "when Hitler came for the Jews, I said nothing because I wasnt a jew. When he went for the gypsys I said nothing because I wasnt a gypsy. When he went for the gays, I said nothing because I wasnt gay. By the time he came for me, there was no one left." Not an exact quote, but I hope the 90% of the intelligent people out there get the point. For the rest keep up the bad work, on all sides.

Fred J -- Who did NSI come for?

To Observer;
I know you will appreciate this one; NSI went for the likes of Mel Gibson who said what he said about Jews.

I am what I am because of who we all are.

This is true for me for you, Wilders, Muslims, etc. The ones that can escape this, might be living in another planet...aliens.

Lets take the place of an alien and try to have a look at US. What do we see?

We see people building walls of arguments, facts , reasons that defend their cause or believes. Certainly i had a flashback, a deja vu, coming out of the second world war... Remember what they did? Digging a hole in the ground and defending it for months. Some were lucky to come alive from that crazyness...

Looks like we doing the same allover again. I just wonder when the bombs will start falling... oops they already did fall and will keep on falling. Yes this is just a children s war compared with what politicians seem to be afraid of (a open confrontation with Muslims). That looks for me the way where the road is leading. The Wilders film is taking us just a step closer to this confrontation. No surprise that some people are trying to put a break on it...

Why to pick the Muslims for a confrontation? Maybe they already did pick a confrontation and we just have to go along? How we came to this stage is up for discussion, the fact is that we are at this stage and is impossible to avoid it. Only an alien is not bombard with so much info over this issue.

Why would Network Solutions make such a decision to take the Wilders site out of the air?
the answer is >>> THEY ARE UNDER PRESSURE.

Who is pulling the strings?
mmmm that would be a dificuld answer but i try my best.

The film or the idea of the film and what could cause, made many people at the top very uncomfortable. Some of them have already express their feelings publicly and did try to persuade Wilders not to show the movie.
Why would this people be so afraid if they did not see the movie yet? Maybe they did not see it yet but once Wilders is surrounded by police at every second of the day, it would be almost impossible to believe that the government would not use some of them as spy's to inform of every move Wilders make. That makes me come to the conclusion that the governement of the Netherlands know exactly what Wilders is making and that is why they are panicking.

So form one stone you go to the other like i use to build my way across a small river not to wet my shoes.

The info and panicking is shared with many other leaders around the world. one of them is NATO chief. a close friend of the first minister of the Netherlands.
Now is easy to guess where the info ended up... THE WHITE HOUSE.

One other that could be pulling the strings would be threatening. Some people being psychologically kidnapped...

When you have a gun pointed at your head you might just do what they telling you to do OR... you know the consequences

Free speech is free speech, even if you don't agree with it. Voltaire's views were paraphrased by the quote, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

If Muslims are offended by this form of speech, they should retaliate with their own free speech, not violence. Only in that fashion can people resolve their differences. Blowing up everyone that criticises you does not provide a path to peace.

I've read all the commnets thus far and unfortunately (and this is so easy to do) we've ALL missed the issue; Initially even myself. This has NOTHING and I mean NOTHING to with "Freedom of Speech, God, religion, feelings, opinions or even censorship". This purely a single company operating within its own governance and charter. They are within the system, privately owned & thusly allowed to "refuse service" based on said governance. I'm actually GLAD they've denied this Geert Wilders the ability to spread more hate! Its irrelevant at whom its directed. Many of you cited the glaring flip-side reality that some websites out there promote the hate of americans or westerners. I'd like to challenge any of you to locate one such website/domain registered with Network Solutions. There won't be one, as all of them would violate Netsol's AUP.

JUST like all of you, I instantly chaulked this up to censorship and the Political 'yet-again' Correctness we all have to suffer daily. However hate is hate regardless of skin color, religion etc. I applaud Netsol for cleaning up the trash.

This tit-for-tat stuff just lowers us to their level. When we all realize that folks like Geert Wilders are behind this ever rolling ball of hate and confusion under the guise of "Freedom of Speech", we'll all, including myself may not be so shortsighted.

I dont know why everyone is so angry about! This is a racist movie with a hate message that may be transalated in hate crimes...etc same thing as if it was a message from a KKK or a Neo Nazis groups. I dont think such hate talking propaganda who promote conflict of civilization should be given a free hand on everything. Anyhow dont worry if you are so interested in the movie I am sure you'll find many racist and extremist websites that will host such a movie. But for the rest of us I think we have better things to fight for like Global Warming, Hunger and Human rights

THAT is an excellent find

Posted by: Observer | March 24, 2008 04:22 AM

Someone beat my challenge....NOW it appears we have a double standard. Which I find unacceptable.

Yahoo is not a government agency, yet they recently helped the Chinese government find and arrest a dissident journalist. I guess these actions conformed to their "corporate governance" policies, and resulted in government censorship. Just because they are corporate policies doesn't make them right.

High-profile companies that are in a position to distribute information to a wide audience should assume the moral responsibility that goes along with that influence. It is not up to Network Solutions to decide which information is right and which is wrong, but they should exemplify every individual's right to free speech.

Many have said that this movie constitutes a hate crime. But how can anybody know? Nobody has seen it. What may be offensive to one person may be thought provoking to another. This is the point of free speech.

In the US, individuals (including the KKK) have the right to demonstrate, and citizens have the right to burn the American flag. Most people find these things objectionable, but virtually everyone appreciates that these people have the right to do these things. This leads to a free and open society where problems are resolved through discourse rather than violence.

From AlJazeera.net:

'A Dutch newspaper, which has seen some of the opening images from the film, said it shows the cover of the Quran and then images of "a decapitation in Iraq, a stoning in Iran and an execution in Saudi Arabia, where sharia is applied".

It is the ultimate irony to criticize Geert Wilders for engaging in a hate crime -- it sounds like the film contains depictions of hate crimes committed by Muslims. So who is committing the hate crime?

This is the beginning of a long, slippery slope for NS. They should know better than to engage in censorship. It's not PRE-censorship. It's censorship and nothing else. Once you begin to decide what other people should be exposed to the line between proper and improper content quickly begins to blur. What will they decide is too shocking for me to read next?

I haven't seen the movie, so I don't know what the message is or isn't. Short of being able to see it, I have no way of forming an opinion - and I will not accept others' opinions - that is second-hand and filtered through their eyes, minds and biases. To my mind, that is called ignorance - ignorance means you don't know. I don't know what this movie is about, from my direct experience. I would like the opportunity to see this video so that I can form my own opinion and draw my own conclusions. For me, it is that simple.

Dear Readers:

Please write to your Senators and Congressional Representatives to demand a congressional hearing on exactly what it is that Network Solutions is trying to do.

Hate speech might be distasteful, but it cannot be the justification to abridge the fundamental human right to free speech, without which there is no such thing as the exercise of one's conscience. The US is not Europe, where the persistent socialist thinking permits the suppression of free speech on the basis of "hate" speech in much of the EU (Europeans are well on their way to a "benign" version of Orwellian 1984).

The type of logic that Network Solutions executives use is precisely the same logic by which the enemies of free speech suppress views and protests against their autocracy. Aren't Chinese leaders, for example, essentially calling Tibetan protest against 50 years of Chinese occupation of their country, "hate speech" against China?

Moreover, would Network Solutions consider critical views against Christianity hate speech? If it does, then it holds the position that any critical view against any religion is construed as hate speech; if not, then it holds the position that it is perfectly acceptable to criticize the tenets and practice of one religion but not another, invariably, so it appears, Islam.

Either case, it endangers free speech, the very foundation by which we secure our freedom from the interference of others to prevent the free exercise of our conscience. What Network Solutions practices is nothing less than odious attempt at thought control and indicative of its contempt for the principle espoused in the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

even so come Lord Jesus.

"Censorship" used to be something only governments could do, but corporations have taken over the functions of government -- and isn't that more or less how Mussolini defined "fascism"?

There is nothing of this in the Qur'an so Wilders' effort to pin a 20th century political label on a 7th century religious text is absurd. He has no understanding of either Islam or Fascism, or is deliberately abusing the terms in Orwellian fashion.

Either way, Geert Wilders is a racist idiot trying to provoke radical Muslims to violence, leading to their expulsion from western countries or worse. As an American Muslim I find his views repugnant, but find censorship even more so. The current situation allows him to portray himself as a martyr, makes his hateful twaddle a cause célebré, and keeps it out of sight so it can't be effectively critized, except in the most vague and general way.

Muslims should remember that the Noble Qur'an tells us that there is no compulsion in religion and that Allah made us differently so we may learn from each other. Our tradition of _adab_ demands that we refute such garbage as Wilders' with grace, facts, and logic.

In fact, most Muslims who see his nonsense will do just so, but the relatively few who react with hysterics and violence, playing into his hands, will be the ones that the media focuses on. Violence and polarization make better soundbites and sell more papers.

It's not about the law, or hate speech or freedom of speech. It's simply that Network Solutions is scared. Period.

I think anyone who suggests censorship, violation of rules, or even hate speech should also know that Network Solutions hosts the Hizbollah website in arabic and English so any argument is completely irrelevant...NS has made a corporate decision to ban free speech...

Also note that Google has removed fitnathemovie.com (the official site) from its search results...all this info was discovered and reported Saturday at the blog "Creeping Sharia" - view blog here

http://creepingsharia.wordpress.com

Network Solutions is hosting hizbollah.org, a terrorist organization. A movie critical of Qur'an - claiming that Qur'an preaches Jihad violence - gets banned, but a real terrorist wielding Qur'an gets to keep their site? What's wrong with this company?

I don't think Network Solutions should troll their sites for political speech that they don't like. But having said that, you can rest assured that many of the commenters here decrying the death of the first amendment would be celebrating Network Solutions as champions of democracy if they decided to pre-emptively ban some Islamic "hate speech" or the latest Bin Laden (remember him?) video.

There is nothing wrong with Network Solutions. They are just doing what they are told to do.Some times you have to do things that go against your principles or ideology.

Network Solutions has the knife on their neck. That knife comes from a place that is preaching democracy and freedom of speech

It is a Knife coming directly from the nest of democracy. The White house is stubbing the knife in their own back.

Why?

They cant afford the rage Muslims can bring when the film is on... The White House knows the consequences and is trying by any means possible to avoid making the Muslim world angry.

I work at Network Solutions and i know what im talking about ( more you don't need to know)

I totally understand why a lot of web sites, newspapers, and organizations in general these days seem to be cowering at the thought of making Islamic extremists angry. They will blow up your buildings and your staff. Their threats are often not empty. Yet it saddens me that more people who love freedom of speech are not standing up bravely, and saying "This is what free Western society is built on -- dissent, disagreement, open-mindedness, etc. We will not give up our freedom of speech simply because you extremists threaten violence."

Geert Wilders could not be happier with Network Solutions! Unless, the plan was to boost the work of Geert, NS decision was one of the most incompetent business decision I have seen, I am sorry for NS stockholders.

Censorship only works when the censor controls ALL media, NS does not control even its market niche. NS's CEO might be known as the "suicide bomber' bringing down the company.

All previous attempts to prevent information from being distributed have only fueled the desire of many more people to have access to it. We do not need any stinking domain names. An IP address will do.

I find it despicably cowardly that NS has done this. Perhaps this site is too harsh in condemning the Koran...perhaps not. However, there are a myriad of sites out there that blaspheme, criticize or just poke fun of pretty much every other religion...why are they okay? For that matter...why are the sites inciting violent Jihad in the name of the Koran okay?...Network Solutions should be ashamed of themselves.

Why not just put the movie on YouTube?

By the way, how many of you have read the Quran? I have, twice. Many of you speak from ignorance. Don't defend or assault what you don't know or understand. By the way, to you infidel defenders of Islam, why don't you move to East Timor, let's see how well you do under Islamic oppression.

Peace to all,
We don't know the internal details of why Network Solutions decided to temporarily stop access to the website. (They say they are investigating).

I am a Muslim. And we have no qualms about restricting access to the Quran. In fact free copies are given out as much as possible, and it's also available through many web-sites.

I say let Geert cherry pick from the Quran to make a film that serves his agenda. I wonder if he will do the favour to other religious books as well. Any book can be turned around and could be made to look any which-way, depending on editor's intentions.

I also say the people should read and access Quran directly by themselves. It is simple and is addressed to people directly. No priests or Geert type guys needed. Read it with proper context and you will understand Muslims.

I have read through the Quran. It has interesting passages and read with history of events in mind, is a book that can't be put down until finished. Sorry for the pun ;-) It's a bible on Muslim thinking and practices.

I was specially amazed by the similarity of messages b/w Quran and Old/New Testament. And the frequent mention of Moses, Jesus as great prophets of Islam.

Things came full circle to me.

Why is Christianity the ONLY religion where open criticism is socially accepted?

Bathe in the irony of the situation. A site hosting a movie about how Islam hates freedom is taken off the Internet preemptively thus demonstrating its own premise. And the guy who was censored endorses censorship, too (of the Koran)! Also, the Christians have been putting up with this sort of crap for years and yeah, we cry and moan, but apparently we don't inspire the pants-wetting fear that "Muslims" do, so people tell us to shut up and let free speech do its thing. Hollywood loves a good Xian bashing.

People are SCARED of Muslims, yet they call themselves the "religion of peace".

To half of the member countries of the United Nations, the freedom of speech guaranteed under under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is just words on paper. In Holland, the freedom of speech guaranteed under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights is only valid as long as Muslims do not object to the message. Now we learn that likewise in our own U.S.of A., anything (including any religion) can be debated and criticized under the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment since 1791, except Islam and the Koran. To our founders, freedom of speech was a cause important enough to fight a revolution, go to war and die for. To Network Solutions, the First Amendment is just excess baggage unworthy of the price.

Guess for all our sakes we need government regulation of the registrars. Right now they get away with ridiculous contracts which give their clients no rights.

Guess for all our sakes we need government regulation of the registrars. Right now they get away with ridiculous contracts which give their clients no rights.

Guess for all our sakes we need government regulation of the registrars. Right now they get away with ridiculous contracts which give their clients no rights.

Guess for all our sakes we need government regulation of the registrars. Right now they get away with ridiculous contracts which give their clients no rights.

Network Solutions has just told the terrorists that threats of violence work. Such cowardice can only encourage further acts of violence.

I'm so tired of all this religious NONSENSE. Keep your religious opinions to yourself. Leave religion out of free speech, politics, schools, and public places.

Let's all live in peace without the religious hypocrisy!!

Please clarify this story regarding exactly what Netwrok Solutions has done.

A critical issue here is whether NS is acting as a web _host_ or as a _registrar_. The story suggests the former but the quote from EFF suggests the latter.

It _seems_ that NS has blocked access to the website that it is hosting. The Whois record for the domain points to NS's DNS.

There are zillions of companies that could host fitnathemovie.com, so no real biggie if NS does not want to be the host.

However, if it is acting to block the site as a single .com registrar or as the US government's designee to run the .com system, that IS a biggie.

The word is spreading inside Network Solutions, that the White House is going on the knees for the islam

The Bush administration is doing it again. why cant they mind their own business? Now they decide to give orders to Network Solutions to block the Wilders movie.

This is no work of some crazy Muslim fanatic or group of fanatics. This has the hand of the White House in it... Network Solutions would not bend to their knees just with a treat from somewhere. This is a work of a higher power... Profet Bush and folowers at the white castle.

So, they're worried that the movie might incite terrorists to attack? How stupid can they be? I guess this is Network Solutions we're talking about.

At the White house they are not worried that the terrorists attack. It is worst then that what they are worried about.

People at the top are well aware how fragile the situation is. They know how dangerous it is to let provocative issues like the movie, help us on a path to confrontation ( no moment is good btw).

At the moment the government of the Netherlands has no possibility to ban the movie but soon (next Friday) there will be a court case over the movie. If wilders cannot release the movie till then, it could be possible that the court decide to forbid the movie( at least it will be involved in a legal process for some time to come).

Remember that this people at the top are synchronized with each other. If and when something comes in the way , they are powerful enough to try to eliminate it.

Network Solutions is just victim of this power games. the White House is pulling the strings.

Right Wing Liberalism has its way again! Congrats to Network Solutions but, want to play the game? Take down your veil of "American Capitalism" where $'s rule and allow the "real world" decide who, what, when and how pages posted on your hosted sites. Let there be a level playing field. Ahhh I see. Lets not upset your Muslim friends and to hell with the Christian radicals. Surrender your License, the Tea Party is just around the corner.

I am appalled by Network Solutions decision.
I support free speech and freedom of religion and Gert Wilder has the right to show everybody the violent and hateful verses in the Koran.
I suggest all people to watch his film with open mind and learn. You will be shocked how intolerance the Koran is and how unmoral their prophet Mohammad was by using sources from the Koran and other muslim holy books.
How can this be called bigotry and racist.

What this Geert wants is a nazi-like regime in Europe that will have a blacklist of books that are inherently non pro-europeans...while we are at it, he should ban the Torah and the Bible and he should also ask to ban DC and Marvel comic books and he should also ask that most History books about Europe to be burnt because it is a violent History.

There's no such things as unlimited free speech especially when those hiding behind the 1st Amendment are usely bigots, racists, and neo-nazis. If free speech and freedom of thought was allowed, Democracy would have lone gone to other ideologies that completely ban speech.

Seems to me that if Network SOlutions can host hizbollah.org, complete with it's death to the zionist cancer language etc...

Network Solutions is being disingenuous. They're getting a little pressure from some Islamic groups - the alleged complaints are the source of the censorship - and they caved. Their GC decided to avoid any risk. Sounds like coercion to me. If China asks them to censor Tibet related websites, will they also cave? Do they do the same for Aryans or kooks who think 911 was a CIA plot? I doubt it.

All religions are crazy!

"But a company spokeswoman said Sunday evening that Network Solutions decided to pull the plug on it due to the potential unrest that could follow if Wilders followed through on his pledge to post his film on the site."

This proves the point that muslims are violently anti-western doesn't it? She might as well have said that they (NS) won't allow anything on the web that might cause the hypersensitive muslims to loose control and give into fits of uncontrollable violence, which they will no matter what. This amounts to cowardice on NS's behalf as well betraying their own society and committing cultural suicide.

I don't think Network Solutions should troll their sites for political speech that they don't like. But having said that, you can rest assured that many of the commenters here decrying the death of the first amendment would be celebrating Network Solutions as champions of democracy if they decided to pre-emptively ban some Islamic "hate speech" or the latest Bin Laden (remember him?) video.

Posted by: jim | March 24, 2008 10:09 AM

Jim, we welcome this type of free speech. Let the terrorist speak freely in the and let us point out that they are using Qur'an to justify their violence. The problem is that terrorists are doing what they do regardless of whether they have a site. This war is two fronts. We are losing both of them, thanks to dhimmis and cowards.

Islam is not a race...

And Wade claims it was the history and violence of the situation that made them decide to take it down...case closed...the only ones perpetrating any violence are irate Muslims...sooooooo looks like Geert was correct...

Appalling. How do their shareholders feel about NS CENSORING INTENT?
Welcome to Minority Report.

So if he posts the movie on YouTube, is THAT going to be blocked?

Philosopher Jürgen Habermas regarding the "Geert Wilders" crisis, "...Provocation can be justified in terms of the situation where the issue at stake can only get necessary public attention through this provocation." Here, the great Philosopher left the issue on the table, leaving the readers to ponder whether the Western world has found itself in a situation so desperate that only a move like this could awaken a people terrified to look at an ideology which is staring at them. Judging from the reaction of this movie, I'm afraid to say that it has reached and breached long ago.

Qur'an 2.93 And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and worshiping of others along with Allah)...

The Order to fight until there is no more Fitnah

Allah then commanded fighting the disbelievers when He said:

[حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ]

(...until there is no more Fitnah) meaning, Shirk. This is the opinion of Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi`, Muqatil bin Hayyan, As-Suddi and Zayd bin Aslam.

Allah's statement:

[وَيَكُونَ الدِّينُ للَّهِ]

(...and the religion (all and every kind of worship) is for Allah (Alone).) means, `So that the religion of Allah becomes dominant above all other religions.' It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said: "The Prophet was asked, `O Allah's Messenger! A man fights out of bravery, and another fights to show off, which of them fights in the cause of Allah' The Prophet said:

«مَنْ قَاتَلَ لِتَكُونَ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيا فَهُوَ فِي سَبِيلِ الله»

(He who fights so that Allah's Word is superior, then he fights in Allah's cause.) In addition, it is reported in the Two Sahihs:

«أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُقَاتِلَ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَقُولُوا لَا إِلهَ إلَّا اللهُ، فَإِذَا قَالُوهَا عَصَمُوا مِنِّي دِمَاءَهُم وَأَمْوَالَهُمْ إلَّا بِحَقِّهَا وَحِسَابُهُمْ عَلَى الله»

(I have been ordered (by Allah) to fight the people until they proclaim, `None has the right to be worshipped but Allah'. Whoever said it, then he will save his life and property from me, except for cases of the law, and their account will be with Allah.)
http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=%202&tid=%205035

"anyytime a group of people set themselves up to analyze a thought or statement and then decide whether others are capable of hearing it they become censors."

I find this bizarre. It's like book publishers, newspapers, radio station, web site hosters - these should all be forced to broadcast whatever spews forth from the minds of one of these "anti-censorship" types. Why?

Even our governement makes certain kinds of speech a crime. You can't libel or slander someone without legal repurcussions. You can't incite a panic or a riot, you can't release scret information.

I just don't get it. Why do people think that any kind of concern or action over speech is equivalent to weakness or totalitarianism?

Ahem. Please remind me again what about all this is related to network security?

Overall, this was the correct decision by Network Solutions.

There are two separate issues here.

First, Network Solutions has the legal right to pull the plug on the site. It's a business decision that is essentially in the sole discretion of the company.

Second, one may debate the wisdom of the company's decision.

Personally, I think the decision was premature and that it suggests an unseemly corporate cowardice in the face of an alleged threat.

I could never understand religion.

Why must be a God? What make a person to go against all reasoning and believe that there are super beings creating things from nothing and dictating what people must dress, who can marry whom, and etc. It seems so childish; it is like believing in Santa forever!

This is a scary and solitary world for non-believers. Maybe it is cowardice, but I feel afraid of people of faith, any faith, as I feel afraid of psychopaths. Who knows what the whispering voices inside their heads are telling them to do.
Often, I have to censor myself and conceal my uneasiness when people talk about their faith; to me it sounds like someone saying she or he hear voices, can read minds, or believe she or he had been abducted by extra-terrestrials. However, with religious people, I struggle to hide the awareness of their weirdness. I try to keep a straight face because a non-believer is ostracized in most parts of the world.

Censorship is something a government does to preclude the free exchange of information. It is not something a private agency can do.
Networks Solutions, by definition, is incapable of censorship.
If there are other domain name sellers, anyone is free to get around their TOS by hiring a different service.
Just as Geert Wilders enjoys the right to spread his ignorant, hateful venom, Network Solutions has a right not to be a vehicle for it.

I would assume that like most fair-sized-to-large computer/internet companies Network Solutions has employees and clients of a great variety of religions and chooses not to feed the flames of racial and religious hatred. Using th