The National Assembly in Paris is backing a bill to make it illegal to deny that the mass killing of Armenians by the Turks was genocide. If someone is caught saying it, they could be fined up to 48,000 Euros (approximately $58,000). According to the French, they are not punishing the Turks in their country, or making a statement of any kind other than to comply with European law, which states that people who deny the existence of genocides should be sanctioned.
In the United States, the First Amendment of the Constitution protects speech that other countries would classify as hate speech. At the same time, while Americans will not be sent to jail for saying ignorant things, they will be stigmatized socially and sometimes professionally. Newt Gingrich, in the eyes of many people (including Republicans), will never regain his professional reputation after calling Michelle Obama "uppity" and calling the Palestinians "an invented people". Comedians who go too far in their shtick are often forced into apologize for their words, or face lawsuits from anti-defamation groups. Teachers who voice negative opinions about LGBT people or other protected classes when their school administrators are trying to stop bullying in the schools are often forced to resign.
Is it possible that, in France and in other countries, the common people actually agree on some level with certain perspectives on genocide and minorities, and this is why those governments have to outlaw it outright?
That is one thing about people in the United States. Americans have the freedom and the right to state whatever half baked opinion they have on any subject, and make Americans look like fools in front of the whole world...but just because public figures show their ignorance does not mean that all Americans believe it or support it. In fact, the deeper a public figure puts his foot in his or her mouth, the higher a social, professional, and political price they will have to pay in their own country as well as abroad.
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