Another Medieval Trial Begins – Austrian Defendant Sabaditsch-Wolff Cites America’s First Amendment

A New Version Of Inquisition - Sabaditsch-Wolff On Trial (photo: Gates of Vienna)

While America prepared to watch another round of Monday Night Football, freedom of speech again went on trial in Europe.  The criminal prosecution of Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Woff (photo above) began today in Vienna, Austria.  Elisabeth, a wife and mother, is charged with denigrating religious teachings – specifically Muslim teachings – for speaking publicly with quotes from the Koran and rendering her opinions of the same.   She faces a year in prison if convicted.

 Gates of Vienna is covering the trial in considerable detail, with live blogging of questions and testimony during the proceedings.  The link to the site, followed by an excerpt from today’s testimony follows:

 http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/

“…Update 12:40 (5:40am EST): The lawyer continues to ask Elisabeth to explain various statements:

Lawyer:		What is meant by “We are decadent”?
Elisabeth:		That is the point of view of Islamic fundamentalists.
Lawyer:		What is meant by “We do not want Sharia here, full stop”?
Elisabeth:		Free, secular societies is what we want.
Lawyer:		What is meant by “Islamic law is not compatible with free societies, we need to understand this.”?
Elisabeth:		Islam is a whole, and this whole is not compatible with free societies like the Austrian.
Lawyer:		Did you see any veiled Muslim men?
Elisabeth		(laughing): No, this is an obligation only for women.
Lawyer:		You were referring to Paris, Brussels, Rotterdam. What is the meaning of that?
Elisabeth:		This is a reference to the no-go zones, where Sharia is effectively the law. There immigrant youths torch cars, throw stones at the police, etc.
Prosecutor:		Are each and every one of these persons Muslims?
Elisabeth:		The majority are.
Lawyer:		What is meant when you say: “How many times have we been told that Islam is a Religion of Peace?” Is this an incitement to hate or violence?
Elisabeth:		I do not mean to incite hatred or violence. We need to be informed, make people aware, inform our politicians and write letters to the newspapers.
Lawyer:		What is meant by “We do not want gender apartheid, polygamy”?

 Elisabeth explains polygamy in Islam, and the fact that this is a reality in Europe, today.

Elisabeth finally tells about the First Amendment of the US Constitution, the absolute right to express ones’ opinions, as a fundamental prerequisite for a sound democracy.

At this point, more people have arrived. There are 18 seats for the audience, 30-35 listeners total…”

 The significance of the name chosen for the site providing coverage for the trial is this: 

“At the siege of Vienna in 1683 Islam seemed poised to overrun Christian Europe.
We are in a new phase of a very old war.”

 The siege of Vienna was broken on September 11, 1683, and the Muslim army put to flight – effectively ending the second wave of jihad.  It would therefore appear that the date of the attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. in 2001 was not chosen at random.

 Europe is again under siege by the Forces of Islam.  America would do well to take heed of what is transpiring in Vienna.  And Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff stands at the docket in defense of her freedom.