Spain issues arrest warrant for rapper convicted over lyrics

[donttread]

Europe's idea of free speech is very different from ours.

He must have known then. Possibly a protest?

[Peter1469]

He must have known then. Possibly a protest?

Maybe.

[kilgram]

Europe's concept of free speech is not similar to the US's view of free speech.

Not so different. But in Spain we have an authoritarian government that have been approving laws to restrict freedoms.

However for example we had recently a case of a radio showman that literally told that we should burn German coffees and nothing happened to him, basically because he is of the same ideology of the ruling party.

The actual government is using the justice for their own goals. The Spanish justice is extremely political and non free from its influence.

But that is not the same in whole Europe. Europe is very big, not as big as USA but very big.

[Dr. Who]

Continental Europe has more than double the US population (i.e almost 750M), which makes sense - they've been there longer.

[Ransom]

Some of you should read our history. there is a reason we broke the yoke of European dynasties and rule. Peter is correct. Our comedians can hold a severed head of the President up mocking a public beheading....while in Spain and elsewhere...you are jailed and or in some nations.....often tortured and then shot.

Peter is correct here and offering a reason for my frustration at times with our forum who take our freedoms and democracy for granted. As if it's the way things always were. That isn't so.

[Ransom]

Continental Europe has more than double the US population (i.e almost 750M), which makes sense - they've been there longer.

Solid stat given just in the last century they torched off two world wars, created epidemics, and murdered hundreds of millions.

[Dr. Who]

Solid stat given just in the last century they torched off two world wars, created epidemics, and murdered hundreds of millions.

One of the reasons for the creation of the EU was to mitigate the political and economic conditions that historically created the impetus for imperialism and thus war between European nations, and ultimately two world wars. A bit like the union between the states in America except with centuries of historical rivalries to keep in check.

[Ransom]

One of the reasons for the creation of the EU was to mitigate the political and economic conditions that historically created the impetus for imperialism and thus war between European nations, and ultimately two world wars. A bit like the union between the states in America except with centuries of historical rivalries to keep in check.

Good point. But, let's not forget it was continued US occupation, a Marshall Plan of rebuilding, and US military might that ensured European union at all. Fractured and weak, thee United States imperialism acted as a force for good. Our economic power able to keep Europe sustained as it came out of WWII with a bigger enemy that it went into the war against.

I think the destruction and then the Democracy of Germany, US occupation post war, and many traditional combatants becoming nuclear powers altered that tide as well as did the economic benefits seen by the EU. I don't dismiss your point entirely. And mine includes a great deal of respect for the European nations that are not only our ancestors......but survived near complete destruction only to rebuild again. Resilient.

[Peter1469]

One of the reasons for the creation of the EU was to mitigate the political and economic conditions that historically created the impetus for imperialism and thus war between European nations, and ultimately two world wars. A bit like the union between the states in America except with centuries of historical rivalries to keep in check.

Not exactly. The EU was an expansion of an economic market already in place. The idea was that the European nations would become economically dependent upon one another, so war would be unthinkable.

The EU should return to that ideal.

[Dr. Who]

Not exactly. The EU was an expansion of an economic market already in place. The idea was that the European nations would become economically dependent upon one another, so war would be unthinkable.

The EU should return to that ideal.

It was an expansion of trade agreements put in place after the war, but economics are also political, which trade agreements alone don't address, hence the need for a more structured arrangement.