Why Geert Wilders is holding a Mohammed ‘cartoon-drawing’ contest
Firebrand Dutch MP Geert Wilders is to run a Mohammed ‘cartoon-drawing’ contest. The right-wing veteran is perhaps best known for his attacks on Islam.is the move set to inflame tensions further or is there a compelling need to uphold freedom of speech and expression, no matter how inconvenient or discomforting it may be?
Wilders has attended a number of events and exhibits in recent years focused on satirizing the Islamic prophet. Wilders was a keynote speaker at a Mohammed cartoon contest in Texas in 2015, where two gunmen were killed after opening fire on a security officer.
Later that same year, Wilders aired a slideshow on Dutch television of the cartoons from the deadly Texas event. He said that he was forced to air the cartoons on television because he had been prevented from exhibiting the cartoons at the parliament.
At the time Wilders said “I do not broadcast the cartoons to provoke; I do it because we have to show that we stand for freedom of speech and that we will never surrender to violence. Freedom is our birthright. Freedom of speech must always prevail over violence and terror.”
I sat down with Mr Wilders to understand why this new contest is necessary and if it goes some way in confronting a widening paradox at the heart of Holland’s liberalism given the surge in support for him and the Freedom Part in the country and abroad.
Mr Wilders, why is it important to hold this competition in 2018? Why hold it at all?
It is important because we cherish freedom and freedom of speech. We use the pen and radical Muslims use the axe. We will never give in to violence and always defend freedom of expression and speech. In the West today freedom of speech is under enormous pressure. Political correct governments give in to the demand to not allow criticizing Islam. People who do that are taken to court or worse. This contest shows that we will never give in to threats or violence and always defend freedom of speech. Always.
Do you expect an even angrier response from the Muslim community (in Netherlands and abroad) than the last time a similar competition was held?
I hope that will not be the case. My aim is not to angry anyone but to show that freedom cannot be compromised and Islamic violence will be ineffective. If one person makes a Muhammad cartoon he is vulnerable. If we all make a Mohammed cartoon we are not. If one newspaper publishes a Muhammad cartoon it will be threatened if all newspapers would publish Muhammed cartoons threats would be ineffective. We should all stand for freedom of speech.
In your opinion, what would the winning entry portray? What message is important to hear from the entries?
People are free to portray whatever they want. But I would like to see some that make the connection to freedom of speech.
Do you think other countries in Europe, around the world, will one day be fearless enough to hold a similar competition?
I really would hope so. It would have an enormous positive effect. It would show that the free world will not give in to violence and that freedom of speech indeed is the most important and precious freedom we posses.
On the question of Tommy Robinson and anybody whose political persuasion is to the right of centre, do you think there is a deliberate and concerted effort on the part of left wing and mainstream media to silence their voices?
Unfortunately most of the mainstream media indeed is leftish and liberal indeed. Their agenda is quite similar to many ruling political elites: to silence voices critical to them, to mass immigration, to Islamization and to cultural relativism. Fortunately the people are not to be fooled and waking up in many western countries.
You can follow Geert Wilders on social media here. More information on the #MuhammadCartoonContest can be found here.
