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Brazil sets panel to probe neo-Nazism

RIO DE JANEIRO (JTA) -- Brazil has established a special commission to investigate neo-Nazi incidents in the country.

The Chamber of Deputies, which includes 513 representatives from 26 states, created the commission June 2 following a series of recent neo-Nazi incidents in the country.

Last month, Brazilian police thwarted a plan by a neo-Nazi group called New Land to bomb two synagogues in the city of Porto Alegre. In addition, a large quantity of neo-Nazi materials has been seized mainly in the southern states, which are known to have a large concentration of Brazilians of both German and Arab descent.

Marcelo Itagiba, a Jewish congressman, will lead the commission. He also is the author of a bill that would consider Holocaust denial and other crimes against humanity a crime of racism.

"The creation of this external commission is of great importance for the parliament to follow the development of the investigations, which need to generate a harsh response to the neo-Nazis who intend to articulate and disseminate hatred across our national territory," said Itagiba.

The Brazil Israelite Confederation, the country's umbrella for Jewish organizations, praised the initiative.

"We need a broad mobilization in our society to fight racism and violence, and to protect our several communities from racial hatred, as well as to preserve our democracy," said Claudio Lottenberg, the confederation president.

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06/07/09 12:18 PM

Itagiba’s law is breaching the G-d given law of the right to free speech which is what is needed to sort out the lies and get to the truth.  You can’t yell “fire” in a crowded theater but you should be able to go to the manager, shut off the projector, turn up the lights and announce , “We are sorry for the inconvenience but it has come to our attention there is a registered arsonist in the house with a gallon can of gas and a box of matches and a railroad flare.  The police will be removing him shortly and the film will resume.” Now that is freedom of speech for any idiot out there who will come with the “screaming fire in a crowded theater analogy of the stupid ass who wants to throw his rights away.”

06/07/09 02:05 PM

Hmmm .... it should not be against the law to hold beliefs...even disgusting ones like neo-nazism… It should be against the law to enact violence against anyone for any reason except in the direct defense of one’s life, family, liberty, or property.  I would think that the public presence of this hateful group would make it much easier to watch…

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