It looks as though the Netherlands is split down the middle over the courts decision that Geert Wilders did not incite hatred against Muslims.

Judge Marcel van Oosten ruled that some of Mr. Wilders’ comments may have been “crude and denigrating” but they did not amount to inciting hatred against Muslims and remained within the boundaries of free speech.

Even Mr. Wilders’ most inflammatory statements, including the remark that “the core of the problem is the fascist Islam, the sick ideology of Allah and Mohammed as laid down in the Islamic Mein Kampf: the Koran”, amounted to criticism of a religion and therefore were not illegal, the court decided.

I’ve never hidden the fact Wilders is a bit of a rogue, and I consider some of his opinions to be extremely fascist in nature. It doesn’t change the fact, however, that he still just uses words rather than violence to achieve his goals. This, at the very least, makes him better than most of his enemies, who would gladly kill for their beliefs.

Hey, Geert may not be one of the good guys, but he isn’t a baddie either.