today

Well, the French have finally done something Martel would have been proud of - at last. I would really like to see Turkey in the EU, but they need more political maturity. The Turkish prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reacted with indignation to the French proposal, asking: "What would you do if the Turkish prime minister came to France and denied that the genocide had taken place? Arrest him?"

IMO: If I were the relative of ANY genocide victim anywhere I think I would want to say "fair enough" - put the bastard in jail. Pity they can't put him in jail now anyway, as in his own statement, Erdogan has made a strong case against Turkish entry into the EU. If Recep Tayyip Erdogan really does not know better, in his place he should. I have known a lot of relatives of genocide victims. But it is such a pity. It could have been significant to allow Turkish entry to the EU. Now the Turks are asking for the door to be firmly closed for ever. But the EU is a serious matter and its time can't be wasted in this way by the Turks. Now it is clear that enthusiasts of 'free speech' at any price will be horrified at the idea that France may be right. But surely in any case France has the right to accept the wishes of its bona fide voters. I admit there are many sides to the problem of free speech and there is room for debate as to whether we should be obliged to debate various aspects of it But the French are a practical people and have expressed a general wish at this time for a firm view, and for truth, as any sane Westerner sees it, to prevail over time spent on lies about history. My own personal memory does go back as far as the trial of Adolf Eichmann, which many Westerners seemed at the time to wish to avoid or forget, even after he was seen to be clearly guilty, as clearly as anything is very clear historically.. Perhaps it is as well that the French have voted for what they believe to be truth rather than for a dubious additional liberty, in this case at least.