Geert gives a fantastic speech recalling Jefferson among others. This is a must see video.

Full transcript:

00:00
Mister Wilders, do you have something on paper that can, or may be given to the registrar later on?

00:10
When will I get it back?

00:12
Then we will make a copy of it and hand the original back to you.

00:16
Yes, thank you.

00:17
Mr. President, members of the court, I would like to only use a few minutes of my right to speak.

00:26
And I would like to begin by saying that of all our attainments, freedom is the most precious and most vulnerable.

00:36
It is what people have dedicated their lives to and what people have given their lives for.

00:45
Our freedom in this country is the fruit of centuries.

00:50
It is the result of a history that has no equal and has brought us to where we are today.

00:59
I believe with all my heart and soul that the freedom is threatened in the Netherlands.

01:06
That heritage, which generations could only dream of…

01:12
… is precisely this freedom which is no longer a given fact, no longer a matter self-evidence.

01:20
I dedicate my life to defending our freedom. I know what the risks are and I every day again, pay the price for that.

01:31
I do not complain about it; it is my own decision. I see it as my duty and therefore I am standing here today.

01:43
I know that the words I use are sometimes tough, but they are never reckless.

01:50
It is not my intention to spare the ideology of conquest and destruction, but neither do I intend to offend people.

02:01
I have nothing against Muslims. I have a problem with the Islam and the Islamization of our country…

02:09
… because Islam is at right angles to freedom.

02:14
Future generations will wonder how we, in 2010, at this location, in this room, served our most precious asset.

02:29
Whether the freedom is for both sides in this debate and thus also for Islam-critics.

02:35
Or whether in the Netherlands only one side of the debate may be heard.

02:41
Whether freedom of speech in the Netherlands applies to everyone, or only to some.

02:49
The answer to that is immediately also the answer to the question whether freedom still has a home in this country.

02:57
Freedom has but never been owned by a small group, but has always been the heritage of us all.

03:09
We have all been blessed by it.

03:13
Lady Justice wears a blindfold, but she can hear perfectly well, she can listen perfectly well.

03:23
And I hope she, Lady Justice, will hear the following phrases sound, loud and clear:

03:30
"It is not only the right, but also the duty of free people…

03:37
… to speak out against any ideology that threatens freedom."

03:44
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, was right:

03:49
"The price for freedom is eternal vigilance."

03:53
I hope with all I have in me that freedom of expression in this trial will prevail.

04:02
Not only that I will be acquitted, but that the freedom of speech will continue to exist.

04:11
Finally, Mr. Chairman, members of the court.

04:14
In this trial it of course is about the freedom of expression.

04:20
But in this trial it is certainly also about finding the truth.

04:25
The statements I have made, the comparisons I have drawn — are they true?

04:32
As mentioned in the summons.

04:35
Because, if something is true, how can it be illegal?

04:40
Therefore I ask you strongly not only to grant my request for the hearing of witnesses and experts in the field of freedom of speech.

04:52
But I also ask you explicitly to honor my requests for the hearing of witnesses and experts on the field of Islam, all in full publicity.

05:05
I hereby am not only referring to the gentleman Jansen and Admiraal but also on the expert witnesses

05:10
from Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom and other countries. Preferably, all.

05:16
I must have the ability to defend myself,

05:21
I must prove you that I have spoken the truth, please do not obstruct me from that.

05:28
Because without these witnesses, I cannot defend myself well

05:32
and in my view it will be out of the question that this is a fair trial.

05:37
Thank you.

05:40
We will withdraw for a while to consider in the proceedings,

05:44
unless one of us wants to say something.

Source:

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