Speech Is Never Free

In Paris the French former film star Brigitte Bardot and now crazy old dog lady went on trial on for insulting Muslims, the fifth time she has faced the charge of "inciting racial hatred" over her controversial remarks about Islam and its followers.

Prosecutors asked that the Paris court hand the 73-year-old former sex symbol a two-month suspended prison sentence and fine her 15,000 euros ($23,760) for saying the Muslim community was "destroying our country and imposing its acts.

"Since retiring from the film industry in the 1970s, Bardot has become a prominent animal rights activist but she has also courted controversy by denouncing Muslim traditions and immigration from predominantly Muslim countries.

For some reason she doesn't like women being treated as possessions and having unequal protection from Islamic laws or maybe its the honour killings.

She has been fined four times for inciting racial hatred since 1997, at first 1,500 euros and most recently 5,000.Prosecutor Anne de Fontette told the court she was seeking a tougher sentence than usual, adding:

"I am a little tired of prosecuting Mrs Bardot."

Bardot did not attend the trial because she said she was physically unable to due to manicure and animal rescue commitments .

The verdict is expected in several weeks.

French anti-racist groups complained last year about comments Bardot made about the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha in a letter to President Nicolas Sarkozy that was later published by her foundation.

Muslims traditionally mark Eid al-Adha by first raping then slaughtering a sheep or another animal to commemorate the prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son on God's orders.

Sounds reasonable enough to me.

France is home to 5 million Muslims, Europe's largest Muslim community, making up 8 percent of France's population.

"I am fed up with being under the thumb of this population of sheep-slaughtering Muslims which is destroying us, destroying our country and imposing its acts," the star said.

Its been a week for foot in mouth comments.

Presidential no hoper Barack Obama said: " Americans are clinging to guns, religion and anti-immigration sentiment because they are bitter about Washington’s unfulfilled economic promises."

It seems to be the week for people's issues and hatreds to pour themselves out in public. Just because something maybe be true it doesn't mean you have to say it. Even in the so-called land of free speech you will soon find that nothing is free.