Criticism of homosexuality to become illegal in Britain
The British Leftist government is very Fascistic with its ever expanding speech restrictions:
"The government has defeated an amendment in the House of Commons that would have created a defence of "free speech" in a bill that is designed to criminalise incitement of hatred in relation to sexual orientation.
Campaigners including the Blackadder star Rowan Atkinson and the gay actor Christopher Biggins had argued that the clause relating to hatred in the Coroners and Justice Bill could limit freedom of expression and could lead to prosecutions over gay "jokes".
The Coroners and Justice Bill is being used to remove an amendment to legislation passed last year that allowed the "discussion or criticism" of sexual practices last year. The amendment that was defeated today by 154 votes, would have effectively re-instated the defence of free speech.
Labour MP for Leicestershire North West, David Taylor said his proposals would have made it clear that "discussion or criticism of sexual conduct is not caught by the homophobia law"....
Justice minister Bridget Prentice said that banning gay hate speech would protect victims of threatening behaviour. But that it would be applied in a reasonable way so that someone expressing concerns about homosexuality "do not need to fear that they will be caught by the criminal law." [If that is so, why not include it in the law?]
Last week, the Blackadder star Rowan Atkinson warned a House of Lords committee that the government risked creating a culture of "censoriousness" by removing free speech.... "I do not believe that legislation of such a censorious nature as that of hate speech, carrying as it does the risk of a seven-year jail sentence for saying the wrong thing in the wrong way, can ever by justified merely by the desire to ‘send the right message’."
He cited Christian groups as being "particularly concerned" the law will be used against them, adding that "heavy-handed police intervention" had been used before in instances of groups condemning gays and lesbians.
Source
This may not get through the Lords. The House of Lords has in the past shown itself to be the last bastion of defence for traditional English liberties.
9 comments:
Hello Good Gentles All!
"I do not believe that legislation of such a censorious nature as that of hate speech, carrying as it does the risk of a seven-year jail sentence for saying the wrong thing in the wrong way, can ever by justified merely by the desire to ‘send the right message’."
Extraordinarily clear thinking from an actor. Of course, Atkinson is an electrical engineer by training and came to acting later in life so perhaps that has something to do with his ability to reason sensibly.
Pax,
InFides
England doesn't have free speech, we all know that.
I would hope "incitement to hatred" means yelling "kill the MINORITY GROUP" rather than just expressing an opinion.
Either way, the law must respect all groups equally. Can gays get together and scream "kill the muslims" without facing charges? I doubt it.
So it's free speech for all, or regulation for all. A country cannot have two sets of standards when it comes to free speech.
I hope this law is used to intimidate the Islamofascists.
"A country cannot have two sets of standards when it comes to free speech." - Bobby
But than can and do enforce them differently.
England used to be on the top of my list of countries I wanted to visit. Now, I doubt I'll ever go there.
Let's see, seven years for a speech crime in the UK and 16 years maximum for murder. How will lady justice balance her scales?
"But than can and do enforce them differently."
---I'm afraid that's true, which is why America's version of free speech is the one that works best.
"England used to be on the top of my list of countries I wanted to visit. Now, I doubt I'll ever go there."
---I think when it comes to tourism, I leave my politics aside. But if you really hate England, visit Scotland or Ireland. Scotland may be part of the UK but it's like a whole other country and culture.
And what of the British people? What do the people think of this, and everything else that's going on in their once-free country? Britain is being consumed by political correctness that is out of control. Do the people agree with this? If not, why don't we hear outrage from them? Are they sleeping like the American people?
"A weak, uninterested, and distracted people, will eventually give rise to an all-powerful, all consuming, monstrous beast. That beast shall be called government".
It is a weak and worrying Minister of the Crown that refuses to amend an admittedly badly drafted law on the basis that she believes that - although it expressly operates in a draconian fashion - she is confident that those charged with its application (presumably the police) will apply it in a reasonable way.
Surely better to draft it better and not leave it to chance, no?
Britain is quickly becoming boring and unworthy of care or rational discussion. Next case.
3:02 AM - Please - you don't say "screw the United States" when American leftists or others in the US say or do things you don't like - or do you?
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