OFF: Freeedom of Speech

[M Holmes]

Carl Edlund Anderson writes:

> > it's pretty moot in the American sense of the
> > word - the British sense means the opposite).

> So noted!  But at present, the IND hasn't decided whether to let me be
> British yet, so I guess I'm all right using the American meaning.  Later
> on, if all goes well, I guess I can waffle between the two ;)

It's always good to know these things. Look at the trouble Louise
Woodward ran into (*) over a transatlantic difference in the meaning of
the word "pop".

> My point was only that I don't understand what _debate_ there could
> possibly be on this issue because, under current laws, it looks
> entirely black-and-white, open-and-shut.  Things are illegal or not
> illegal; there may often be uncertainty on whether certain things are
> legal, but these things were pretty clearly legal.

My suspicion, partly confirmed this week by comment from heads of the
Met, is that in Britain, the race and incitement laws have not been
fully applied to Muslims ever since the Salman Rushdie death threats.
I put this down to:

a) Politicians who are too timid to stand up for our rights when it's
   politically difficult to do so.

b) The, in my view racist, belief of some influential politicians
   that if push came to shove, most Muslims in Britain would side with
   the halal halfwits (**) rather than the British way of toleration and
   respect for individual rights.

c) Too many of our politicians would like to see such rights ended
   anyway, for example those sponsoring ID cards and legislation which
   would end free speech where religion is the subject under discussion.

The upshot has been almost two decades in which halal halfwits felt free
to issue death threats and pursue a violent agenda because they were
immune from prosecution. Recent public reaction indicates that people
have noticed this and are demanding change. That can have only good
results.

So yes, it was illegal, but those breaking the law had good cause to
think they would not be prosecuted.

FoFP

*  That and not knowing to STFU until her lawyer arrived.

** I refuse to dignify violent idiots with the name "terrorists".