Free Speech Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry
Oriana Fallaci is going to be tried in Italy for "libeling" Islam. Simply unreal. Incidentally, a nice reminder to my friends on the left that Europe is not a civil libertarian paradise (link via Volokh Conspiracy). Is this as bad as the fatwa on Salman Rushdie? No. It's a trial, not incitement to extra-judicial killing. But it's pretty fucking bad. The notion that you can be tried for being "offensive" is totalitarian.
posted by Finnegan @ 8:29 AM
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4 Comments:
US Shari'a Watch
Here is the text of the resolution proposed to Congress by US Representative John Conyers, Jr., a Detroit Democrat, taking a first tentative step toward a blasphemy law in the United States: Text of My Resolution Regarding Relgious [sic] Intolerance.
http://www.conyersblog.us/archives/00000103.htm
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives condemning bigotry and religious intolerance, and recognizing that holy books of every religion should be treated with dignity and respect.
Whereas believers of all religions, including the Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, should be treated with respect and dignity;
Whereas the word Islam comes from the Arabic root word meaning “peace” and “submission”;
Whereas there are an estimated 7,000,000 Muslims in America, from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds, forming an integral part of the social fabric of America;
Whereas the Quran is the holy book for Muslims who recite passages from it in prayer and learn valuable lessons about peace, humanity and spirituality;
Whereas it should never be official policy of the United States Government to disparage the Quran, Islam, or any religion in any way, shape, or form;
Whereas mistreatment of prisoners and disrespect toward the holy book of any religion is unacceptable and against civilized humanity;
Whereas the infringement of an individual’s right to freedom of religion violates the Constitution and laws of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives–
(1) condemns bigotry, acts of violence, and intolerance against any religious group, including our friends, neighbors, and citizens of the Islamic faith;
(2) declares that the civil rights and civil liberties of all individuals, including those of the Islamic faith, should be protected;
(3) recognizes that the Quran, the holy book of Islam, as any other holy book of any religion, should be treated with dignity and respect; and
(4) calls upon local, State, and Federal authorities to work to prevent bias-motivated crimes and acts against all individuals, including those of the Islamic faith.
I wonder how this resolution would be enforced. Would the creator of 'Piss Christ', for example, be subject to criminal arrest?
what makes me a major league asshole?
asshole
Tucker: my solidarity with Kingspawn
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