Irish Blasphemy

At least the Irish are honest enough to admit that their new law prohibiting the insulting of religion is a blasphemy law. In Australia plausible deniability is preserved by carefully avoiding the word 'blasphemy' in favour of 'vilification'.

Most religions need vilifying from time to time. Protecting the feelings of their votaries is not sufficient reason to further erode free speech.

Defamation & Privacy Laws Erode Free Speech

In an excellent article Richard Ackland discusses the ability of defamation law to generate mutant variants which further limit free speech. He also discusses privacy law, the main effect of which seems to be to allow celebrities to more carefully mould their public image.

Janet Napolitano

US Homeland Security wants to monitor criminal and terrorist activity, not ideology:

We are on the lookout for criminal and terrorist activity but we do not – nor will we ever – monitor ideology or political beliefs. We take seriously our responsibility to protect the civil rights and liberties of the American people,

Except of course in the case of right wing ideology.

Looks like the Obama administration's idea of "change" amounts to little more than stinking hypocrisy.

Jonathon Turley

In a powerful article in the SMH, Jonathon Turley notes some of the attacks on free speech currently draining freedom from the world, including this outrage:

In 2008, a 15-year-old boy was arrested for holding up a sign reading "Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult" outside the organisation's London headquarters.

Abomination

In a contemptible decision Justice Lander said:

“The courts have held, but his conduct shows he does not accept that the freedom of speech citizens of this country enjoy does not include the freedom to publish material calculated to offend, insult or humiliate or intimidate people because of their race, colour or national or ethnic origin,”

This statement is an abomination. It is calculated to offend, insult, humiliate and intimidate the citizens of Australia.

The real offence here is not the hideous speech of the defendant. It is the fact that he is dragged before a court to explain himself for expressing an opinion, and then punished for not bowing to the unreasonable demands of the court.

As people watch and yawn their freedom slips away.