Frederick Toben, Australia's notorious Holocaust denier is not exactly my favourite person. But should he be censored?

See: http://jta.org/news/article/2009/04/16/1004428/revisionist-toben-found-guilty

Quote:

Toben's "conduct shows he does not accept that …freedom of speech … does not include the freedom to publish material calculated to offend, insult or humiliate or intimidate people because of their race, color or national or ethnic origin,” Justice Lander told the court.

So there is a right not to be offended or insulted? This does not bode well for free speech.

Then we have the continuing attempts by Muslim countries to outlaw what they call "defamation of religion." In other words Muslim countries want Western countries to re-establish blasphemy laws.

See: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0811/S00421.htm

Victoria already has attempted to impose blasphemy laws in the form of the notorious Racial and Religious Tolerance (sic) Act.

See: http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=2917

England is perhaps the Western country that has gone furthest in imposing thought control. This from the BBC:

"A 14-year-old girl has been arrested for allegedly making racist remarks at a school….

"Codie Stott said she asked to be moved from a science group where she was with five Asian pupils - only one of whom spoke English.

"The 14-year-old was questioned in a juvenile unit before being released without charge.

"Harrop Fold High School, in Worsley, is investigating before deciding on what action to take.

"Her mother said her Codie's jewellery and shoelaces were removed, her fingerprints and DNA samples were taken and she was put in a cell."

See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/6047514.stm

Here's what the school had to say:

"…it wanted to ensure it had a caring and tolerant attitude to pupils of all ethnic backgrounds and it did not stand for racism in any form."

Bizarre does not begin to describe this.

Free speech seems to be taking a battering. The thought police are everywhere in the ascendant.

Quote from steve.

"Then we have the continuing attempts by Muslim countries to outlaw what they call "defamation of religion." In other words Muslim countries want Western countries to re-establish blasphemy laws."

For the love of god! We are going back to the dark ages! and to back this up, the latest report out of the US is that more people believe in physic abilities and mind reading than they do in god or evolution.

"Free speech under attack." Not in my books. I will exercise some more freedoms of speech!

Religion must be controlled or this madness will never stop.

EVO

New Hate-Crimes Bill..Unconstitutional/..Threat to Religious Freedom?
HR 1913,the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009,
Jim Kouri;'the bill passed in the House/representatives...249/175

such a law may have unintended consequences that includes misuse by overzealous and politically motivated prosecutors.

FBI revealed the approximately..17,000/homicides occurred in the U.S.,only 9 of the murders were/motivated by bias...the Bureau’s annual Uniform Crime Report showed/hate crimes has actually declined over the last 10 years.


provisions contained in HR;1913 include:Federalization of crimes that already are being effectively prosecuted by State and local governments.

· The forcing of law enforcement officials and prosecutors to gather evidence of the offender’s thoughts and words,regardless of the criminality of his actions.Blurring the line between violent belief,which is constitutionally protected,and violent action,which is not.

“This new law opens the door to suspects being questioned about their thoughts rather than their actions.Are we going to start interrogating people about what they are or were thinking?”asks a New York City detective who opposes the law.

“We already have a hate crime law in our state Penal Code.What are the feds doing getting involved in state crimes?”said the veteran cop on condition of anonymity.

I believe that every violent crime is appalling.Furthermore,I believe that all people should be equally protected by law from violence,no matter who they are,”

“In addition to posing a litany of constitutional problems,today’s legislation alarmingly overturns the cornerstone of equality in our justice system by placing a higher value on one life over another...I believe that all victims should have equal worth in the eyes of the law,”

federal hate law would preempt the Tenth Amendment which delegates most law enforcement to the states.

Supporters believe that the federal government will be able to utilize the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 in order to force local officials to protect gays,minorities and others as”protected groups.”

“Religious leaders and others who express their constitutionally protected beliefs should not be silenced out of fear of prosecution,”

The US Senate has a similar version of the bill and will no doubt vote..soon..on their own hate crimes legislation

It is true that we have a big problem with religious extremists and it will be huge mistake if we abandon our basic rights, if we abandon our freedom of speak in the name of any religious group, IN THE NAME OF ANY GOD.
For me our liberties is out from any kind of discusions.
We must block any atemp to drive us to the dark ages.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

I am starting to think religion is a severe mental illness. Where ever you look, death and destruction follows it, and the more nonreligious people look at the facts, the clearer it becomes. My pagan back-ground is bad enough to live with, but its no problem when people just leave the evolutionary generated security blanket in the private minds where god evolved from, I don't have problem with them.

The adult children of the godly world is just what they are, and if the extremists want to kill me in the name of their god, well I have the right to tell them to go and take a right royal flying YOU KNOW WHAT.
I was born free in this world, on this world and i,ll be damned if you (religious people) or anyone else to tell me what i can (within the law of course) say, when there's a theory on the table that says, its all in your head!

Prove to me other-wise? or belt up.

Sorry members, but this really gets up my goat.
You god people come to my door, and make me feel bad about being an atheist and look down upon me like I am some sort of "lower form of life", well I feel your discriminating against my beliefs.

My little rant for the week.
Live and let live has always been my motto.

EVO

Kevin Rudd has brought in new powers to detain people suspected of having swine flue.The New Govt have given authorities more powers to seach anyone home of records if they are suspected of being part of a gang.

It is more than freedom of speech under a attack,our personal liberties are under attack.In the US it is much worse but we are catching up.