Showing posts with label Free Speech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Free Speech. Show all posts
May 20, 2010
May 13, 2010
Mohammed cartoonist attacked
Lars Vilks, the cartoonist who drew Mohammed head on the body of a dog, was attacked while lecturing in Switzerland on free speech. He wasn't seriously harmed but the attacker managed to break his glasses. The security guards quickly gained control of the situation.
Several students can be heard chanting "Allah is great" (in Arabic) in the background. Violence is a totally unacceptable way to respond to satirical treatment of religious figures. Complaints and peaceful protests are the way to promote your dissatisfaction at the situation. The more certain groups of Muslims use violence to attack free speech, the more critical it becomes to continue producing depictions of Mohammed to preserve that freedom. This is going to be a hard lesson to learn about Western values, but they are going to have to learn it.
Draw Mohammed day on the 20th will be a good start.
Several students can be heard chanting "Allah is great" (in Arabic) in the background. Violence is a totally unacceptable way to respond to satirical treatment of religious figures. Complaints and peaceful protests are the way to promote your dissatisfaction at the situation. The more certain groups of Muslims use violence to attack free speech, the more critical it becomes to continue producing depictions of Mohammed to preserve that freedom. This is going to be a hard lesson to learn about Western values, but they are going to have to learn it.
Draw Mohammed day on the 20th will be a good start.
May 07, 2010
Free speech in the UK?
Not if the topic is religion.
In this first case, Harry Taylor (59) left leaflets satirising aspects of the Christian and Islamic religions at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. For leaving these cartoons in a public place, Mr Taylor was convicted of causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm, or distress. Mr Taylor has been convicted on similar charges in the past and is being treated for depression.
The second case involves a Christian preacher, Dale McAlpine (42) who was arrested after allegedly speaking out against sins listed in the Bible - including homosexuality. Mr McAlpine also faces a charge of causing harassment, alarm, or distress.
While the majority of Christians or atheist probably would not support the actions of either Mr Taylor or Mr McAlpine, the overuse of the public order act in Britain is something both sides of the theological debate can agree on. If we want to have these discussions then it is important that even the most extreme speech is protected. Dropping leaflet or holding an impromptu sermon hardly seem like matters that should involve the police.
In this first case, Harry Taylor (59) left leaflets satirising aspects of the Christian and Islamic religions at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. For leaving these cartoons in a public place, Mr Taylor was convicted of causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm, or distress. Mr Taylor has been convicted on similar charges in the past and is being treated for depression.
The second case involves a Christian preacher, Dale McAlpine (42) who was arrested after allegedly speaking out against sins listed in the Bible - including homosexuality. Mr McAlpine also faces a charge of causing harassment, alarm, or distress.
While the majority of Christians or atheist probably would not support the actions of either Mr Taylor or Mr McAlpine, the overuse of the public order act in Britain is something both sides of the theological debate can agree on. If we want to have these discussions then it is important that even the most extreme speech is protected. Dropping leaflet or holding an impromptu sermon hardly seem like matters that should involve the police.
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