Britain to ban criticism of religion

[Emsworth]

I think that this bill is a terrible idea. Unless actual violence is being incited, freedom of speech should prevail.

Let us hope that the Lords delay this bill for as long as possible.

[Emsworth]

Let us hope that the Lords delay this bill for as long as possible.

It was in the manifesto.

Ah, how unfortunate.

[Emsworth]

I take religious hatred as being rhetoric, intentionally designed to whip up prejudice and violence by one faith's adherents against another

I feel that inciting prejudice should be legal. I believe that inciting violence is already illegal under the common law, and should remain so.

[Emsworth]

Shouldn't your first statement read "illegal"?

No, I feel that inciting prejudice should indeed be legal. Freedom of expression should be paramount except in circumstances that threaten the rights of others. One has a right to be free of violence; thus, it is logical for inciting violence to be illegal. One does not have a right to be free from bias; thus, inciting prejudice should remain legal.

[Emsworth]

"the offences will not encompass material that just stirs up ridicule or prejudice or causes offence. Further, what must be stirred up is hatred of a group of persons defined by their religious beliefs and not hatred of the religion itself."

Even stirring up "hatred" should be legal, as one does not have an inherent right to be free of hate.

[Emsworth]

Personally, I think it's a gray area with no simple solution.  It's very easy to say that inciting hatred should be legal while inciting violence should not be, but the problem I see with this assertion is that it's not really that simple.  Every bout of violence like this comes directly from hatred.  Even if inciting hatred does not immediately create any sort of violence, it seems to me that, at the very least, it makes the atmosphere more conducive to violence, and at worse, it could completely set the stage for a violent confrontation at a later time.  The issue that I see here is that inciting hatred may well be inciting violence at a later date, even if we don't know it yet.

I subscribe to the view that in circumstances like this, expression should be free unless it actually poses a "clear and present danger." Speculation about the remote effects of an action are not, in my opinion, sufficient grounds for restricting the civil liberties of the People.

[Emsworth]

All I'm saying is that so far, people seem to be acting as if the incitement of hatred and the incitement of violence are two completely divorced subjects, and I'm just saying that they really aren't.

Alright, I will concede that point.