Re: [OT] Blasphemy laws in Britain

On 2025-05-15 11:14 AM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:

Rhino <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
 

Britain used to have blasphemy laws, mostly to protect Christianity
against abuse, but the last conviction under those laws was registered
in the 1970s. The blasphemy laws were finally abolished altogether in
2008. However, increasing demands from Muslims mean that we are seeing
an emergence of new blasphemy laws. This video looks at how these new
rules are emerging.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZjkbVuWU_0 [11 minutes]

 The discussion of the conspiracy to get the fatwa issued against Rushdie
had a lot of information I was unfamiliar with. It's shocking that
Rushdie was criticized by government ministers and that opposition M.P.s
contributed to scapegoating him for their own political gain. Even
opposition politicians who defended Rushdie quickly turned on him.
 

That surprised me, too. Then again, I'm sure we've both seen politicians change their views 180 degrees when the wind seemed to be shifting.

The videographer credits television comedian Rowan Atkinson for lobbying
to get the censorious hate speech bill -- modern anti-blasphemy
legislation replacing the recently repealed blasphemy legislation --
toned down slightly.
 

Atkinson has been a real fighter for free speech. He's definitely one of the good guys.

But did this truly originate in 1988 with opposition to his book or was
this a long-standing issue in UK society? He didn't convince me that
this was the origin.
 

I'll bet it was already there before then although it may not have been all that visible yet. It probably goes back to the days when the second Muslim in Britain talked to the first Muslim and they agreed that these infidels weren't getting with the Islamic program.

The anti-blaspheming violence in the UK has been almost entirely Muslim
against Muslim. Huh. Censorship doesn't reign in violence. Who knew?
 I wonder if prosecuting violent offenders opposing the free exercise of
religion by others, throwing the book at them, might reign in violence.

I'd love to see it tried!
I was very surprised to see Leo Kearse practically doing a victory dance in his latest video. He seems to think the tide is turning against the woke/multiculturalism/open-borders crowd. I truly hope he is right but the "progressives" seem deeply ensconced just about everywhere in the West so I'm not counting on it being over yet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gePgY6A5Cq4 [11 minutes]
--
Rhino