I am convinced that Britain covets the title of World's Most Politically Correct Nation (and they have their work cut out for them, what with Canada, Norway, and the Netherlands as competition), and as part of their effort they are flirting with the quite Soviet idea of thought crimes. Under a proposed bill, insulting a religion could possibly result in seven years' imprisonment.
Standing in their way is Rowan Atkinson.
According to this Telegraph story, Atkinson, of Blacadder and Mr. Bean fame, strongly opposes the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, which includes the provisions against "incitement to religious hatred."
Rowan Atkinson defended the right of comedians to poke fun at other people's religion last night as he joined the campaign against Government plans to create a new offence of incitement to religious hatred.The star of the BBC's Blackadder television series lined up with leading barristers, writers and politicians to oppose the proposed law.
'There should be no subject about which you cannot make jokes'Ministers say the Bill will protect faith groups - particularly Muslims.
Ah yes, those poor, put upon Muslims. They've got it so bad in Western Europe and here in the US, as well. Remember all of those vicious anti-Muslim attacks and riots across the US right after the September 11, 2001 horror?
You don't remember that wave of anti-Muslim violence? Neither do I: it never happened. What did happen in the days following the WTC/Pentagon attacks was that a few thousand extra funerals were conducted.
A Home Office spokesman defended the Bill, insisting that it would not interfere with the right to free speech. She said: "There is a clear difference between criticism of a religion and the act of inciting hatred against members of a religious group."The incitement offences have a high criminal threshold and prosecutions require the consent of the Attorney General."
Ah, a "high criminal threshold." That oughtta provide enough protection, especially given that the "consent of the Attorney General" would be required. The problem is, these thresholds and consents would be measured and judged in a nation where self-defense has been effectively outlawed.
Speaking at a press conference in the House of Commons, Atkinson said the proposals would destroy one of society's fundamental freedoms - the right to cause offence.It would also threaten the livelihoods of all those whose job it is "to question, to analyse and to satirise". These included authors, academics, writers, actors, politicians and comedians.
There was a "fundamental difference" between cracking a joke about someone's religion and being offensive about their race which was, rightly, already an offence, he said.
"To criticise a person for their race is manifestly irrational and ridiculous but to criticise their religion - that is a right. That is a freedom," he said.
"The freedom to criticise ideas - any ideas even if they are sincerely held beliefs - is one of the fundamental freedoms of society.
"And the law which attempts to say you can criticise or ridicule ideas as long as they are not religious ideas is a very peculiar law indeed.
"It all points to the promotion of the idea that there should be a right not to be offended. But in my view the right to offend is far more important than any right not to be offended.
"The right to ridicule is far more important to society than any right not to be ridiculed because one in my view represents openness - and the other represents oppression."
The bill is opposed by the Liberal Democrats and by the Conservatives. I am not impressed, nor hopeful: the Liberal Democrats are a pretty small minority, the Conservatives are hopeless, and Labour enjoys a huge majority of seats in Parliament (well over a hundred seats, I think). I'm no expert on the British legal system, nor on British politics, but I suspect the Brits are royally screwed on this one.
Still, I'll let Atkinson have the (George Carlin-like) last word:
Mr Atkinson said comedians should be able to make jokes about whatever they wanted. If they went over the top, people would not find their jokes funny. "There should be no subject about which you cannot make jokes."
(Hat tip: Sasha Castel)
Posted by Craig Ceely at December 12, 2004 06:53 PM