Lippytarian
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« on: January 21, 2012, 08:36:24 am » |
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A new milestone was reached this week. For the first time people have been convicted for trying to spread their hatred of homosexuals - they are expected to be imprisoned. Derby men guilty over gay hate leafletsI don't know what to make of this. Is this thought-crime of an Orwellian kind? Or is this the proper protection of a minority which is often villified and discriminated against?
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Be careful what you ask for - you might get it
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marianne
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« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2012, 08:55:22 pm » |
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Libby, I too have my problems with 'hate' crime. I can understand the moral outrage at this behaviour, vilifying people because of their differences to what one considers the norm, but I do have my problems when we start to imprison people because of what they say..
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Lippytarian
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« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2012, 07:35:13 pm » |
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In the words of the article the crime amounted to "stirring up hatred" rather than specific incitement to commit specific crimes. It would not have been a crime until recently, when laws against race hate and religious hate were extended to cover sexual orientation hate.
If that is the path we are on, why stop there? Why not any and every other kind of hate you can think of?
On the other hand, gay people getting leaflets like that through their letter box did feel threatened. Well you would, wouldn't you.
I do wonder whether the whole idea is a nonsense. Isn't the thrust of these laws perfectly self-defeating:"Intolerance is not acceptable - we will not tolerate it"?
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Be careful what you ask for - you might get it
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