Anti-Blasphemy LawsRules

For John, BLUF:  The PC Police are out of hand.  Freedom, and thus democracy and economic growth, are at risk.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Samizdata quote of the day

From Samizdata, posted by Mr Perry de Havilland (London), 15 March 2018.

Here it is:

In Britain in the 21st century you can be punished for mocking gods.  You can be expelled from the kingdom, frozen out, if you dare to diss Allah.  Perversely adopting medieval Islamic blasphemy laws, modern Britain has made it clear that it will tolerate no individual who says scurrilous or reviling things about the Islamic god or prophet.  Witness the authorities’ refusal to grant entrance to the nation to the alt-right Christian YouTuber Lauren Southern.  Her crime?  She once distributed a leaflet in Luton with the words ‘Allah is gay, Allah is trans, Allah is lesbian…’, and according to the letter she received from the Home Office informing her of her ban from Britain, such behaviour poses a ‘threat to the fundamental interests of [British] society’.

This is a very serious matter and the lack of outrage about it in the mainstream press, not least among those who call themselves liberal, is deeply disturbing.

– Brendan O’Neill

Much as I applaud The United Kingdom for moving to leave the European Union (BREXIT), I think this kind of high handedness to be appalling.

Regards  —  Cliff