I am an advocate of free speech. True free speech that is, not the slightly left of centre free speech we often hear about. That’s one of the reasons I blog I think. To get down in published written form some of the things I would feel unable to say in public. (This is also the reason I bitch to ACC staff in email, that way it’s recorded.)
Anyway, I was thinking earlier about what issues should be allowed to be addressed by comedians. I remember Billy Connolly reportedly being bood at when he uttered his “I wish they’d just get on with it” line about Ken Bigley’s, at the time, threatened decapitation.
I probably would have winced at it myself. Does that mean it shouldn’t be said? No. I don’t believe so. The thing with free speech is that even when you have the right to say something, others have the right to be offended. Now here’s where I’m getting annoyed.
The recent knighthood of Salman Rushdie I thought was brilliant. I remember thinking at the time, oh aye, here we go… Well shit, they’re burning effigies of the Queen now! How dare they. Hyper sensitivity or what. So what if they(Islam) feel The Satanic Verses is blasphemous. I know there’s a crime nowadays in the UK for racial prejudices, stirring them up that is. However I believe our right of free speech is more important than that so here’s my tuppence..
Islam as a religion is bullshit. Not because of it’s teachings but because all religions are bullshit. Islamists(who I appreciate are extremists guising under the Islamic banner) are the top of the pop bullshitters. Can you imagine the furore in this, a Christian, country if someone was to write a book against Christianity! Of course you can’t because it’s not important. I read somewhere someone in Pakistan had called the knighthood of Sir Rushdie an act of provocation! HAaaaaahahahaha
Fucking Idiots. Here’s a picture of the prophet mohammed for our perusal(albeit with a cowboy hat shaped turban and particularly yellow+round face)…… 
Does that call for a burning of billythekid effigies? I’d say that line was more of an act of provocation that Knighting a man for services to literature.
Hold off that fatwa Ahmed…
btk 
In a related comment don’t you think we as a country are getting a bit too easily offended by things? I mean 40,000 complaints for the shilpa poppadom comment is a bit much don’t you think for a gaffe of such insignificance? It’s hardly equivalent to anything uttered by that other stalwart of political correctness, Prince Phillip.
I’m just peeved at not getting to check out the fabulous rear view of that Emily one anymore.
It is the truth that whenever a religion starts dictating to the government there’s going to be two things: bullshit and violence.
I like my religion and my government in separate solar systems if possible.
As you said, the Queen knighted (or will knight, I don’t know anything about this) Rushdie for literature. His Islamic affiliation has nothing to do with it.
I’m glad you commented on this Jyll, since you are qualified to(and I was uncertain to my points as I went off on a tangent as is my wont)!
Your point of religion and politics being seperate issues is spot on. How do you sit on people being a member of a country first and a follower of a religion secondly(like in the states) vs follower of religious laws first and laws of the land second(as seems to be the case often here).
I’m as liberal in my views as anyone and I appreciate we don’t all follow the same viewpoints, it’s what makes the world great. I am also open to ridicule in my ignorance!
In the great scheme of things I think it’s all crap really! lol
btk
It was the Danish cartoon that really took the biscuit for me.
I actually feel sorry for the true peace loving Muslims, who are actually the majority. Their religion has been hi-jacked by extremist nutters. Do you know that the word Islam actually means, “peace”. Someone should remind these idiots of that.
You’re absolutely right Misssy, Islamism is very different from Islam and it’s a real pity that these extremists are using the veil of ‘religion’ to excuse their own actions.
btk