Tag Archives: freedom of speech

BRITAIN: Street Preacher Awarded $20K After Bust For Anti-Gay Speech

Britain’s Daily Mail tabloid reports that a street preacher has been awarded just over $20K in a lawsuit filed after he was arrested for telling two teenagers that they will burn in hell for being gay. John Craven, 57, recited from Revelation after two gay teenagers asked about his views on homosexuality. But after he read from chapter 21, verse …

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Ireland Sees Anti-Pantigate Bill

Last month there was an uproar in Ireland after state television paid off anti-gay columnists who claimed that they were libeled when drag activist Panti Bliss called them homophobes. The flap became known in the press as Pantigate and turned Panti Bliss into an international icon. Today a bill was introduced in Ireland’s legislature that would grant broadcasters some protections …

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Fox Anchor Greta Van Susteren Tries To School Sarah Palin On Free Speech

Via Mediaite: In a Facebook post, Palin declared that “free speech is an endangered species.” Monday night on Fox News, Greta Van Susteren attempted to explain why invoking the First Amendment in this case does not actually make any sense. Palin said she would leave it to the lawyers to decide whether it’s a “free speech rule of law or …

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Brian Brown Has The GLAAD Sadz

“As you have undoubtedly heard, the special-interest homosexual group GLAAD launched their campaign to bully A&E networks into suspending Ducky Dynasty star Phil Robertson from his own show simply for honestly answering questions put to him in an interview with GQ magazine about the tenets of his faith. It clearly demonstrates how intensely aggressive and intolerant the radicals pushing the …

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HomoQuotable – Michelangelo Signorile

“The Duck Dynasty controversy has become so ugly so fast. It’s time to just call it what it is. Religious zealots like Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson are using the Bible to defame a group of people and excuse horrible actions against that group in the name of their Bible, refusing responsibility for the hate their words condone and inspire. …

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Quote Of The Day – Matt Taibbi

“Conservatives have always had trouble grasping the difference between public censorship and private enterprise. With a few exceptions, like whistleblower laws and National Labor Relations Board protections against being fired for off-site discussions about work conditions (exceptions that, in almost every case, conservatives bitterly opposed), there is no legal or constitutional right to free speech on private property. You can …

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TEXAS: Red-Caped Catholic Loons To Picket The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told

“One word describes the indecent play: blasphemy. Blasphemy is not free speech. Defamation is not artistic expression. The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told is a twisted version of the Bible story told from a pro-homosexual perspective and doesn’t belong in any theater. It begins with scenes of ‘Adam and Steve’ expelled from a Garden of Paradise with full frontal nudity …

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New York Times To Publish Documents Leaked To Guardian By Edward Snowden

Citing oppressive measures by the British government, the Guardian has partnered with the New York Times to publish documents leaked to them by Edward Snowden. The New York Times is in the Snowden game. The paper — which NSA leaker Edward Snowden deliberately avoided over his fear that it would cooperate with the United States government — is now working …

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American Street Preacher Arrested In Britain For Homophobic Speech

The religious right has a new martyr in former Los Angeles County police officer Tony Miano, who was arrested in Britain earlier this week for allegedly using homophobic speech as he preached to passersby on the street. Via the Christian Post: He was found to be in violation of Public Order Act Section 5, for “using homophobic speech that could …

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Quote Of The Day – Phil Horgan

“A key teaching of Christianity is to hate the sin, but love the sinner. We incarcerate convicted persons for their crimes, not out of hate for the individual. But with Whatcott, the Supreme Court of Canada has stated that criticism of behaviour can be treated as potentially hateful speech against the minority. Will criticism of activities at gay pride parades …

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Headline Of The Day

The Canadian Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that hate speech laws are a “constitutionally valid” limit on freedom of expression. The precedent-setting ruling resulted from the case of an anti-gay preacher who distributed homophobic fliers in Saskatchewan.  Pastor Bill Whatcott (below) had won an earlier appeal of his conviction in the provincial court. The Saskatchewan law, which is similar to …

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On Britain’s Public Order Act

Many times here we’ve noted the difference between freedom of speech laws in Britain and America. Noted LGBT activist Peter Tatchell is among those interviewed in this clip about opposition to Britain’s Public Order Act.

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Bullying Vs Freedom Of Speech

Comedian John Fugelsang says we should stop using the word “bullying” and he has some suggested replacements to get people to take it more seriously.

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More On Mona

Twitter’s wingnuts are continuing an onslaught of abuse towards Mona Eltahawy, accusing her of being a terrorist, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, a member of Al-Queda, a member of Hamas, etc etc etc.  They ignore the fact that Eltahawy is a pro-democracy activist who was arrested and had both of her arms broken during last spring’s uprising in Egypt’s …

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Obama Addresses UN General Assembly

CBS recaps the speech: President Barack Obama told world leaders Tuesday that attacks on U.S. citizens in Libya “were attacks on America,” and he called on them to join in confronting the root causes of the rage across the Muslim world. “I do believe that it is the obligation of all leaders, in all countries, to speak out forcefully against …

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Judge Rules Against NYC Porn Shop Ban

Eleven years ago one of the first things just-elected Mayor Bloomberg did was to order porn shops out of Times Square so that the area would be safe for “family friendly” businesses like the Disney Store and Bubba Gump’s. City zoning officers had long been stymied in their attempts to enforce a 1995 law which stipulates that a business would …

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No Freedom Of Speech At Work

The firing of biotech executive Adam Smith after his Chick-Fil-A protest left many on the left (and the right, in some places) screaming that his freedom of speech had been infringed. But as I’ve noted here before, freedom of speech can only be considered to have been repressed by the actions of a government, not a civilian employer. Business Week …

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Welsh Soccer Player Arrested After Homophobic Tweet About British Divers

Welsh soccer player Danny Thomas was suspended by his team two days ago after he posted a homophobic tweet about two British divers. The tweet read: “If there is any consolation for finishing fourth at least Daley and Waterfield can go and bum each other #teamHIV.” Thomas apologized and the matter appeared to be over. Apparently not. Police have now …

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BRITAIN: Muslim Men Sentenced For Distributing “Death To Gays” Pamphlets

Three Muslim men have been sentenced to prison for handing out “death to gays” pamphlets in the British town of Derby. Last month the men were found guilty of inciting hatred under the recently revised Public Order Act, which now forbids such anti-gay actions. Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed were found guilty of stirring up hatred on the …

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BRITAIN: Guilty Verdicts For Three Men Charged With Stirring Anti-Gay Hatred

After distributing leaflets calling for the execution of homosexuals, three Muslim men have just been found guilty in the first-ever trial under Britain’s revised Public Order Act, which now outlaws inciting anti-gay hatred and violence. Ihjaz Ali, Kabir Ahmed and Razwan Javed handed out the pamphlet, called The Death Penalty?, which showed an image of a mannequin hanging from a …

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