1 Jul 2008
Tina Trent
It must not be forgotten that the "hate speech" component of hate crime laws have not been entirely avoided in the American system, though punishment exclusively for speech is not yet a problem in the courts here. However, "speech" presumed to be an expression of bias is grounds for enhancing the penalty for criminal acts, and such enforcement is, of course, extremely subjective and guided (ironically) by biases built into the bias crime prosecution training protocols.
In America, there remains much higher barriers to prosecuting writers (though there are other ways to punish speech in schools and workplaces and government). But the groundwork has been laid to find new ways to selectively criminalize speech through existing state bias crime laws.
15 Jul 2008
Richard
Excellent article. I've been commenting in my blog on this trend towards censorship and totalitarianism by the post-modern liberal-left for some time.
The good news is that we still have freedom of speech and a democratic system so can stop the totalitarians taking control.
26 Jul 2008
Nick
Very interesting. We live in curious times. Political correctness, which for the good of the weak tells us not to discriminate against any religion and ideology is now turning against reason and the basis of Western Civilization. People who are socially brave enough to put to intelectual analysis the impact of a huge religious formation on our society are fewer and fewer.
Best of luck.
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