Black Adder's 'Snakepit'

[Philboid Studge]

If this topic has come up in the forums, I can't find it. Late last year the UK's 'Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill' was proposed, which includes provisions against 'incitement to religious hatred.' ('Nuther words, merely criticizing someone's religion would be a crime.)

Rowan Atkinson, of all people, led the charge against this speech-stifling legistlation:
'To criticise a person for their race is manifestly irrational and ridiculous but to criticise their religion - that is a right. That is a freedom.'

Atkinson warned that British society would cease to permit 'open and vigorous' debate and adopt 'a veneer of tolerance concealing a snakepit of unaired and unchallenged views.'

Question for UK Ravers: Are people talking about this on your side of the pond? Any thoughts on whether this law (or at least this odious provision) will pass?

Question for our (incredibly thick-skinned) theist Ravers: Is Mr. Bean being fair? I.e., is religion fair game for satire, insults, etc? (Unlike, say, a person's race?)

Some info
here. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/12/07/natkin07.xml)

[ocmpoma]

I can see why Atkinson would be against it, since a large part of his Mr. Bean comedy is based, obliquely perhaps, on poking fun at religious practice.

[Lurker]

Question for our (incredibly thick-skinned) theist Ravers: Is Mr. Bean being fair? I.e., is religion fair game for satire, insults, etc? (Unlike, say, a person's race?)
Fair game, within reason. I say within reason because I'm a free speech advocate that thinks freedom demands some degree of responsibility.

[Viole]

Atkinson's entire career is based on poking fun of things that aren't supposed to be poked fun at. No, I'm not surprised to see him defending his right to poke fun at religion.

Personally, I think anyone who professes a belief in the unseen should be fair game for satire. This is just an effort by the church to escape irrelevancy, by preventing anyone from getting a laugh at their expense.

[RedRob]

Atkinson's entire career is based on poking fun of things that aren't supposed to be poked fun at. No, I'm not surprised to see him defending his right to poke fun at religion.

Personally, I think anyone who professes a belief in the unseen should be fair game for satire. This is just an effort by the church to escape irrelevancy, by preventing anyone from getting a laugh at their expense.
Actually I think it (the process of compiling this law) was started by my former cult the Islamists those crazy bastards apparently can’t deal with the “Satanic Verses” which is a fiction based loosely on Islam. Apparently they see it as hate speech. What a bunch of crap, the book and the criticism of it, but I guess it is as real as the Koran and the Bible.:lol:

[ghoulslime]

If this topic has come up in the forums, I can't find it. Late last year the UK's 'Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill' was proposed, which includes provisions against 'incitement to religious hatred.' ('Nuther words, merely criticizing someone's religion would be a crime.)

Rowan Atkinson, of all people, led the charge against this speech-stifling legistlation:
'To criticise a person for their race is manifestly irrational and ridiculous but to criticise their religion - that is a right. That is a freedom.'

Atkinson warned that British society would cease to permit 'open and vigorous' debate and adopt 'a veneer of tolerance concealing a snakepit of unaired and unchallenged views.'

Question for UK Ravers: Are people talking about this on your side of the pond? Any thoughts on whether this law (or at least this odious provision) will pass?

Question for our (incredibly thick-skinned) theist Ravers: Is Mr. Bean being fair? I.e., is religion fair game for satire, insults, etc? (Unlike, say, a person's race?)

Some info
here. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/12/07/natkin07.xml)
It sounds like a clear case of the religious extremists trying to re-posture themselves before they lose all credibility. Incitement to religious hatred, my bleeding ass! These fuckers want to outlaw criticism. Black Adder, Black Adder, go break their fucking balls! :o

[John East]

From this side of the pond, I can confirm that this law will almost certainly be passed. Tony Blair wanted the Islamic vote in the run up to the elections 2 months ago. Invading Iraq was a bit of a problem in securing this objective, so he promised the Islamic Council of Britain this legislation in exchange for their support.
What a bummer. We lose our rights to free speech so that this as***le can secure his third term.

[Tenspace]

Third Term.... Thank the Founding Fathers for the two term limit.

(Correct me if it wasn't the founders' idea - I'm sure someone will) :)

Ten

[Viole]

Well, Ten, George Washington believed that two terms was enough for anyone(but I suspect he really just wanted to get some rest) and that stuck around until FDR, who served four. After that, they passed the amendment limiting it. So you're pretty much right, but if it wasn't for the twenty-second amendment, you can bet Clinton would still be in the Oval Office(seriously, anyone thing Bush could have beat him?).

[ghoulslime]

as***le
Go ahead and say it! It will feel good! ASSHOLE! ASSHOLE! Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing!

[Amazonis]

I agree with Mr bean. I remember not that long ago some christian nutcase read out passages from the Koran that made Muslims look like evil bastards, and he is now in jail. He may have neing an evil bastard himself, but all he was doing was reading out passages from the Koran! How can reading from a book be descrimination? I don't give a shit about this fascist christian cunt who's in jail now. What i care about is that in Victoria and several other Australian states, an atheist cannot read out these things either.

[Tenspace]

as***le
Go ahead and say it! It will feel good! ASSHOLE! ASSHOLE! Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing!
Don't stop there! Asswipe... Asshat... Assclown... Assmonkey... the list is endless! Maybe time for a Ghoulslime Ass poem? :D

[snap crafter]

My favorite ass word is Assmilk, it just sounds tangy.

[Amazonis]

My lil bro calls me an assbum. It makes me oh so sad. :( :( :(

[Philboid Studge]

Legal issues aside, is speech offensive because it offends someone, or does it have instrinsic offensiveness separate from its object? Lurker says religion is fair game for satire or insults 'within reason.' Whose reason? His? Society's at large? How do you decide?

In a related matter, if I were to call Tony Blair an 'Ass Master,' am I offending ass masters the world over? Really, how can someone that smart be such an ... Ass Poodle?

[Tenspace]

Legal issues aside, is speech offensive because it offends someone, or does it have instrinsic offensiveness separate from its object? Lurker says religion is fair game for satire or insults 'within reason.' Whose reason? His? Society's at large? How do you decide?

In a related matter, if I were to call Tony Blair an 'Ass Master,' am I offending ass masters the world over? Really, how can someone that smart be such an ... Ass Poodle?
My poodle is smarter than Blair. I don't know... AssPrat? AssTosser? AssPossum? AssBadger? The possibilities are endless. :)

Ten

[thomas]

The British government FAQ for this legislation can be found here (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/faith/crime/faq.html). In my opinion it's a useful piece of legislation that stops the BNP (http://www.bnp.org.uk/) and the like from using religion as a way to define and attack and incite hatred against a racial group. Jews and Sikhs are already covered by the existing racial hatred laws due to them being a defined ethnic group. The new legislation ensures that Muslims are also covered.

Atkinson and co did a good job of ensuring that the legislation ended up being narrowly targeted at these aims.

[ghoulslime]

as***le
Go ahead and say it! It will feel good! ASSHOLE! ASSHOLE! Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing!
Don't stop there! Asswipe... Asshat... Assclown... Assmonkey... the list is endless! Maybe time for a Ghoulslime Ass poem? :D
Yes, I deem your advice wise!

An asshole poem it is!

Art

There is no finer art than a fart!
Such a song any ass can impart!
What a song you are making
When your asshole is quaking!
But be careful not to blow out a dart.

http://poetryring.com/ghoulslime/poo.html

[ghoulslime]

The British government FAQ for this legislation can be found here (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/comrace/faith/crime/faq.html). In my opinion it's a useful piece of legislation that stops the BNP (http://www.bnp.org.uk/) and the like from using religion as a way to define and attack and incite hatred against a racial group. Jews and Sikhs are already covered by the existing racial hatred laws due to them being a defined ethnic group. The new legislation ensures that Muslims are also covered.

Atkinson and co did a good job of ensuring that the legislation ended up being narrowly targeted at these aims.
How 'bouts we let people have the freedom to say what they want about anybody, including Jews and Sikhs? What do you say to some new legislation that ensures freedom instead of more Nazi bullshit?

:)

Good evening gentlemen, and get out, ladies.

On my flight to New York there must have been a Jew in the bathroom the entire time. There was a sign on the door that said "occupied."

What do you say to a Muslim woman with two black eyes? Nothing! You told her twice already!

How many Palestinians does it take to change a light bulb? None! They sit in the dark forever and blame the Jews for it!

Did you hear about the Broadway play, The Palestinians ? It bombed!

What do you call a first-time offender in Saudi Arabia? Lefty!

Did you hear about the Muslim strip club? It features full facial nudity!

Why do Palestinians find it convenient to live on the West Bank? Because just a stone's throw from Israel!

Why are Palestinian boys luckier than American boys? Because every Palestinian boy will get to join a rock group!

A small plane carrying Yassir Arafat and all his top lieutenants crashes and all aboard are killed. Who is saved? The Palestinian people!

A Palestinian suspect was being grilled by Israeli police. "Honest, I'm not a suicide bomber," he said. "I didn't say I wanted to blow myself up so I could sleep with 72 virgins. All I said was I'm dying to get laid!"

What does the sign say above the nursery in a Palestinian maternity ward? "Live ammunition."

:D

[Amazonis]

The full facial nudity is the best one :lol:

[Kamikaze189]

If I was ruler of the universe you could say anything you so pleased.