I know it’s been mentioned elsewhere: here, here and here for example, but the commons vote on the religious hatred bill yesterday was, without doubt a good day for democracy.
It comes to something when a government with a sizeable majority is defeated so soundly and is an indication of just how bad this bill was. It was clear from early in the bill’s passage through parliament that it was a potentially dangerous piece of legislation; a flawed attempt to curry favour with the Muslim community. Indeed, so flawed was it, that it was transparent as such; a crass and cheap attempt to secure the votes of Muslims who felt that their religious beliefs should enjoy the same protection as Christianity does under the blasphemy laws. On that, I would agree with them; there should be an equal footing and repealing these outdated laws would be the best remedy.
We are told that in the name of tolerance that we should respect peoples’ religious beliefs. No. Absolutely not. We should respect peoples’ right to practice freely their religious rites and beliefs; without fear of reprisal. We should be tolerant of peoples’ right to believe whatever they want to believe. But there is no reason whatsoever why we should respect the belief system itself. A law as daft and dangerous as this one would not make me respect Islam – I despise it now and I will continue to despise it for the mediaeval, misogynist and intolerant belief system that it is. Laws cannot change what we think – even though the apparatchicks of the Neu Labour elite seem to think they can. Thought crime may be made a crime in the event of laws such as this passing onto the statue book – but those thoughts will simply be whispered in the shadows. Far better to air them in the open. And, far better for Islam to realise that in this country, we can and will criticize and ridicule religious belief as we see fit. If that’s a problem; too bad.
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