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Saturday Free Speech Roundup — Now With Gnomes, Gross Hypocrisy

Jul 25, 2009
By .
Law

This weekend, free speech issues from abroad:

Part the First: Eugene Volokh discusses Ireland's new anti-blasphemy law, which is actually constitutionally mandated. It prohibits speech "grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion, thereby causing outrage among a substantial number of the adherents of that religion." Irish lawmakers made an effort to include exceptions, but those exceptions seem to encourage more entanglement in religious issues by requiring inquiry into what is or is not a "cult."

Part the Second: Via the Index on Censorship, I see that it is now lawful for German gnomes to join the Nazi party. Halflings, being more vulnerable, are still prohibited. Dwarves are Social Democrats.

Part the Third Still in Germany — the Telegraph reports that an American group, the American Jewish Congress, is suing in Germany to prevent Amazon's German component from selling books they don't like — specifically, books that question or minimize the Holocaust. Amazon's response is just right: "We think that the best response to questionable literature is not removing them but more discussion."

AJC, in keeping with most American groups concerned about Holocaust denial (the ADL, for example) doesn't try to push laws criminalizing Holocaust denial here in America. AJC is happy to promote censorious values in other countries, though. Ironically, AJC is a is a founding member of The Coalition to Defend Free Speech, a group that opposes "religious defamation" laws. In the modern context, such laws are primarily promoted by Islamic nations to prohibit offending Muslims.

My Google-fu might be weak this morning, but I can't find any other reference to the German lawsuit. Did the Telegraph get it wrong? Is this a different American Jewish Congress? I'd prefer that conclusion to the notion that the AJC is engaged in nauseating censorious hypocrisy by promoting censorship of Holocaust denial while complaining about censorship of speech that offends Muslims.

Last 5 posts by Ken

6 Comments
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6 Comments

  1. Legally UnBound  •  Jul 25, 2009 @10:58 am

    In relation to Ireland's law restricting religion bashing, I guess the homosexual community can't beat up Irish Mormons like they do here in the States. What? Someone is tring to stop bigotry, I thought only racism was bad.

  2. Patrick  •  Jul 25, 2009 @1:25 pm

    Beating up Mormons is as illegal in California as it is in Ireland, Legally.

    Are you aware of any credible reports of California Mormons being beaten up?

  3. Legally UnBound  •  Jul 25, 2009 @1:50 pm

    Sorry Patrick. I'm writing from the iPhone today and was not clear enough. I meant a verbal 'beating'. My point was to say that while we have come a very long way in our tome with regard to race & ethnic group equality, bigotry toward religion (& often Southern Mountain People, for another day) still appears to be a very acceptable prejudice even in my liberal or conservative circles. We would not consider verbally 'beating' an African American for being such, it would be a social death sentence, & rightfully so. However, all I hear about these Mormons is attacks on their religion. Why is that acceptable and the other not? I'm actually of the opinion that we should be able call each other whatever we want. Free speech and all. But I think there is a bit of a double standard with these Mormons.

    Whew. My thumbs hurt.

  4. Legally UnBound  •  Jul 25, 2009 @1:57 pm

    Oh. And I did hear of a situation where a Mormon Woman was 'pushed around' by some gay men in SF. But I don't think there r any physical beatings. Just property destruction and picketing, so says the news. But I don't think I'd want to go beating on Mormons anyway. Most of the ones I know are athletes and a lot of big islanders are Mormon too. I think The Mormons vs. The Gays would be a loss for the Gays anyway. But it would sure bring a lot of money in the UFC Pay Per View. Maybe I'll talk to Dana White about it here in Vegas.

  5. Joshua  •  Jul 25, 2009 @5:35 pm

    I'll share a personal anecdote: My roommate in college was raised in the Mormon faith. He rarely spoke with his mother, and he never told her his address. This was because the last time he let on to his address, Mormon "agents" had shown up on his doorstep, trying to bring him back into the fold. He requested that I answer the door if both of us were home, and to tell anyone who looked "Mormon" that he was not a resident.

  6. Legally UnBound  •  Jul 26, 2009 @12:45 am

    That is quite a gas…Everyone runs from the Mormon Missionaries. One thing about those Mormons, they take care of people, their own and others. They are always the first on the scene, even before the red cross. They give a lot to other poor countries and give a lot to the poor. You'd think they were liberals.