If the Religious Hatred Law Bill had been passed this week then it would have been illegal for anyone to even show us the Danish cartoons. Tony Blair's personal mistake in failing to turn up and vote was all that stopped freedom of speech being consigned to history in the UK. I find that deeply disturbing.
.
Secondly, I am so glad that Muslims in this country have been making full use of their right to free speech to give full vent to their views. It's such an excellent principle, isn't it? It is paradoxical they want to deny it to others.
.
Thirdly, why have the government been actively seeking to shut down free speech but have done nothing about hundreds of people parading posters through London threatening another 7/7, making intimidating insinuations about 9/11, and trying to incite people to behead or exterminate those who offend them? Isn't there already a law about inciting or threatening violence?
.
Fourthly, if the cartoons were satirising the fact that Islam has an extremely violent underbelly of terrorism and murder, what would be the best way to go about refuting it?
.
Only now are we belatedly waking up to the drunken haze with which the government have been drafting these terrible bills. Governments must preserve principles that act as a plumbline in making laws that govern.
.
Default on them and you default on your mandate to govern.
