Thank you Scythe! Quebec Anons once again rock and deliver!
Here's to you, Canadian Anons, from the highly regarded, specialist of minority rights and individual liberties, canadian lawyer Julius Grey (sorry in advance for any bad translations):
Julius Grey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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La chronique de Julius Grey
Freedom of expression
Julius Grey 14/07/2008
Long unpopular of the great liberties in Canada, freedom of expression has just won three judicial verdicts. In each of these cases, political correctness has taken a hit.
First, the Supreme Court, in a diffamation case, declared that a commentary made in good faith is justified even if unreasonnable. In occurrence, the use of an exagerated language against homophobes did not involve civil responsibility.
In another case, B.C.’s Commission on human rights did not retain complaints against journalist Mark Steyn and Mclean magazine following his strong critic of islam.
Finally, Quebec’s court of appeal refused members of Falun Gong, a new chinese religion, the right to sue a newspaper that had published insulting words about its founder, master Lee. Master Lee himself could have sued.
Humiliation and hurt feelings could not however permit adepts of this religion to ask for compensation for themselves. The effect of these judgements will be particularly memorable in religion matters. Religious and conscience freedoms are large enough to carry the right to oppose religion and to critic one or more religions. One can do it politely, with respect, but also in an insulting and strong manner.
After that series of arguments, it is clear that Mohammed caricatures, contested throughout the world, would be perfectly permissible here (Canada).
These days, critics of christianism, notably in the history of Quebec, would go along without problems,
but other religions are intolerant to critic and satire. After the recent judgements, we could take for granted that there is no more taboo subjects and that only hate propaganda defined in strict way can be sanctioned. It may be time to ask tribunals to re-examine the laws on hate propaganda in which the risks for freedom outweigh the benefits.
Beyong religion
The new tendency to favor freedom will extend beyong religion, to all controversial subjects. Equality of the sexes, race equality, and respect of all sexual orientations are very important for us. Is it necessary to insist that those who have a traditionnal or even reactionnary vision of things would keep silence?
For some years, Canada has suffered from suffocating kindness. Hurtful or offensive things cannot be said to members of powerful lobbies.
This obligation of kindness is far from being kind. In the name of kindness and absolute rights of so-called victims, we are ready to destroy careers, to impose monetary sanctions and even to use the penal code against those who oppose dominant orthodoxy.
It’s true that part of the prohibited discourse is the product of ignorance, anger and bad taste. At the same time, there’s a possibility that different and innovative ideas are repressed or un expressed under prudence.
Let’s hope that tribunal reversals in favor of freedom of expression will halt political correctness and suffocating kindness.
Canoe – Infos – Liberté d'expression
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This fits like a glove with Anonymous. Case closed.
Please communicate to other canadian Anons.