Originally posted by dubliner 2:
From today`s Irish Times. What a country we live in.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern proposes to insert   a new section into the Defamation Bill, stating: “A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €100,000.”

“Blasphemous matter” is defined as matter “that is 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. and he or she intends, by the publication of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.”

Where a person is convicted of an offence under this section, the court may issue a warrant authorising the Garda Síochána to enter, if necessary using reasonable force, a premises where the member of the force has reasonable grounds for believing there are copies of the blasphemous statements in order to seize them.

Sorry Mr. Ahern, but you won`t be telling me what to say or think.

Originally posted by dubliner 2:
From today`s Irish Times. What a country we live in.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern proposes to insert   a new section into the Defamation Bill, stating: “A person who publishes or utters blasphemous matter shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable upon conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €100,000.”

“Blasphemous matter” is defined as matter “that is 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. and he or she intends, by the publication of the matter concerned, to cause such outrage.”

Where a person is convicted of an offence under this section, the court may issue a warrant authorising the Garda Síochána to enter, if necessary using reasonable force, a premises where the member of the force has reasonable grounds for believing there are copies of the blasphemous statements in order to seize them.

Sorry Mr. Ahern, but you won`t be telling me what to say or think.

Originally posted by moycullen14:
Appropriate Punishment

Originally posted by T_de_B:
Come on D2, you are far too civilised a man not to realise that there is no such thing, in fact   (or indeed in theory  )   as free speech.

Cheap is often confused with free in this context.

The greatest threat to "freedom" of expression is the abuse of such freedom by some smart asses who appear to be mislead into thinking that tilting at verbal windmills betokens the absolute apex of civilised discourse whilst downright abusive discourse is merely "pushing the envelope".

What these geniuses forget, is that with freedom of expression comes the concimmitant obligation of responsibility in using this "freedom".

It is this abuse which is the real threat to freedom of expression and not the reaction to this abuse by authorities tasked with the responsibility of preserving our civilising freedoms which allow this latitude in "free" speech.

Please choose the targets of your outrage more carefully.

Please note that this is not a defense of Mr Ahearne.

I would hold the same views even if Brian Hayes was minister for Justice.

Now, look what you`ve made me say.

Originally posted by As Baile:
Cad é concimmitant, a thomáis?

Originally posted by As Baile:
Cad é concimmitant, a thomáis?

Originally posted by dubliner 2:

Of course there are limits Tomas but the above wording I find just a little bit frightening. For example would the Danish cartoonists have been prosecuted under the above legislation? Should they? .

Originally posted by T_de_B:
Come on D2, you are far too civilised a man not to realise that there is no such thing, in fact   (or indeed in theory  )   as free speech.

Cheap is often confused with free in this context.

The greatest threat to "freedom" of expression is the abuse of such freedom by some smart asses who appear to be mislead into thinking that tilting at verbal windmills betokens the absolute apex of civilised discourse whilst downright abusive discourse is merely "pushing the envelope".

What these geniuses forget, is that with freedom of expression comes the concimmitant obligation of responsibility in using this "freedom".

It is this abuse which is the real threat to freedom of expression and not the reaction to this abuse by authorities tasked with the responsibility of preserving our civilising freedoms which allow this latitude in "free" speech.

Please choose the targets of your outrage more carefully.

Please note that this is not a defense of Mr Ahearne.

I would hold the same views even if Brian Hayes was minister for Justice.

Now, look what you`ve made me say.