Incitement to Irreligious Hatred
In Britain the Government has introduced a bill to criminalise "incitement to religious hatred". According to the government the targets of this law will be...
Individuals and members of extremist and racist organisations and parties who stir up hatred of groups defined by their religious beliefs. Also, religious extremists who stir up hatred against members of other religions.
Britain already has laws that criminalise racist speech, and even a very old (and no longer enforced) law against blasphemy, so technically Christians and Jews are already protected from hate speech. The purpose of the new law is to extend the same sort of protection to Muslims. So the new law does embody a certain consistency. It seeks to extend a largely worthless sort of protection, that has been enjoyed by some groups, to another group. But it also embodies an odd set of priorities. After all, the problem confronting Britain at the moment is not one of everyone else inciting violence against Muslims, but one of Muslims inciting violence against everyone else.
"As far as I'm concerned, when they bomb London, the bigger the better," says Abdul Haq, the social worker. "I know it's going to happen because Sheikh bin Laden said so. Like Bali, like Turkey, like Madrid - I pray for it, I look forward to the day."
"Pass the brown sauce, brother," says Abu Malaahim, the IT specialist, devouring his chicken and chips.
"I agree with you, brother," says Abu Yusuf, the earnest-looking financial adviser sitting opposite. "I would like to see the Mujahideen coming into London and killing thousands, whether with nuclear weapons or germ warfare. And if they need a safehouse, they can stay in mine - and if they need some fertiliser [for a bomb], I'll tell them where to get it."
His friend, Abu Musa, the security guard, smiles radiantly. "It will be a day of joy for me," he adds, speaking with a slight lisp.
What Britain really needs is a law that protects groups defined by their lack of certain religious beliefs.
