Posted on 11/10/2007 5:05:07 AM PST by fweingart
(The only gay in the village: Matt Lucas)
The right to crack jokes or be rude about homosexuals could fall victim to new government laws to stamp out "homophobic" behaviour, Rowan Atkinson, the Blackadder star warned yesterday.
Atkinson, who mounted a successful campaign in 2004 to water down legislation aimed at criminalising expressions of religious hatred, has returned to the fray to defend the art of gay leg-pulling.
His concern is that Labour ministers are so obsessed with creating laws to stop people being rude about each other that they are putting in danger the right to free speech and, equally dear to his heart, the comedian's craft.
In a letter to a newspaper he accused ministers of filling their legislative programme with measures that have "serious implications for freedom of speech, humour and creative expression".
Atkinson was referring to measures in the Criminal Justice Bill, currently passing through Parliament, which could mean people who stir up hatred against homosexuals being put in prison for up to seven years.
He said the Government measures, which could be expanded to cover hatred against disabled or transgendered people, seemed to be "infinitely extendable".
"Witness the fact that the Government has invited two additional groups - the disabled and transsexuals - to 'make the case' for the proposed legislation to be extended to them.
"I am sure that they could make a very good case, as indeed could all those who can claim that they cannot help being the way they are. Men, for example, or women. Or people with big ears."
Atkinson added: "The devil, as always, will be in the detail but the casual ease which some people move from finding something offensive to wishing to declare it criminal - and are then able to find factions within government to aid their ambitions - is truly depressing."
Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, has told MPs that such fears are unfounded because he will shortly introduce an amendment to the Bill ensuring that cases can be pursued only when the offending words are specifically intended to pose a threat and are not merely humorous, mocking or abusive.
As with an eventual compromise deal struck over the Religious Hatred Bill, there will also be a specific clause to protect the right to freedom of speech.
Ministers have firmly dismissed as unfounded claims that playground insults or jokes about gays could be caught by the new offence.
Last night Chris Bryant, the openly gay Labour MP, said Mr Atkinson should relax because the right to make jokes about gays would remain. "I think it is perfectly possible to create a distinction in law between incitement to hatred and having a laugh," he said.
Lord Lester, the Liberal Democrat peer who helped draft the compromise wording on the religious hatred law, said it was clear that "politically incorrect jokes at the expense of gay people" should not be banned.
Give them enough time & all jokes will be illegal. Maybe laughter will be illegal. These overly sensitive fools want to suck the life out of us. The long & short of it is this would be a bad law. But as the world gets on its knees to be in the grip of political correctness we should have seen this coming. And sooner or later it’s going to blow up in our face. These people make me want to gag.
Thanks. I am cruel. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.
Good one. That will be hard to beat.
That’s precisely whom I thought of when I saw this article’s origins! They had to wait til now (RIP, John) to try pushing this law again.
Idiots.
So if I have the politician’s spin down, it matters not if the butt of the joke (oops!) is offended. I mean, it’s only a joke, right? It’s if a third party is inspired to kick the pansy about. Then it’s YOUR fault.
Okie-doke. Got it.
I have a very gay neighbor who tells gay jokes all of the time. Will they be allowed to indulge?
I'll bet they said that sort of thing in canada, too, before they took away free speech.
I'm with Mr. Bean on this one.
Now you’ve gone and made me laugh until I wet myself. i’ll get you for this.
Barney Frank was sticking up for you the other day...and he was very proud of himself for doing it. Did you happen to catch it?
BTW, I remember thinking, "Way to go Barney. You just slandered every guy in America who pumps gas or turns wrenches. We're really feeling the love and tolerance out here in flyover country, aw shucks."
“Eskimo” by Corky and the Juice Pigs
I’m the only gay Eskimo
I’m the only one I know
I’m the only gay Eskimo
In my tribe
I go out seal hunting with my best friend Tarka
But all want to do is get into his parka
I’m the only gay Eskimo
In my tribe
Well me and Nukflukchukbuk
We both like blubber
But me I’ve got this crazy fetish for rubber
I’m the only gay Eskimo
In my tribe
I make a wish on the Northern Lights
That I can find a decent pair of whaleskin tights
I’m the only gay Eskimo
In my tribe
And the seals they sing now...
[seal noises]
These cold winter nights
Are taking their toll
I even get excited when I see the North Pole
See the North Pole...
I’m the only gay Eskimo
Only gay Eskimo
I’m the only one I know
The only one I know-oh-oh-oh
I’m the only gay Eskimo
In my tribe
Blue and greasy...purple and greasy...
220...221...whatever it takes...
Hey slings, check out post 149. Great minds...
Sorry I missed that although the idea of Barney Frank “sticking up” for any reason is something to be avoided. I don’t think anyone that liberal and morally bankrupt can help me in any way.
...think about gay eskimos, apparently. ;^)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqgnExSiS0s
click on pictureNew-Bruce, are you a Poofter?
Are you a Poofter?
No!
No. Right, I just want to remind you of the faculty rules:
Rule One! (Everyone) No Poofters!
Rule Two, no member of the faculty is to maltreat the Abbos in any way at all -- if there's anybody watching.
Rule Three? (Everyone) No Poofters!!
Rule Four, now this term, I don't want to catch anybody not drinking.
Rule Five, (Everyone) No Poofters!
Rule Six, there is NO ... Rule Six.
Rule Seven, (Everyone) No Poofters!!
Right, that concludes the readin' of the rules, Bruce.
Crack tubes!
Perhaps you could get him to move.
True! Trust me, I didn't mean that Barney was actually trying to help you. On the house floor the other day when they were passing the bil to insert sexual preference into the federal discrimination laws, Barney ran down a list of all the people he was trying to help with this bill, and one of the groups he mentioned was "guys working in gas stations who don't want to admit who they are because they'll be fired" or some such. Now, I don't know where you turn wrenches, but my Dad used to own a gas station, and I know neither he or my brothers, who worked for him gave a rat's patoot what kind of sex the help was into.
It was a hateful move by a hateful punk, playing on fear and steroetypes.
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