Orwell Lives: Britain and Canada Persecute Thought Crimes

Newsmax.com ^ | 8-13-03 | Carl Limbacher

[Paul Atreides]

George Orwell's prophecy of a power-crazed government persecuting citizens' thought crimes continues to come alive. Judges in Manchester have banned a Brit from saying "Paki" for the rest of his life and threatened him with five years in prison if he does.

Michael Guilfoyle, 31, is believed to be the first person in the United Kingdom to be banned from using a particular word under an "anti-social behavior" order, the Independent reported. "He could also be prosecuted for behaving anti-socially or using insulting or abusive, including homophobic, language."

Guilfoyle is accused of making mean phone calls to council officials about a housing application, calling one officer a "Paki bitch" and another a "homo."

Basil Curley, a councilman, said: "Let there be no doubt in people's minds: Manchester Housing will take action against tenants, their children and visitors if they use racist language or threatening behavior."

A spokesman for the human rights group Liberty denounced the decree as "bad law" and said, "Using the word Paki to incite racial violence is clearly an illegal act, but chatting among your friends in the pub is a very different matter."

Britain is hardly the only country trying to eradicate thought crimes. Parade magazine recently reported that the Rev. Jerry Falwell has to create a censored version of his religious broadcasts for Canada because otherwise he could be prosecuted for offending homosexuals.

[Paul Atreides]

I've noticed that the more liberal the society, the more restricted that society becomes.

[SunStar]

"Using the word Paki to incite racial violence is clearly an illegal act, but chatting among your friends in the pub is a very different matter."

Hmm... I read the article and didn't see any mention of violence, racial or otherwise.

[TexanToTheCore]

I think our Brits have lost their bloody minds. It is time to take back your government.

[LiteKeeper]

INTREP

[Snuffington]

I've noticed that the more liberal the society, the more restricted that society becomes.

There's nothing terribly liberal about modern leftists. They just coopted the word. It's another Orwellian example.

[Paul Atreides]

"Freedom" really is slavery, with them.

[Old Sarge]

How much of this has already happened to us in America, indeed, even on the Web?

Here, it's just a heavily penalized social taboo, and not on the books, but Geez, in England, it's actually on paper?

Ungoodthinkers, all of us.

[DonQ]

I have heard the word "Paki" used on TV ... I think on Law & Order, and possibly some other programs.

DOes anyone in Britain monitor the expressions used in gatherings or media conducted in foreign languages -- let's say, just to pick something entirely at random, in Arabic papers and in mosque sermons -- that, if uttered in English, would constitute a violation??! If not, why not?

[Uncle Miltie]

I believe I quote another Freeper when I say: Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki Paki

PAKI!

[Chewbacca]

What happens if he gets a dog and names it Paki?

[Paul Atreides]

ROOM 101!

[A Navy Vet]

So what happens if he calls a Britain a Brit? Or a Scottish person a Scot?

[Paul Atreides]

You can never, I repeat NEVER, say anything even remotely insulting to a person of European origin, unless it pertains to the person's sexual preferences or (liberal) politics.

The sooner that you realize that some people are more equal than others, the better off you, and the world, will be.

[Paul Atreides]

When I say never, I mean that there is no way that a white European can be insulted, since whites, by virtue of being white, are racists and homophobes. Anything negative said about them, is deserved. The same goes for white Americans.

[mtbopfuyn]

PAKI!

Oooh, I'm taking names and gonna tell the teacher you said a 4 letter word. ;)

[A Navy Vet]

"The same goes for white Americans."

Actually, that would be white heterosexual male Americans.

[NavyCaptain]

"Paki, Paki, Paki" Put me in jail!

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Essentially that's what we have here(hate speech).Constitutionally,you cannot have a hate speech law because it violates the first amendment.The people who hear it and claim to be offended(phoney)deserve to be offended.

[Big Mack]

I have still yet to find the part in the constitution or bill of rights the gives one the right not to be offended.

[u-89]

The below poster is a real government current issue annoucment at a London bus stop.