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.
What’s going on here? A gay thread without an Erik Estrada pic?
A gerbil walked into a habitrail...
They need to get right to meat of it all and just make it illegal to make jokes about politicians! Make it illegal to disagree with a politician! We have got to have harmony!! There is just too much negative speech out there. All we need are the proper laws and enough prison space to change the world!!
There is actually one other gay in the village. He just doesn’t want this guy to know.
I was banned for a few days once here on FR for using the word “feces” on a gay thread. I’ll never do that again....
Just-for-fun PING! ;)
I didn’t know this was from a show but the photo looked very British (for a variety of reasons). I love their humor and this sounds pretty funny.
Long past time they stamped out the UK government.
Come on! Even the gays who see that picture are thinking, “Nope! Would NOT hit it!”
Although he DOES kind of look like Hillary...so maybe Bill would hit him.
“More nonsensical attempts to legitimize perverted homosexual behaviour and criminalize anyone who comments about the nature of the perversity.”
God dealt with the queers in Sodom and Gomorrah - cooked their perverted @$$e$ with fire and brimstone.
You owe me a new keyboard!!
That is hilarious in the context of this thread.
LOL. I hadn’t thought about Little Lotta in years. Spot on! as they say in England.
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