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Det lader til at den engelske lov om forbud mod kritik af - især - islam,
ikke kom igennnem Underhuset som Blair ville have det. Man vedtog den med de
ændringer som Overhuset havde foreslået 288 mod 278, hvis kilden er korrekt.


Der er nogle gode argumenter fra mr Bean, til den store demonstration imod
vedtagelsen af loven i dag tirsdag, - argumenter for hvorfor det skal være
lovligt at gøre grin med religioner og religiøs praksis.

Fra the Independent:



Ministers have tabled amendments deleting changes put in place by the Lords.

These would have restricted the new offence of inciting religious hatred to
threatening words and behaviour rather than a wider definition also covering
insults and abuse.

They would also have required the offence to be intentional and specify that
proselytising, discussion, criticism, insult, abuse and ridicule of
religion, belief or religious practice would not be an offence.

Atkinson, speaking at a Westminster press conference yesterday, said
religions must be open to the "widest critique" and that an attempt by the
Government to distinguish between the believer and belief was doomed to
failure.

"From a comedian's point of view, you cannot make a joke about a belief or
practice without characterising it in human form," he said.

"Every joke has a victim and with a religious joke, it is bound to be a
practitioner, even if the target is the practice."

He added: "In my opinion, freedom of expression is about being allowed to
cause trouble, or create discomfort, or offence, as long as your words or
behaviour are not threatening."

Atkinson said "ridiculous, outmoded or hateful" religious practices needed
to be criticised and exposed and the followers of such a religion, should,
rather than seek immunity from such attacks "defend them, justify them, or
correct them".

"What is so frustrating for the creative community is the intransigence of
the Government on this issue when the amendment proposed by the Lords is
such a workable compromise."

Labour backbench MP Bob Marshall-Andrews QC, appearing alongside the
Blackadder star, said that it posed identical dangers to those of proposals
outlawing the encouragement of terrorism.

There would be a chilling effect on areas such as publishing and
performance.

"An extraordinary society will emerge in which almost every form of
prurience from Big Brother onwards will be tolerated whilst serious
political journalistic comment, leaders, plays and creative writings which
reflect these critical issues of terrorism or religion will effectively be
outlawed," he said.


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Shadow Attorney General Dominic Grieve said while Britain was becoming more
multicultural and more diverse, this should take place within the framework
that people "must accept that things will be said about them and their
religious beliefs that are quite unpleasant".

Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society,
said: "Had the Government's proposals been in place during the Satanic
Verses controversy, the crowd would be baying for Salman Rushdie's
prosecution for incitement to religious hatred, which is to carry a maximum
sentence of seven years."

Andrea Minichello Williams, of the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, said that
some Christians were concerned about the possibility that by describing
Christ as the only way to God they could be caught under the new law.

She said 5,000 or more were expected at today's demonstration, led by
members of black churches.