The claim a New Zealand academic’s latest book has been banned may be a little over-egged, but a publisher’s interpretation of international hate speech laws is an interesting example of the current global tensions between free speech and hate speech. Read more
Posts Tagged ‘free speech’
It’s not the state’s role to decide which ideas are right or wrong
Monday, June 24th, 2019
Following the Christchurch massacre, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced a review of our hate speech laws. Little wants the review to focus on “whether our laws properly balance the issues of freedom of speech and hate speech”. He seems to want a bob each way on this question. On the one hand, he has defended free Read more
After the vigils and prayers, what next?
Thursday, March 21st, 2019
Some people are starting to ask hard questions about what will happen next. Will the nation just “move on”? “We will condemn this horrifying act of violence as extreme and out of the ordinary, we will come together as a nation and hold vigils, and we will try to move on from this tragic incident,” Read more
Contempt has no place in free speech debate
Monday, August 20th, 2018
It’s often said that when America sneezes, the world gets a cold. In the time of Trump, it means we might worry that when America gets a little crazy, the rest of the world might go mad. In years past, New Zealand’s geographical isolation provided a measure of natural immunity to foreign viruses. Today, however, Read more
Move to ban prolife club judged unconstitutional
Monday, October 9th, 2017
A provisional decision to disaffiliate ProLife Auckland from the Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) will not proceed after legal advice found the move to be unconstitutional and void. In August, an online referendum was held that contained a double question: “Should AUSA disaffiliate the ProLife Club and ban any clubs with similar ideology from affiliating in the Read more
Jesus would be banned from UK universities: Oxford prof
Friday, June 3rd, 2016
Counter terrorism law and a trend of student “safe spaces” would see Jesus Christ banned from speaking at UK universities today, an Oxford professor says. Professor Timothy Garton Ash, a professor of European Studies, made this comment while warning that universities must “hold the line” against the “salami slicing” of free speech. At a festival in Read more
Does free speech give you the right to gratuitously insult?
Tuesday, August 11th, 2015
“The problem with defending free speech is that if you go to bat for the dead and heroic cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo, you also have to defend Hollywood’s right to make jokes about killing the leader of North Korea and a daft heavy metal band’s right to insult a chunk of the public simply because Read more
Vatican paper slams Texas event that depicted Mohammed
Friday, May 8th, 2015
The Vatican’s newspaper has criticised an event in Texas featuring caricatures of Islam’s prophet Mohammed, at which there was violence. On Sunday, two gunmen, Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, allegedly shot and wounded a security guard near the Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest at Garland, Texas. The two gunmen were subsequently killed by local police. Media Read more
French bishops refuse to sign Charlie Hebdo declaration
Friday, February 20th, 2015
France’s Catholic Church has refused to sign a media declaration that challenges faith groups to give unreserved support for free speech. The declaration, proposed by the group Reporters without Borders (RSF), came after French religious leaders last week backed free speech, but stated it had to be exercised responsibly. The issue comes in the wake Read more
Mayor demands pastors turn over sermons
Tuesday, October 21st, 2014The city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a group of pastors turn over any sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity or Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. And those ministers who fail to comply could be held in contempt of court. “The city’s subpoena of sermons and other pastoral communications is both Read more