Freedom of speech: another battle as the war erupts on the Irish front.

Kevin Myers has won a bitter victory against those who have tried to criminalize his views in Ireland.
Just under a year ago Mr. Myers wrote an article headlined ‘Africa is giving nothing to anyone — apart from AIDS’, a punchy attack on Western aid for Africa which included such though provoking extracts such as this:
But, [...]

Topless gay marriage opponent exposed as attractive young lady

You’ve got to feel sorry for Carrie Prejean. She dared to express a view – opposition to gay marriage – that is shared by the majority of Americans and by her president. For this she has been vilified and harassed.
Turns out she has had semi-naked photographs of herself wearing pink panties taken when [...]

More on Wilders / death of freedom

I am finding the reaction of the upper echelons of the Conservative party to the banning of Geert Wilders from entering the UK to be decidedly lacking.
George Osborne said (via Conservative Home):

“My personal view is by banning him [Wilders] in such a public way, he has been given far more publicity than would have been [...]

Firing Miliband in a theatre

Mark Steyn disembowels David Miliband's lazy argument against freedom of speech:

Here's a good rule of thumb: Anybody who cites the fire-in-a-crowded-theatre line is brain-dead and has given no thought to the matter. And any show called “Hardtalk” worthy of the name would have called Miliband on it. Apart from anything else, I'd wager he never [...]

Archbishop’s lecture – Religious Hatred and Religious Offence

Rowan Williams set out to discuss:

the social meanings of anti-religious language or behaviour

which is interesting. The first mistake he makes is where he describes a tension:

The liberal concern for the rights of minorities has been in tension with the liberal commitment to free speech 

where he confuses the traditional liberal concern that minorities should have the same [...]

Clare College cartoons – make up your own mind

Here is the offensive content that sparked the Clare College Mohammed cartoons controversy (hat tip: Pub Philosopher).
For what it's worth I think it's a pretty funny satirical take on the rioting following the publication of the Mohammed cartoons in the Danish newspaper jyllands posten. Some people seem to have problem with the implied 'rapist' comparisons [...]