The Family Research Council has kindly alerted me to a proposed new hate crime law in the UK. Here's how Tony "A Boy's Best Friend is His Mother" Perkins sees the situation:
British Government Backs 7-Years in Jail for 'Hatred' of Homosexuals
Britain's ruling Labo[u]r Party government has announced plans to introduce a new "hate crimes" law that would result in jail terms of up to seven years (more than the average penalty for rape) for "incitement to hatred" against homosexuals. The law is not limited to people who commit violent acts or incite violence, but the Justice Ministry claims the law "would not prohibit criticism of gay, lesbian and bisexual people" -- as long as it done in a "temperate way," said one homosexual activist. What constitutes "hatred" or "invective" as opposed to "temperate" speech is in the eye of the beholder.
That's pretty standard language for FRC, but what I find interesting is the Times' description of the law (emphasis added):
Under the proposal it would be considered a crime to incite hatred against homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and heterosexual people. Mr Straw said: “It is a measure of how far we have come as a society in the past ten years that we are now appalled by hatred and invective directed at people on the basis of their sexuality. It is time for the law to recognise this.”
Well, that's certainly some comprehensive legislation. It will, one assumes, remain legal to incite hatred against someone based on socioeconomic status or choice of football club. This also raises the hope that London's roving gangs of heterosexual-bashing gay thugs will finally be reigned in, giving straight Britons the peace of mind they've so desperately sought over the years.
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