UNfree speech

I used to quite like the idea of the UN, that was until they tried to deny me the right to my most treasured pastime; criticising religion.

It's been in the works for a while, with a coalition of Islamic "voices", led by Saudi Arabia, lobbying the UN since 1999 against freedom of expression regarding Islam, but over the past year the UN Rapporteur, supposed defender of freedom of expression has been warming to the idea of taping the collective free world's mouth. A storm in a teacup has been brewing over this lately most notably concerning an article by Johann Hari, columnist for The Independent, questioning the UN Rapporteur "Why should I respect these oppressive religions?" on 28 January 2009:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated 60 years ago that "a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief is the highest aspiration of the common people". It was a Magna Carta for mankind – and loathed by every human rights abuser on earth. Today, the Chinese dictatorship calls it "Western", Robert Mugabe calls it "colonialist", and Dick Cheney calls it "outdated". The countries of the world have chronically failed to meet it – but the document has been held up by the United Nations as the ultimate standard against which to check ourselves. Until now.

Subsequently the article was reprinted by an Indian Newspaper; The Statesman, resulting in mass riots and the imprisonment of both the editor and publisher. Johann Hari has been told that he too will be imprisoned if he visits Calcutta. He has written a follow up article entitled Despite these riots, I stand by what I wrote in which he annunciates the opposition's argument:

A typical supporter of the riots, Abdus Subhan, said he was "prepared to lay down his life, if necessary, to protect the honour of the Prophet" and I should be sent "to hell if he chooses not to respect any religion or religious symbol? He has no liberty to vilify or blaspheme any religion or its icons on grounds of freedom of speech."

For commentaries on this check out Pat Condell's Rant on the subject or Lou Dobbs interviewing Christopher Hitchens on CNN.

Pat has an interesting idea, and that is to make a religion of free speech itself, and in doing so enshrine your free comments in the uncriticisable terms of religion. Lets hope no psychopaths decide to enshrine their beliefs in support of racism, mass murder, enslavement of women, oppression and genital mutilation in terms of a religion... then we're all in trouble.