NOT since Bill Leak’s cartoon and the row over section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, has there been such a furore over freedom of speech or should I say the alleged abuse of freedom of speech.
Israel Folau, a great sportsman but naïve in politics, invited a penalty kick from the PC brigade, by calling for homosexuals to repent so as to avoid the torments of Hell.
In the current climate of right and wrong thoughts and attitudes, entering into the fray against the prevailing trend, is not for the faint hearted. I do so with care and trepidation, not to argue for or against Folau’s post, but to highlight a few objective criteria for fair minded people to consider.
Freedom of speech is at the core of Folau’s blog. Is freedom of speech absolute, or is it Caesar’s Rubicon, not to be crossed?
If there are parameters circumscribing freedom of speech, what are they and by whom and how are they set?
Is freedom of speech curtailed by not acting in a way that is in breach of the law? In Australia we have statutes that declare as illegal, discrimination in relation to race, age, sex (biological not orientation by preference) and disability.
In addition NSW has the Anti- Discrimination Act 1977 relating to discrimination in the workplace. Folau’s publication is not illegal under any legislation.
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
Is freedom of speech curtailed by not offending any person or class of persons? The absurdity of the prohibition of offending a person or class of persons imposed by section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, cannot be extended to situations not proscribed by the law.
Is freedom of speech curtailed by political correctness? In the absence of any other indicative factor, it at would appear that what has brought the sky crashing down over the head of Folau, is indeed, political correctness. After the overwhelming plebiscite for SSM, it is now indisputable that homosexuality is accepted by and large in our society.
If my contention is correct, it follows that our Christian fundamentalist, is being booted to damnation, for no other reason than the breaching of the parameters of political correctness.
Preceding the French Revolution, Voltaire famously declared “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death, your right to say it”.
Living as we do, in a free society, we tend not to be mindful that tyranny is nothing more than political correctness to the max.
PROTEST
Unlike I suspect, those outraged, I actually took a look at the offending post. Not one vociferous detractor mentioned that Folau did not confine his comments to homosexuals.
Folau called for repentance from a list of alleged offenders. Homosexuals were placed 2nd on a list of drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves and atheists.
Not even a whisper of protest from drunks, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves or atheists. Funny that.PC
– JurisDiction
AUTHOR: Juris Laucis is a Sydney-based barrister and member of the Liberal Party.
