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Rally for freedom of expression! There is a rally going to be held in Trafalgar Square between 2:00pm and 4:00pm on Saturday March 25th 2006, in support of freedom of expression. Be there and show your support! There is also going to be a similar rally in Berlin on the same day and hopefully others organised in various cities if a critical mass of interest can be attracted.
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Such a shame I can’t be there. I’ll think about the effort from Holland though!
What’s the status of this re the police? Will they be as courteous and protective as they were of the islamoloons?
I’m not sure how much good things like this do. I’ve read a lot of opinion pieces on the cartoon issue in the “moderate” islamic online press. And they are pretty much all identical. For free speech but not if it offends muslims. So they’re clearly baffled as to the issue. They then go on to draw comparisons to the holocaust, at which point I’m baffled.
One things for certain though. Red Ken won’t be there.
PS. Like the graphic. I like the idea of millions of Lego people marching for freedom.
I’m sure the police will be courteous and protective. I have been on a great many marches of one sort or another, and have never found the police anything but. I wish the same could always be said for one’s fellow marchers, but there you go.
I remember the rally against the CJB that turned into a riot. I got scared of the mood of the protesters and left, long before the police waded in.
Funny thing marchs. My Girlfriend witnessed a big anti-globalization one in London a few years ago. She said a loads of them had stopped off at Oxford St. Starbucks and were holding lattes etc in one hand and placards in the other.
Anyway, it looks like Danish resolve might be crumbling…
http://washingtontimes.com/world/20060312-111634-7224r.htm>
Note the use of the currently ubiquitous word “respect”. Everyone is using it. Blair, drug-dealers involved in a shoot-out in Salford… It’s everywhere. And of course, lovely George Galloway.
RESPECT is (apparently) a backronym of “Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community, Trade unionism”. Some wags have re-jigged that as “Recently Expelled Scottish Politician Endorses Communist Tyranny”.
Sorry the link is such a pig’s breakfast – it’s possibly the fault of Firefox.
I love the graphic. The one with the bow tie looks like my father-in-law!
I never thought I would live to hear about a proposed gathering/march/rally is support of ‘Freedom of Expression’ in the UK.
What’s next?……….supporting ‘Freedom to Breathe’?
BER-loody hell…………we HAVE come a long way, haven’t we?
If that’s the famous one I think it is in 2001 or 2002 the police corralled all the protestors into several streets, blocked them off with vans and barriers and kept the protestors there for 4 hours in the rain. IIRC the famous quote from someone attempting to sue the Met afterwards was, “I told the officer we all needed to use the lavatory but he laughed and told us to use the Starbucks cups instead”.
This is a deeply racist poster. All the little Lego people are visibly white or sallow orientals. Don’t they do Legoids of colour, like African American Barbie?
The organisers of this march will be taken in for questioning.
Julian,
I think it is. It’s the one which involved an impromptu kick-about at Oxford Circus.
A thought experiment for those who believe in absolute freedom of speech.
1. Let us assume that Muslim preachers call for the adoption of Sharia law (including an act making gomorrhy and extramarital jiggy-jig a capital offence).
2. Let us assume that approximately 45% the voters would welcome Sharia law and the execution of all gomorrhites and extramarital jiggy-jiggers, while 45% of the voters are opposed to such law and 10% are ‘don’t knows’.
3. Let us assume that over half of the ‘don’t knows’ are likely to be persuaded by the Muslim arguments, if they get the opportunity to hear them.
4. Let us assume that the present government is in a position to criminalise the expression of these Muslim views, and that as a result of censorship the ‘don’t knows’ are somewhat more likely to vote against the adoption of Sharia law.
Would any of you really be in favour of free speech if censorship of pro-Sharia opinion would help prevent the adoption of Sharia law?
Yes, I do not want to stop what people say, only what they do. I would not stop someone advocating Sharia however I would be quite prepared to kill to stop it being implemented.
You would fall into the same trap as those european nations which have made it holocaust denial a crime. You leave the door open to someone to say, “Why them and not us?”
Freedom of speech is an absolute right to be defended for all people at all times, even those who speech makes you want to walk to a kerb and spew your lunch.
Carola Obscura: What a strange posting.
Fuck you. DO NOT INSULT PEOPLE ON THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY. banned
Carola Obscura or whatever:
Have you stopped beating your wife/husband?
Alorac or whatever:
P.S. What an unmitigated load of crap.
It does not trump libel laws at all as far as I am concerned as you will soon discover as I consider sueing you for defaming me, jackass. However to liken that to ‘not believing in freedom of expression’ is like saying because I do not think you have a right to run someone over with your car I am therefore against the freedom of people to drive down streets.
But you are most likely a troll in anycase and not worth debating with.
Why do people get hung up on the marginal cases? Life is 99% obvious. The legal system has an extremely intricate set of rules to clear up whether a particular expression poses a physical danger to anyone or not. But for most people in most situations, that’s pretty obvious. When people stop using their common sense about it, the slippery slope starts assuming a steeper angle. And “physical danger” is one heck of a lot easier to define than “respect”.
It is the haircuts of the Legofolk that I love. Very 80s.
Oh how I’d love to come across for that… sure we can’t have a free speech day Perry?
I do hope we have a nice turnout for it. It would be rather sad if the purveyors of hate and intolerance pull more numbers than those who stand for freedom of thought and speech.
AID, I already think it’s rather sad that British people are suddenly expected to demonstrate for constitutional rights they and their ancestors have enjoyed for 800 years.
Verity: The thought behind my first posting on this thread…………….maybe…just maybe, it’s an indication that someone has realized that things aren’t quite what they should be? Who knows. It’s unfortunate that rallies ‘for’ something seldom get the attendance of those ‘against’ .
That such a gathering is deemed necessary is a sad indication of the state we are in. Those who attend will, at least, be attempting a positive ‘wake-up call’ & I wish them every success. That those who should listen will hear is another matter.
Agreed, permanent expat – but those marching, however many, won’t be a patch on those staying home and watching the telly and those out at the footy who honestly don’t give a shit.
And the state broadcasting company won’t show it honestly, anyway. And all the ensuing “discussion” programmes will make the marchers out to be a bunch of mild, good natured loonies. Britain is screwed.
I have no sympathy, because they let it happen. We shouldn’t forget that. It didn’t happen over their dead bodies. It happened over their reality programmes and “Do you want fries with that?” and their Tesco loyalty cards.
Verity, for fuck’s sake… What are you, some kinda professional mourner for the United Kingdom? If this march wasn’t taking place, you’d be asking “why not?”. As it is taking place, you mock it. Damned if we do, damned if we don’t.
Please inform us which particular utopia free from reality shows, loyalty cards and a McEconomy you live in. Some of us might want to move there.
It would be interesting to meet any Samizdata readers who are going to this rally. Drop me an e-mail (see either sidebar for the address) if you intend to go.
Out of curiosity. Could somebody attending the rally try to count the exact number of participants (well, to the nearest 100) — and let us know the results?
Thanks in advance,
Eurostatistician
AID, the numbers game is iffy because the number of people who would like to be there but can’t because they are employed far outweighs the rent a mobs with their thuggish, murderous placards turning up outside Danish embassies after they’ve been to the welfare offices to pick up their assorted doles.
In other words the productive people are supporting the parasites bent on destroying us. However, that does not mean the productives are indifferent and the tipping point is fast approaching if not already upon us.
They need money for march insurance and advertising. If you can’t participate in the march, you can at least drop a few quid their way via PayPal. They have a PayPal button on their site, all major credit cards accepted.
Go and donate!
Millie Woods – Interesting. I am of the opinion that we have passed the tipping point and no one noticed, or cared. But I would be interested in your thinking.
I’d love to join you but I’ll be indulging in some Traditional English Culture at the Bristol Beer Festival. Making the most of it before the Stasi Scheisse ban beer on the grounds that it costs the Health Service money.
Thanks for the heads up Perry. My pipe will be there and I’ll be accompanying it.
I will be there that is for damn sure. We could all for a beevie afterwards at a local hostelry. I recomend the Chandos.
Shall I tootle along and give you a tutorial in race realism and collective genetic interests at the Cockney Pride, Perry? You can show me your new spaceship in return.