Tag Archives: hate speech

The fact remains; chauvinism is prevailing. — Emma Bonino

I lurk on the Facebook page of a Canadian queer activist. I never knew he existed until he appeared unexpectedly on my news feed. I am a liberal-minded man; I believe in liberalism, pluralism, and equality in law and opportunity instead of collectivism and diversity, equity and inclusion. I don’t like what he says, and I find his attitude and behaviour contemptible. He makes me think of my fieldwork when I studied the sociology of religion and religious studies at Queen’s University in the 1980s. I interacted with various Christian faith communities, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestants. I met many people, some of whom were the worst hypocrites. The man in question is the archetypal example of a religious hypocrite. His smug self-righteousness is insufferable. He reminds me of Jerry Falwell’s unctuous self-righteousness; he is unbearable. What is worse is his bigotry. He does not listen to his critics. He dismisses them as anti-queer chauvinists and haters, promptly blocking them. If push came to shove, he would happily try to cancel them.

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I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.–Voltaire

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Gavin Boby, a lawyer from the United Kingdom, and leader of the Law and Freedom Foundation is on a speaking tour in Canada. He is due to speak at the Ottawa Public Library tomorrow evening. Mr. Boby is a controversial figure as the Law and Freedom Foundation provides a free legal service for those who oppose mosque developments. Through his foundation he claims to have stopped the construction of 16 out of 17 mosques across Britain. Mr. Boby objects to the construction of mosques on the grounds that mosques act as bridgeheads within Western society for the advance of Islam. Mr. Boby maintains:

A mosque is not merely a place of worship. Islamic doctrine requires the application of Islamic law within its geographical reach. As homosexuals, Jews, and those attached to freedom of speech discover, Islamic law claims supremacy over the conduct of Muslims and non-Muslims alike. It mandates violence against those who resist it. British common law is clear that there can be no justification for: the preaching of sedition; claims that women, Jews, homosexuals or non-Muslims are inferior and can be abused; the call for persecution or murder of Muslim apostates. Continue reading