tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post116087347962581524..comments2023-11-02T07:25:45.884-05:00Comments on Mormanity - a blog for those interested in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: The Intolerance of the Tolerant Ones: UK Offers a Glimpse at America's FutureJeff Lindsayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08776493593387402607noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1161033390845960832006-10-16T16:16:00.000-05:002006-10-16T16:16:00.000-05:00The Deseret News (in Utah) just did an article on ...The Deseret News (in Utah) just did <A HREF="http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,650198915,00.html" REL="nofollow">an article</A> on all of the state legislators and whether they lean Republican or Democrat. They did this by taking the <I>scores</I> given to them by 3 conservative and 3 liberal groups to get an average. The 3 liberal groups used were the Sierra Club, Equality Utah (an advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people), and the UEA (the largest teacher labor union in Utah).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1160971580023538422006-10-15T23:06:00.000-05:002006-10-15T23:06:00.000-05:00The police in the UK have routinely become involve...The police in the UK have routinely become involved in what would be considered fairly straightforward exercises of free speech in the US.<BR/><BR/>http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2006/08/there_is_no_rig.html<BR/><BR/><I>Artur Boruc, a Polish goalkeeper playing for with Celtic, has received a police caution for "a breach of the peace" after he made the sign of the cross during a game.</I><BR/><BR/>Note: it was a good deal more complicated, as the man in question also made other, obviously rude, hand gestures -- but the fact that the police got involved at all is evidence against the notion that just because the police are involved, it automatically means that the student was doing anything worthy of police intervention by US standards. Consider the fact that you can be for the <I>criminal</I> offense of racist speech at all in Britain -- and remember that in the US, pretty much any form of racist behavior shy of employment discrimination is considered protected speech, at least by the courts. This kid wasn't charged with assault or anything like that -- she was arrested for <I>racism</I>.<BR/><BR/>Also note that children in Britain can be and are routinely hit with ASBOs (they're a bit like restraining orders, but easier to get) that threaten years of imprisonment for, in specific cases, saying the word "grass" in public, going through their own front door (due to the neighbors feeling severely harassed by the child in question,) climbing trees, etc. Anyone can apply to have an ASBO placed on anyone else, and last time I checked, fewer than 5% were turned down. There are essentially no limits as to the terms of an ASBO.<BR/><BR/>All of which is, incidentally, a sign that we're just a teensy bit further from the path that Britain appears to be on than it might seem at first glance.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02190756095866274079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1160923244885923892006-10-15T09:40:00.000-05:002006-10-15T09:40:00.000-05:00My husband, who is in teacher's college, points ou...My husband, who is in teacher's college, points out that teachers are advised by the union not to talk to the press in matters like these until the situtation has been resolved. In that article we get only the student's side of things; we heard nothing from the teacher or the police involved. Maybe we should wait to pass judgement on how hysterical this reaction is until we've heard more? Personally, I think it's significant that the second teacher that the student encountered also disciplined her. It could be a liberal over-reaction (I don't know about England but here in Canada, some insanely high percentage of my husband's fellow teachers-to-be are very libral, to the point where I found a recent party to be rather oppressive) or it could be the student fudging details to make herself appear innocent.<BR/><BR/>(And again, I don't know about England but here I'd say the police are not exactly a bastion of liberals. That they got involved says something more I think.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1160917445191188442006-10-15T08:04:00.000-05:002006-10-15T08:04:00.000-05:00Perhaps the point might be made here that it is no...Perhaps the point might be made here that it is not the godless ACLU or the 'liberals' that are advocating the above but good old fashioned conservatives in the UK and the US?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7139169.post-1160878475018806012006-10-14T21:14:00.000-05:002006-10-14T21:14:00.000-05:00MAN this kind of stuff makes me want to hide under...MAN this kind of stuff makes me want to hide under my bed. It wouldn't do anything to prevent it, but still... Yeesh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com