Reading University Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society was forced to remove a “blasphemous pineapple” named Mohammed as a form of hateful or discriminatory speech. The pineapple was intended to spark debate over whether
The Reading University Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society (RAHS) took part in the fair on Wednesday, in order to to “encourage discussion about blasphemy, religion, and liberty.”
The society named the pineapple Mohammed “to celebrate the fact that we live in a country in which free speech is protected, and where it is lawful to call a pineapple by whatever name one chooses.” It appears that that is not true when it comes to fruit bearing the prophet’s name. The group was told by the Reading University Student Union that, due to complaints, the pineapple would have to go . . . or at least go by a different name. The society refused but it did re-name the pineapple . . . as Jesus.
The society was then set upon by a group which took the pineapple’s name tag and the society was then forced to leave the event.
Nick Cook, vice-president of student activities at Reading University, insisted that the act of censorship was justified in order to guarantee “all students feel welcome and included in all of our activities.”
It was the classic confrontation between free speech and discrimination laws. The interesting thing is that religious organizations are increasingly being accused of violating discriminatory views, as discussed in this column. Would Muslim or Christian groups be barred for discussing view of homosexuality as a sin or, in some groups, professing the divine basis for limiting rights of women? This was clearly designed to be a provocative display and quickly led to a confrontation with what was described as five Muslim students. One approach is to say that the society could have raised the issue of blasphemy without the insulting display. Yet, the society wanted to show that what is blasphemous to some is a joke to others. What do you think?
Source: Huffington Post
Source:
Lona,
Glad you corrected the misconception that the cartoonist is dead. Our Swedish counterpart, who calls himself an artist, is now in New York promoting himself at a Free Speech convention.
He was the one who did Mohammed as a “roundabout dog”.
But I will quote you and take issue with:
“None of my family or friends or colleagues , approved of the drawings ! we all approve of freedom of speech ! but there is and must be an invisible line drawn to what is in acceptable taste and respectable.”
The same basic argument has been used against many things: pornography, art, and many writers works, etc.
If we restrict oursefves to what you or anyone thinks is “respectable”, then we no longer have free speech, but censorship.
After many years, the CENSOR agency for films has been terminated.
One step more toward free speech here.
Malisha,
“Malisha
1, October 5, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Idealist, because I don’t know what an arsle is!”
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Arsle is the english word for a55hole, used to distinguish from asses used for labor along with natives in the colonies. Such being necessary and both common in male conversation.
id707,
“That value system is generally called Judeo-Christian, thus my saying that they were relevant as a basis of our law system. And one can make all the formal bla-bla you wish about Englinh common law, all laws have been based on religion.”
Thus you saying they were relevant as a basis of our “law system” was simply a statement of your ignorance. Our legal system’s basis is exactly as mespo stated and I elaborated upon: English common law with just a touch of civil law. It’s simply the facts of the matter whether you like it or not. If you had even an ounce of reputable legal training, you’d know this.
The rest of your drivel is simply that and a fine display of your pathological portrayal of yourself as victim. I don’t give a rat’s ass if you want to “reprove” mespo or not. He’s a big boy and he can handle your off-kilter nonsense himself and however he sees fit. I do care, however, when you are making a statement about the law that is factually wrong. If you have a problem with being corrected on that matter by those with the training and experience to know what you are saying is nonsense, then that would entirely be your problem. By analogy, if you entered a room with a bunch of heart surgeons in it and said “The human heart is a small monkey with a bicycle pump”, would you be surprised to be corrected? Or would you whine about how one of the doctors said something to someone in a way didn’t approve of? Full knowing that your approval or disapproval of their speech is irrelevant in the first place?
“So your quibbles are ridiculous and serve as an excuse for attacking. And a diversion from my main point: religion is on the march again to with force of law, dictate our morals, thoughts and deeds.”
Your beef with mespo is completely irrelevant to you being factually wrong. I don’t care about “your point”. Quite frankly, I don’t pay attention to 80% of what you say because it’s drivel and/or irrelevant. However, it is not a quibble ridiculous or otherwise to attack the factual nature of an assertion but especially when that assertion underpins “your point”. A lie by material misrepresentation of the facts on your part is a valid reason to “attack” your statements as factually false. If you don’t like being told you’re wrong, stop being wrong, otherwise, suck it up.
Or sulk and pout and stomp your feet some more.
I really don’t care about your response either way.
Rafflaw,
You of course are excepted from this implied query.
“I won’t ask you what you and yours have done in fighting these wars. Don’t want to embarrass you.”
Mess Poo, GeneH, Rafflaw
GeneH and “me too boy” Rafflaw come to support their bully gang buddy Mess Poo.
They are bearing false placards, they claim my facts are wrong, and they want solely to correct them and support Mess Poo. Was Mess Poo’s comment weak, poorly put, why this need for me-too-ism and “let’s vote on it” intimations.
For the first, Mess Poo corrected me solely to exact revenge for the reproval he received from me recently. It hurt him. Vendetta!
Why did I reprove him? Simple, he attacked a greiving soldier-mom who came here to plead her onn’s case.
That attack, although guised in “with all due respect, but I spit on you anyway” is clearly morally reprehensible.
What’s more is that Mess Poo used a miserable excuse of an article from CBS, composed of leaked police interrogation material, hearsy and opinion from other ex-parte persons, and the victim’s father still in denial.
The clear purpose of the article was to assert a negative influence against the mother’s son. The material it contained was not worth crap as evidence.
Thus Mess Poo used BS to demean her son and in turn her.
Here is what I wrote to Mess Poo.
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92 idealist707
1, October 3, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Messpo,
As a lawyer (I presume) and a GB, do you buy stories relayed by CBS or any news media?
Do you buy redacted, and edited interrogation material from police leaks? From parts speaking in their own behalf, trying to get free? From ex-parte people with what axes to grind, what old grudges to pay back, from fathers still in denial stages?
You sir, are a joke if you do.
Do you always fail to see the real culpables here? That is to say the people that sent him there, kept him there, and made him into what he became.
Frankly I don’t care where the truth of this single deed lies, because it lies not with these soldiers.
It is a tragedy, and the rest of the nation and you too bear the blame.
Are you blaming the PTSD’s, the mentally deranged former soldiers, the soldier suicides?
Wonder what you did after Vietnam when the vets were being spat upon? Did you spit too?
You are a true patriot. Did they name the law after you? Guess not, there are so many like you who are willing to send other mens sons there.
Rafflaw’s son who was there could maybe enlighten you. If light can help you.
How’re your civilian killing drones doing today?
Has your police dept. got some yet? The ones with the Gatlings mounted?
Billie is just one of thousands of sorrowing mothers, and some fathers too.
Is a folded flag and the sight of war billionaires compensation for those losses?
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Regarding my allleged mistake n providing a correct histoey of our law system, etc. The challenge is just a smoke screen, a display of effetery, and an attempt to mislead from the thrust of my comment.
1) Whatever the basis of our law system, it is a corrupt mess today.
2) It is not improved by the Christian flank*s successes in imposing their religious values on it.
That value system is generally called Judeo-Christian, thus my saying that they were relevant as a basis of our law system. And one can make all the formal bla-bla you wish about Englinh common law, all laws have been based on religion. Religion rapidly became handmaiden, or rather warrior to the center of power. And it bargained its customes, beliegs, etc to be a part of the law system.
So your quibbles are ridiculous and serve as an excuse for attacking. And a diversion from my main point: religion is on the march again to with force of law, dictate our morals, thoughts and deeds.
Start off and defend Mess Poo’s attack against the war mother Bonnie. I won’t ask you what you and yours have done in fighting these wars. Don’t want to embarrass you.
There is no point in giving up our free speech because some intolerant religos in another country want to kill us for it. If it was Muhammed today it will be something else tomorrow. The answer in some of these people’s minds is to kill, or destroy whenever someone offends them, so with that mindset there is never going to be a time where they will accept anything less so from us.
So to those othewise well meaning people who want to capitulate and cave in to these tyrrants’ demands, wait until you want to fly a kite, dance to loud music, worship in a church, or dress in a manner different from some arbitrary dress code some religious official conjures up; remember that people have been murdered for doing these things as well. Where does it end?
At what point do you want to submit to the will of evil men and give up your life as you know it? Better in my mind to just conitinue living our lives as WE HAVE A RIGHT TO. If they don’t like it Tough. This is our country not theirs. They will either get used to it or not, I don’t care if they don’t. I am not giving up my civil rights for anybody. Not them, not gov’t officials here. If they want to be respectable members of modern society, then they can act like it, and not expect everyone to cave to their outdated political beliefs.
Oro,
You are correct. That Spanish smattering is actually the same influence as the civil law found in Louisiana as both the French and the Spanish civil law systems are derived from Roman law. It’s one of the concepts though that has managed to spread to other more “purely derived” common law states though.
“[Y]ou would all be dead within 48 hours if you typed this nonsense in Tehran”
So what’s the point — we should NOT strive to live up to our American ideals? We just need to be half a percentage point (.51%) better than the other guy? Being a hair better than an arsehole doesn’t keep one from being an arsehole — only just a hair better.
“Our American laws and legal system are squarely based on English Common Law. End of story.”
Along with a large smattering of Spansih law — community property and what not — in some southwest and western states.
Did the Prophet Mohammed really marry a nine year old girl and have sex with her at that ripe old age? Inquiring minds want to know. If he did then he is not a pineapple head and unlike Steve Jobs he cannot take the money with him into the beyond or next life or life as a dog.
bettykath,
I didn’t say I thought paganism was a sin, but I was using the Ten Commandments as a joke template. Which you’re right, I shouldn’t have had to explain that. However, if I’m willing to make fun of Christians it is only rational and consistent that I’m willing to make fun of pagans. In this case, I wasn’t though. I was making fun of Christians and their judgments of what is and is not sin, including blasphemy which is also against the Ten. In another context though, I would indeed make fun of pagans. I know I would. I’ve seen me do it. And for the same reason I make fun of any and all religions: if your god(s) can’t take a joke, then they aren’t much of a god, are they? Anything that can’t laugh at itself doesn’t need be in charge of important things like gravity and electromagnetism.
What would John Locke do…….
Gene,
In the original post, Malisha said,
Blasphemous pineapple
adulterous cantaloupe
pagan pomegranate
murderous cucumber
ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS ❗
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I suggested that the pagan pomegranate was not like the others b/c “pagan” isn’t a sin, while the other adjectives are. Or are you intolerant of pagans? Their beliefs, imo, are at least as valid as those of the religions that spout the The Commandments.
Geeesh, some things get lost when you have to explain.
Hi. I read the posts here all day, you would all be dead within 48 hours if you typed this nonsense in Tehran. That is truth.
Women would have their ovaries cut out while they watches and men would not be men anymore. This is not some religious person telling you this… just be proud that you live here and you can say what you want in peace.
Don’t doubt what I say. Just read about this beautiful person, read her books or Google her to understand that your “American” way of life will be over soon unless you educate yourself.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Devil-Dont-Know-ebook/dp/B006X50RCW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349151310&sr=1-1&keywords=the+devil+we+don%27t+know
Peace,
Paul
This would actually be funny if it weren’t so pathetic! First Sponge Bob and now a pineapple?
What Gene said about Mespo’s origins of American law.
Apparently having a sense of humor or proportion isn’t part of the rainbow.
Reading University Atheist, Humanist and Secularist Society is simply behaving like a pack of morons. Absolutely no ability to carry on an intelligent conversation but instead resort to these childish pranks. Grow up.
murderous cucumber
the cucumber was framed. zucchini did it.
Idealist, because I don’t know what an arsle is! 🙄