' The debate about the limits of free speech is an old one, which we need now as much as ever. It is complex but I am clear where I stand - with the actor Rowan Atkinson, who once said “to criticise a person for their race is manifestly irrational and ridiculous. But to criticize their religion, that is a freedom, a right.” Nor, as he explained, is it a frivolous right, a licence to “gob off” but rather that “the freedom to criticise ideas, any ideas, even if they are sincerely held beliefs, is one of the fundamental freedoms of society.” '
No wheedling. No cowardly horseshit about true free speech being "responsible" Good for him.
Good for him; much better than Cameron and the woeful inanities he uttered. Clegg actually has a chance to potentially rehabilitate himself here in the eyes of voters, through the leadership he's so far demonstrated on this issue.
I'm now finding it hard to think how I wouldn't vote for him if I lived in Sheffield Hallam. But his liberal repeals need to go much further.
Yes: Clegg has been very good. I'm glad that I shall be voting for Majid Nawaz in my constituency because he too has been good on this.
Shirley Williams, Roy Hattersley, Germaine Greer - all of them disgraced themselves over the Rushdie affair. Christopher Hitchens was very good on this in his autobiography. He saw it as a touchstone issue on the question of freedom. And he was right. It was. And in Britain we woefully failed the test. And it is one reason why now we do not have enough TSEs and too many Anjem Choudhrys.
Cyclefree, you are by far the best poster on this site, keep up the good work.
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