So a couple of weeks ago I had a phone call from Sophie Walker (no relation) from the award winning student newspaper Nouse completely out of the blue.
This article (http://www.nouse.co.uk/2011/11/03/the-great-escape/) is the result of that conversation.
I won't dwell on what's said here, only that I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please feel free to leave a comment.
Saturday 5 November 2011
Thursday 3 November 2011
Protecting freedom of speech...
If you haven't heard yet, a French satirical magazine was petrol bombed yesterday destroying pretty much everything.
It happened just 24-hours after they published a picture of the Prophet Mohammed on their front cover and named him as editor.
If you've not read it yet you can find out more from the BBC here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-europe-15550350
So it's believed that the reason this magazine was quite literally burnt to the ground was because of this image. Now I'm not a religious man. I don't believe in any form of God or other "higher power". But I do believe that people should have the right to believe whatever they want.
I have no problem with people preaching their beliefs in public. It doesn't bother me in the slightest if people want to give me leaflets or knock on my door and tell me about their God.
But when people start fire bombing others in the name of that God it really ticks me off!
Yes they were offended. Yes it goes against Muslim law to show pictures of the Prophet. But look around at where you are.
This happened in Europe. The heart of the free-thinking World. A place where we have human rights, freedom of speech and equality no matter what your religion, creed or sexual orientation.
Europe isn't perfect, but I'm proud to be a European. I'm proud to be part of a melting pot for ideas from 26 countries that have 26 different views.
We ALL have the basic human right to think what we want and say what we like. Some will agree and others won't. But that doesn't mean it's ok to turn to violence if you feel offended.
I'm an atheist. But I don't go getting all up tight when Songs of Praise comes on the telly preaching Christian nonsense (to me it's nonsense). I don't go and fire bomb the BBC for broadcasting a programme that in my view is a lie and complete rubbish.
And you know what, I'm allowed to say I think it's complete rubbish just as much as my Christian friends think my atheism is complete rubbish because we are all free-thinking Europeans with different opinions.
I don't destroy my best mate's house because he owns a bible and he doesn't destroy mine because I lived with my wife for 10 years BEFORE we got married.
Nobody got hurt by this image being published and luckily no-one got hurt due to the fire bombing either.
If you can't cope being in a place that gives everyone the right to free speech just move to a country that better suits your needs. There are plenty of places that opporates without them, I'm sure they'd let you in.
It happened just 24-hours after they published a picture of the Prophet Mohammed on their front cover and named him as editor.
If you've not read it yet you can find out more from the BBC here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-europe-15550350
So it's believed that the reason this magazine was quite literally burnt to the ground was because of this image. Now I'm not a religious man. I don't believe in any form of God or other "higher power". But I do believe that people should have the right to believe whatever they want.
I have no problem with people preaching their beliefs in public. It doesn't bother me in the slightest if people want to give me leaflets or knock on my door and tell me about their God.
But when people start fire bombing others in the name of that God it really ticks me off!
Yes they were offended. Yes it goes against Muslim law to show pictures of the Prophet. But look around at where you are.
This happened in Europe. The heart of the free-thinking World. A place where we have human rights, freedom of speech and equality no matter what your religion, creed or sexual orientation.
Europe isn't perfect, but I'm proud to be a European. I'm proud to be part of a melting pot for ideas from 26 countries that have 26 different views.
We ALL have the basic human right to think what we want and say what we like. Some will agree and others won't. But that doesn't mean it's ok to turn to violence if you feel offended.
I'm an atheist. But I don't go getting all up tight when Songs of Praise comes on the telly preaching Christian nonsense (to me it's nonsense). I don't go and fire bomb the BBC for broadcasting a programme that in my view is a lie and complete rubbish.
And you know what, I'm allowed to say I think it's complete rubbish just as much as my Christian friends think my atheism is complete rubbish because we are all free-thinking Europeans with different opinions.
I don't destroy my best mate's house because he owns a bible and he doesn't destroy mine because I lived with my wife for 10 years BEFORE we got married.
Nobody got hurt by this image being published and luckily no-one got hurt due to the fire bombing either.
If you can't cope being in a place that gives everyone the right to free speech just move to a country that better suits your needs. There are plenty of places that opporates without them, I'm sure they'd let you in.
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