do you want to i hear the news that i heard in britain today?

Question

they are bringing a new law out that abusive behaviour (inc verbal) against LGBT's in a homophobic or biphobic manner is going to be illegal! thoughts please?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=486452&in_page_id=1770&ito=1490

diane: i thought that why not the transgendered? i think T's have a long way to go and i'm supporting you all!! xx

Answer 1

i still dont trust the politicians ,Britain is getting more like a Communist state every day,talk about big brother watching you i think its like 1984 here now,(the book)

Answer 2

i'd heard of that but i didn't know it was today. i think it's about time really, most other 'groups' have a law to prevent inciting hatred and violence...so why not us. actually, it was probably long overdue i think, but like diane said, it hasn't yet been extended to include transpeople...which probably means it won't for a while, a least five years i should think. there was some online petition to get them to include us as well in the legislature, but i can't remember where it is, and i guess they ignored it anyway...

but i think it's a big step forwards in reducing discrimination and abuse of people who didn't have much protection. i look forward to seeing how it turns out.

seven years is pretty harsh though, i think.

~edit
s4somersault, that's the stupidest thing i've heard today. keep it up, maybe someone will listen?

~edit, again
does anyone here actually know what communism is? communist doesn't mean totalitarian, and how would it be communist anyway?

Answer 3

It's about time they proposed such a law. Inciting homophobic hatred puts people's lives in danger thanks to some idiot thinking that it is acceptable to spark hatred on minorities.
I'm pretty sure they'll pass it, the British government seem to be more intelligent than the American and seeing as Britain is 44% athiest (from 2001 statistics, its more like 60+% now) religious fundamentalist have little influence or control over parliment.
I hope they do, then the BNP can be thrown in prison! yAy! :D

Answer 4

It would have been nice if they had included transgender and transsexual people from the start, rather than 'POSSIBLY' extending it to cover us.

Of course, the religious fundamentalists will oppose it (they always do) and it probably won't get through the House of Lords without being watered down, but it's a step in the right direction.

["nkingdom2005"; nothing in the proposed legislation will prevent anyone from stating their views; only abusive statements, or incitement to hatred, will be illegal. If you can make your case rationally and politely, you have nothing to worry about.]

Answer 5

How are you going to change people with laws? There is a law against killing people. It hasn't stopped us from killing each other.
Laws are only laws. They look real good on paper, but what happens when the people making them are the ones that are breaking them?
If you are gay, of ethnic origin, or handicapped or anything that brings scorn you need to get thicker skin because you can't change haters.
Ignorance is the seed that causes hate. How will we change that? Children raised in ignorance will become haters. We as a people have to change the beginning. Can we?

Answer 6

I AM 100% GAY AS HECK and I think that's a DUMB law. Why? Because are fathers said we are entitled to free speech, and we should generally be able to say what we want. Why do we have free speech? Actually that needs to be asked the other way, do you think we would have all the freedoms we have today without free speech? ABSOLUTELY NOT! It's a terrible law, tooooooo much government is what I say, and not enough smart people to back important things like the free markets i.e. stocks commodities etc. not enough politicians understand economic matters either.

Answer 7

Good idea, but I hear some religious groups want to make sure their right to speech is not infringed by it. Hah! Some speech should not be protected. When will derisive calls of 'f*g' be treated the same as yelling 'Fire' in a crowded theatre?

Answer 8

Tellingly, homosexuality has been open and accepted in Great Britain for quite some time, so it's not surprising that their laws are more sympathetic. They simply are more acquainted with known homosexuals and what it means to be gay or lesbian. They do poke fun at their "poofters", but it tends to be more gentle and less derisive.

It's also highly relevant that the fundamentalist Christians who are so responsible for our homophobia fled Europe en masse to found our American colonies, so their influence is much less over there.

Answer 9

While I understand why this type of legislation is being drafted, I find it sad that that our society has had to resort to making laws to enforce what should be voluntary civility and good manners (or common sense as evidenced by the seatbelt laws we have here in the ever self-stupidifying U. S. of A.)

It seems that as adults we often forget those simple rules of being polite we were supposed to learn as children: don't hit people, don't call anyone names, whispering secrets in front of others is rude, etc. As adults we assume these rules no longer apply to us. Unfortunately, they do and it seems we have enough people who insist on ignoring the rules that we have to turn them into laws punishable by fine and/or jail time. What the hell are we doing?!?

Answer 10

love it!

Sorry mister... nkingdom2005... those are things people choose to be everyday... if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all... we didn't choose to be who we are, we just are... and it's about time people who are abusive and think they will get away with it, don't. People take advantage of their freedom of speech here everyday in America... and they can have their opinions but hate is hate and it should not be tolerated.
***************
Freedom of speech is not freedom to abuse. I think everyone agrees with that... funny how everyone is so worried about not being able to speak their minds when it comes to the LGBT community but if the tables were turned, and I believe every group has gone through their share of not being accepted, they would want protection too.

Answer 11

I think it's good, but it's only going to cause anti-gay Christians and Muslims to scream that their freedom of religion is being taken away. Odd to me that inciting abusive behavior would be considered a religious belief, but apparently it is.