site testing

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
> Date: January 2, 2010 12:35:52 PM EST
> To: nnsquad () nnsquad org
> Subject: [ NNSquad ] More on Irish blasphemy law and atheists' Web  
> site testing

> A reader in Ireland points out that there has been widespread
> confusion (even within Ireland) about their new blasphemy law.  In
> particular, the new law reportedly can enable prosecution (with some
> defenses permitted) for "blasphemous" statements made that offend
> practitioners of pretty much any established religion, not just
> Christianity (with the focus of Ireland's long-standing "common law"
> blasphemy ban having been interpreted with a Christianity focus).
>
> This legal escalation apparently was the result of reevaluation of
> Ireland's common law sedition and blasphemy prohibitions, particularly
> given pressures to invalidate the former in light of efforts to
> harmonize with the EU ( http://bit.ly/7tAAnH [Human Rights in
> Ireland] ).
>
> But instead of specifically dumping the blasphemy concept, the new law
> instead gives it statutory authority, actually widening its scope.
>
> So, for example, if your Web site offends, say, The Church of Satan,
> you could apparently (in theory) be prosecuted.
>
> At least one Irish legal observer has suggested that it is also  
> unclear
> if the atheist group protesting this new law on their Web site has
> chosen sufficiently provocative quotations to actually trigger the
> law.
>
> Overall, this still seems like a giant step backwards, with
> potentially significant negative implications for many Web sites, at
> least in Ireland.
>
> --Lauren--
> NNSquad Moderator



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