New crimes: from discrimination to blasphemy

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Letum

SB: I am curious as to which bit of the EU's extensive anti-discrimination laws you think prevent me from blaspheming.

None, you can do whatever you want. You can also commit murder, if you want. The laws do not prevent you from doing it - but by the law you can be held legally responsible for it. Same is true with the anti-discrimination laws of the EU. they do not prevent you from voicing criticism that some believer claims to be blasphemic to his beliefs - but they allow that you will be charged for it. In the EU's understanding, if a believer claims to feel offended by your questions aboiut his faith, that already is discrimination.

It does not matter what your intention is, Letum, or whether you consider your deed or comment blasphemic or not. that the other claims it is blasphemy, or is offending, or is discrimination, is the criterion. Criticism of the EU time and again mentions that examples like this, the anti discrimination directive, reverse the burden of evidence, and that accusation now is valid proof of your guilt as long as you cannot prove that you are innocent.

In other words: it is censorship, plain and simple.

To be precise, though, what usually is called EU anti discrimination law is a legally binding directive that all member nations of the EU have to transform into national laws. It overrides existing national laws. To obey such EU directives is mandatory, which is one of the many problems with the EU, because obeying such directives leaves parliaments no choice - they have to wave it through, no matter national constitutions or concerns or not. From the perspective of the EU, EU directives are as good as direct, legally binding laws. EU directives translate into national law making.

In Germany, more than 80% of all national laws are enforced by EU directiuves, and Eu regulations. That number I learned for 2007, two years ago. with the dictate of Lisbon implemented now, it will become worse.