NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LIBERTARIAN ALLIANCE
In Association with the Libertarian International

Release Date: 7 July 2004
Release Time: Immediate

Contact Details: Sean Gabb, 07956 472 199, sean@libertarian.co.uk
Chris R. Tame, 07957 644 519, chris@libertarian.co.uk
Release url: http://www.libertarian.co.uk/news/nr020.htm

"HATRED AND INCITEMENT TO HATRED FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS", SAYS FREE MARKET AND CIVIL LIBERTIES THINK TANK

The  proposal of the British Government to make a new offence of incitement to religious hatred is a sinister attack on the right to freedom of speech, says the Libertarian Alliance, the radical free market and civil liberties think tank and pressure group.

Libertarian Alliance Director of Communications, Dr Sean Gabb commented:

"In our view, people have an absolute right to say whatever they like in support of or against any religious doctrine. Christians, Moslems, Jews and others have the right, if they wish, to assert that their faith is the one true path to salvation and that other faiths are a passport to damnation; and atheists have an absolute right to deny any and all religious beliefs as irrational and hateful. The truth, if it can be found at all, will emerge from the clash of opinions, not from attempts to suppress debate.

"In particular, we defend the right to express the proposition that certain faiths are inherently hateful and absurd, and to denounce these faiths in the strongest and most abusive terms.

"If made, this law will be used to suppress legitimate debate, to harass comedians, and to restrict the right of religious proselytism. The proposed law is itself hateful.

"Free discussion of religion is part of a wider right to freedom of speech. We believe in freedom of speech."

The Libertarian Alliance advocates the following with regard to freedom of speech:

• No controls of any kind on the expression of opinion on matters of public policy;
• The repeal of all laws that make it illegal to express opinions on matters of race, religion, sexuality, or any similar matter;
• The repeal of all laws against discrimination and incitement to discrimination on any grounds whatever;
• The abolition of the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission, and all similar bodies;
• The cutting off of all tax-payer funding for any group that disagrees with the above.

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Note to Editors

Dr Sean Gabb is the Director of Communications for the Libertarian Alliance and edits its journal “Free Life”. His latest book, "War and the National Interest: Arguments for a British Foreign Policy", is available at http://www.seangabb.co.uk/buy.htm. His other books are available from Hampden Press at http://www.hampdenpress.co.uk.

He can be contacted for further comment on 07956 472 199 or by email at sean@libertarian.co.uk

Extended Contact Details:

The Libertarian Alliance is Britain’s most radical free market and civil liberties policy institute. It has published over 700 articles, pamphlets and books in support of freedom and against statism in all its forms. These are freely available at http://www.libertarian.co.uk

Our postal address is

The Libertarian Alliance
Suite 35
2 Lansdowne Row
Mayfair
London
W1J 6HL
Tel: 07956 472 199

Associated Organisations

The Libertarian International - http://www.libertarian.to - is a sister organisation to the Libertarian Alliance. Its mission is to coordinate various initiatives in the defence of individual liberty throughout the world.

Sean Gabb's personal website - http://www.seangabb.co.uk - contains about a million words of writings on themes interesting to libertarians and conservatives

Liberalia - http://www.liberalia.com - maintained by by LA Executive member Christian Michel, Liberalia publishes in-depth papers in French and English on libertarianism and free enterprise. It is a prime source of documentation on these issues for students and scholars.

Libertarian Samizdata - http://www.samizdata.net - works in association with the Libertarian Alliance and has an ever larger following. Check it out.