The ‘free speech’ law will make university debate harder, not easier
Under the proposed bill, any lecture, seminar or guest speech could end up in a lawsuit
David Renton
There’s recently been an anti-free speech, shop-your-neighbour, hate-crime law passed in Scotland.
MSPs approve Scotland’s controversial hate crime law
It’s as clear as mud in my view.
"Under the bill, offences are considered “aggravated” - which could influence sentencing - if they involve prejudice on the basis of age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or variations in sex characteristics (sometimes described as “intersex” physical or biological characteristics).
It also creates new offences of “stirring up hatred” - which previously applied only to race - and abolishes the offence of blasphemy which has not been prosecuted in Scotland for more than 175 years."
Blasphemy does not seem to have been abolished - it has been extended from religion to a whole host of areas.
What does stirring up hatred even mean?
“Scotland’s proposed hate crime bill will penalize anyone whipping up hatred against “protected groups.” That includes people making “insulting” remarks within their own home, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has revealed.”
“Female student, 29, who said 'women have vaginas’ and are ‘not as strong as men’ faces disciplinary action by university after fellow classmates complained about the ‘offensive and discriminatory’ comments”
And this is a law student hauled over the coals in a law setting, by other law students.
O for the days when lawyers laughed at nonsense and tore it apart in court.