We should help promote our anti-blasphemy law, not eradicate it
SIR,
Almost devoid of a national debate, we are careering into a referendum to remove the offence of blasphemy, defined in the Defamation Act (2009) as a matter intended to be “grossly abusive” to people because of their religion, and which is without any artistic or academic merit.
If such abuse happened in a one-on-one context it would be considered bullying; in the context of goods and services, the Equal Status Acts would apply; and where skin-colour was involved it would be termed racism.
Voting to allow such abuse is contrary to our society’s values of decency, fairness, and appreciation for the beneficial role religion has played in many peoples’ lives.
It would ignore the lessons of history that such vilification leads to horrors; from Nazi Germany, to religious bigotry in the North, to ISIS defaming the religious beliefs of the Yazidis in Iraq.
We would lose this minimum standard of decency, so vital to allowing free-speech, the lifeblood of a properly functioning democracy.
We would also lose a means of resolving grievances in accordance with the ‘rule-of-law’. In some countries – because the hands of community leaders are legally tied – disaffected extremists have claimed a false legitimacy as defenders of their communities, with tragic results.
Finally, our objective definition of the offence of blasphemy, with its insistence upon “intentionality” is designed to remove accusations from the toxic atmosphere of personalised conflict and the inevitable injustice that characterises some Muslim countries.
Our anti-blasphemy law works unobtrusively and ought to be vigorously promoted worldwide.
I will be voting “No”. Sincerely,
Gearoid Duffy,
Lee Road,
Cork City.