WTF - you can defame a religion now?

The United Nations is a body I have a lot of time for and I'm sorta proud that we Aussies did a lot to get it off the ground and running, and until John Howard came along we continued to fully support its existence and authority.
But.........

This presumably non-binding resolution 62/154 Combating defamation of religions is just a tad too much.
I will happily accept that I would be breaking the law if I defamed a person or incited religious hatred or violence against a person or group; that I cannot do, say or write stuff that racially vilifies or discriminates.
But I'll be b*ggered if I will agree that any religion, philosophy or idea should be treated as a legal person with human rights and that I should mind my Ps and Qs when strongly criticizing the political activities of religious institutions.
If the UN had its way even Good News Week would have to bite its collective tongue on the basis that religious ideology can be defamed in the context of humour.
Half the local pubic bar would have to button lips too because a little blasphemy might get a bloke into trouble - no more Jaysus f**king Christ!

The resolution started life as; "A draft resolution on Combating defamation of religions (document A/C.3/62/L.35) would have the Assembly express deep concern about the negative stereotyping of religions and manifestations of intolerance and discrimination in matters of religion or belief, still in evidence in some regions of the world. The Assembly would further note, with deep concern, the intensification of the campaign to defame religions and the ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities in the aftermath of the tragic events of 11 September 2001. It would also emphasize that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which should be exercised with responsibility and may therefore be subject to limitations according to law and necessary for respect of the rights or reputations of others; protection of national security or of public order, public health or morals; and respect for religions and beliefs."
The UN member countries vote went 95 in favour to 52 against, with 30 abstentions.
Thankfully Australia did not vote for this resolution, but under the Rudd Government is happily shaping up to support it in another form of wording while the UN considers how to implement this daft resolution.

Transcript: UN resolution 62/154 Combating defamation of religions
Still on the subject: The Becket Fund For Religious Liberty.

Update:
The 2009 UN World Conference Against Racism (Durban II) will be held April 20-25.
The draft document to be considered by this conference still includes clauses concerning the defamation of religions and goes even further by including the concept that holy books, scriptures and symbols can also be defamed.

The floods up north are not all bad news

Now that's a big

Isa Barra or two!!

Thanks to the unknown

Mt. Isa ambo for the

pics from Lake

Moondarra.

One of the reasons why Crikey blogs can now be considered mainstream media

I have to say that I don't regularly read Crikey's blogs and therefore have no real idea what went on in the Pure Poison comments section which apparently made News Limited rather irate.

However, even a small blog like North Coast Voices has had a very slight brush with Tim Blair's ever faithful winged monkeys (moron, bonehead, swampy and run for the hills girly man were my personal favourites in reply to Water Dragon's original NCV post mentioning Blair and Bolt), so I wonder if perhaps the News Ltd bloggers didn't get a dose of the general nastiness they have so obviously tolerated/encouraged in their own readership.

It's a sad day indeed when a new blog so quickly falls victim to its mainstream media host's capitulation to Murdoch's bullies:

Things we shouldn't have said about Andrew Bolt

While Crikey (as part of the mainstream media) could be considered obliged to ensure that comments associated with blog posts are neither defamatory nor incite racial/religious hatred or violence of any sort, there was no need for it to give such prominence to its own grovel to a media group which itself often offends in its own slipshod comments moderation.

For the most part I have found the blogosphere to be relatively polite, fair and honest in what it posts online.

Pauline Hanson: I'm baaack!

Pauline Hansen has announced that she is standing for the Queensland Parliament in the 21st March 2009 election.

The flamboyant redhead has updated http://www.paulinehansen.com.au/ and is now seeking donations and selling t-shirts.
Her bio is a bit of a hoot because it currently stops before her last attempt at federal election in 2007.

Pauline is a bit peeved at all the publicity about her last failed bid:

"Once again the question of electoral funding has reared it ugly head, WHY? My running in this election has nothing to do with electoral funding as many would have you believe.I am fed up with the lies, innuendoes, misreporting and blatant attempts to discredit my name and reasons for standing in the election.Independent and political party candidates for the purpose of election funding is eligible to claim reimbursement of election campaign expenses for votes polled if the candidate reached the qualifying threshold (more than 4%) of formal first preference votes in the electorate contested.A Queensland electorate has approx 32,000 voters. Every formal first preference vote receives approx $1.50 per vote from the electoral commission if the candidate reaches over 4%.Any campaign expenses exceeding the electoral funding are not reimbursed. Receipts must be produced for funding reimbursement."

What is missing from her website is any updated policy or promises.

Did she ever really have any?

Beaudesert beware!

Pauline Hanson's TV meltdown video.

"It's been more than a decade since Ms Hanson last won an electoral contest.
That win, in 1996, made her the federal Member for Oxley and marked the start of her political rise that ultimately saw her One Nation Party hold 11 seats in Queensland parliament at its peak.
But since then she's only tasted defeat: in 1998 in the federal seat of Blair, in 2003 as she sought a NSW Upper House seat, and in 2001, 2004 and 2007 vying for a Queensland Senate seat."