Memorandum submitted by Dr Graham Wade

 

 

FAO: Public Bill Committee - Criminal Justice & Immigration Bill

 

Dear Members of the Committee,

 

I am concerned about the proposed amendment to the above Bill, which would introduce an offence of inciting hatred on the grounds of sexuality. I agree that any form of incitement to hatred should be illegal, but the amendment would seem unnecessary since homosexuals are already adequately protected from abuse under criminal law.

 

If however the Committee pursues the amendment, it should be framed very carefully. Please can members of the Committee ask themselves two questions:

 

1. Do I wish to live in a society which mussels one minority at the expense of another i.e. in a society which constrains free speech?

OR

2. Do I wish to live in a society which legally permits one minority to live as they wish, whilst permitting another minority to publicly proclaim a trascendent morality based upon the most respected book in the world? 

 

At the very least, such an amendment should have safeguards for the public quotation of biblical statements, including those on sexual behaviour. Without safeguards, the amendment would be nothing short of Bible censorship - censorship of teachings that have helped to form British democracy for 1,000 years. And please bear in mind the right to "manifest religion or belief in public or private" [Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights].

 

Thank you for taking time to read my submission.

 

Yours faithfully.

 

Dr Graham Wade