New Legislation in UK on Religious Hatred...

The British Government has unveiled legislation to 'stop' religious hatred.

The bill aims not only to crack down on those who have targeted Muslims since the September 11 attacks on the United States but also to curb extremist Islamic preachers who urge their followers to commit violence.

"People of all backgrounds and faiths have a right to live free from hatred, racism and extremism," Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said, publishing a bill which was first put forward last year but which failed to get through parliament before last month's election.

"Only by tackling such issues head on will we preserve the tolerance, fairness and inclusiveness which are such vital parts of our society."

While most members of Britain's faith communities have welcomed the planned new law, secularists oppose it and some comedians say they fear it smacks of political correctness and will stop them making religious jokes.

Rowan Atkinson, creator of the "Mr Bean" character, has said some of his sketches -- and others such as Monty Python's 1979 film "Life of Brian" -- could face prosecution.

I'm skeptical of hate-speech laws - afterall, I'm not sure I want to make thoughts/speech a criminal act. This doesn't mean to say I don't want to address the horrid drivel coming out of various mosques - just that making that kind of speech criminal won't solve the problem.