D_Raay
12-06-2004, 12:42 PM
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=7004669
LONDON (Reuters) - British comedian Rowan Atkinson -- creator of the hapless "Mr Bean" -- attacked a planned law outlawing incitement of religious hatred on Monday, saying it would curb free speech and humour.
Atkinson believes the measure now passing through parliament will make religion virtually off-limits to satirists.
It might even, he fears, lead to prosecutions, not only for some of his own sketches but for others like Monty Python's "Life of Brian," which was criticized on its release in 1979 for being anti-Christian.
"Freedom of expression must be protected for artists and entertainers," he said. "We must not accept a bar on the lampooning of religion and religious leaders."
The 49-year-old Atkinson, who rose to fame as the scheming and self-serving "Blackadder" in a lampoon of British history, has joined lawmakers and Christian groups in a campaign against the bill.
At present, British law prohibits attacks on people's color, race or ethnic origin but not their religion. Critics of the plan to include religion believe a new law is not necessary.
"There is an obvious difference between the behavior of racist agitators who can be prosecuted under existing laws and the activities of satirists and writers who may choose to make comedy or criticism of religious belief, practices or leaders..," Atkinson said in a statement.
"It is one of the reasons why we have free speech."
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Even in England, there are nutjobs I see. Not Mr. Bean, the nuts who came up with the bill.
LONDON (Reuters) - British comedian Rowan Atkinson -- creator of the hapless "Mr Bean" -- attacked a planned law outlawing incitement of religious hatred on Monday, saying it would curb free speech and humour.
Atkinson believes the measure now passing through parliament will make religion virtually off-limits to satirists.
It might even, he fears, lead to prosecutions, not only for some of his own sketches but for others like Monty Python's "Life of Brian," which was criticized on its release in 1979 for being anti-Christian.
"Freedom of expression must be protected for artists and entertainers," he said. "We must not accept a bar on the lampooning of religion and religious leaders."
The 49-year-old Atkinson, who rose to fame as the scheming and self-serving "Blackadder" in a lampoon of British history, has joined lawmakers and Christian groups in a campaign against the bill.
At present, British law prohibits attacks on people's color, race or ethnic origin but not their religion. Critics of the plan to include religion believe a new law is not necessary.
"There is an obvious difference between the behavior of racist agitators who can be prosecuted under existing laws and the activities of satirists and writers who may choose to make comedy or criticism of religious belief, practices or leaders..," Atkinson said in a statement.
"It is one of the reasons why we have free speech."
--
Even in England, there are nutjobs I see. Not Mr. Bean, the nuts who came up with the bill.