Insisting, as you do, that muslims must do nothing short of demand that there be the wholesale rights to mock their religion is simplistic and problematic - because of the fact that much of the material can and does cross the line of racial discrimination.

Islamophobia always has and always will be about "race"

White muslims don't get picked on - unless they have highly visible "racial" markers (hijab, muslim robe etc).

I don't even understand that FD.

Do you think its unreasonable that muslims (along with most of the rest of Australia) believe that completely open slather on mocking islam and muslims can open the way to unacceptable intimidation and harassment of muslims - or people who "look" like muslims such as Sikhs?

I still haven't got an explanation from you as to why, if Australians are so supportive of free speech, is there almost no opposition to equating holocaust denial with racial vilification - and therefore unlawful?

freediver wrote on Jan 11^th, 2015 at 10:59am:


If people want freedom of speech, then why apologise?

A charlie hedo journalist got fired in 2009 for inciting racial hatred because he was accussed of anti semitism.

wally1 wrote on Jan 11^th, 2015 at 10:42am:


Lots of jewish cartoons on the internet created by muslims, muslims have no problem mocking other religions yet get butthurt when people mock and ridicule Islam.

Islam permits freedom of speech to an extent, no doubt you'd find that extent quite limiting.

For instance, as you've rightly pointed out, Islam does have anti-blasphemy laws, and in the area of slandering and defaming of prophets etc. there's no freedom of speech.

However, in many other areas Islam permits freedom of expression, such as criticism of a ruler. There is the famous case of a woman standing up and correcting Caliph Omar (May God be pleased with him) when he was addressing the Muslim nation, and he graciously accepted her correction. Also throughout most of the history of the Islamic Caliphate, there was the post of al-Qadi al-Madhloum (The judge for the oppressed), who would hear cases of ordinary citizens against the government/authorities, and would often prosecute people of the highest political calibre.

Islam does not permit people to speak about immoral things also, which I'm sure you'd consider restraining freedom of speech. So things like phone-sex lines are out, and I'm sure that would severely restrict you.

Apart from that, Islam generally has freedom of speech, like all other states though, there are some limits on it, perhaps ours are more than yours. Perhaps yours are more than others? Would they be right in claiming you don't have freedom of speech? To them, they'd be right, to you, no. Same deal with us.

For instance, as you've rightly pointed out, Islam does have anti-blasphemy laws, and in the area of slandering and defaming of prophets etc. there's no freedom of speech.