A successful libel prosecution in the UK is notoriously easy and usually doesn’t mean much regarding the truth of what was said. In British libel law, the prosecution does not even have to prove that the content of the alleged “smear” was true and it is the defendent who is forced to “prove” they complainant is lying, which is impossible most of the time, whether you are guilty or innocent. Look up the phenomenon of libel tourism to the UK if you think this sort of system is normal.
This isn’t the first time Tatchell has done this either. He also bullied small publisher for the book Out of Place: Interrogating Silences in Queerness/Raciality. The offending article labelled some of Tatchell’s views Islamophobic.
I know Tatchell has a lot of admirers on here so I don’t expect you to agree with the article’s content, but how am I expected to take seriously a man who defends the homophobic housing officer’s right to “free speech” when he can’t even extend that right to his critics?
Free speech does not include the right to defame other people with false, damaging allegations. Scott Long made claims for which there was no evidence.
There was no libel case. The publisher just realised that Long’s claims were untrue and did the decent thing by apologising.
I defend Scott Long’s right to criticise me but not his tactic of making untrue allegations.
Peter I was angry when you said if a things get more difficult for gay JAmaicans after the stop murder music campaign thats a price worth paying. Do you think that gay Jamaicans are in a better position now or before the campaign?
Hi James. I never said that if things get worse worse for LGBT Jamaicans it is a price worth paying. I said it was a sad fact of life that often freedom struggles result in intensified repression and people may suffer more. I was stating a fact. It happened with the anti-apartheid struggle and with the black civil rights movement.
The Stop Murder Music campaign was organised at the request of the Jamaican LGBT movement and in alliance with them.
Yes, life is better now for LGBT Jamaicans (they say). Homophobia is now considerably less violent in Jamaica than it was and LGBT victims get more support. There is less murder music. But still a long way to go.
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Sums up Tatchell’s double standards on freedom of speech.
El. You are kidding aren’t you?
Smears and slurs are not freedom of speech, its just downright lies
A successful libel prosecution in the UK is notoriously easy and usually doesn’t mean much regarding the truth of what was said. In British libel law, the prosecution does not even have to prove that the content of the alleged “smear” was true and it is the defendent who is forced to “prove” they complainant is lying, which is impossible most of the time, whether you are guilty or innocent. Look up the phenomenon of libel tourism to the UK if you think this sort of system is normal.
This isn’t the first time Tatchell has done this either. He also bullied small publisher for the book Out of Place: Interrogating Silences in Queerness/Raciality. The offending article labelled some of Tatchell’s views Islamophobic.
I know Tatchell has a lot of admirers on here so I don’t expect you to agree with the article’s content, but how am I expected to take seriously a man who defends the homophobic housing officer’s right to “free speech” when he can’t even extend that right to his critics?
Justify or withdraw that comment, El Gabel!
have they not offered Peter any money? If not why not?
You cannot gov around making these kind of untrue statements, period.
Free speech does not include the right to defame other people with false, damaging allegations. Scott Long made claims for which there was no evidence.
There was no libel case. The publisher just realised that Long’s claims were untrue and did the decent thing by apologising.
I defend Scott Long’s right to criticise me but not his tactic of making untrue allegations.
See the full story here:
http://bit.ly/V90CUb
And, as usual, you accepted the apology you were owed with dignity.
Dignity that we will be lucky to see from El Gabal or an apology to Peter.
Peter I was angry when you said if a things get more difficult for gay JAmaicans after the stop murder music campaign thats a price worth paying. Do you think that gay Jamaicans are in a better position now or before the campaign?
Hi James. I never said that if things get worse worse for LGBT Jamaicans it is a price worth paying. I said it was a sad fact of life that often freedom struggles result in intensified repression and people may suffer more. I was stating a fact. It happened with the anti-apartheid struggle and with the black civil rights movement.
The Stop Murder Music campaign was organised at the request of the Jamaican LGBT movement and in alliance with them.
Yes, life is better now for LGBT Jamaicans (they say). Homophobia is now considerably less violent in Jamaica than it was and LGBT victims get more support. There is less murder music. But still a long way to go.