Libertarian Alliance on British National Party
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE LIBERTARIAN ALLIANCE
In Association with the Libertarian International
Release Date: Friday 3rd February 2006
Release Time: Immediate
Contact Details:
Dr Sean Gabb, 07956 472 199, sean@libertarian.co.uk
For other contact and link details, see the foot of this message Release
url: http://www.libertarian.co.uk/news/nr034.htm
BNP ACQUITTALS "A PARTIAL VICTORY FOR FREE SPEECH", SAYS FREE MARKET AND
CIVIL LIBERTIES THINK TANK
The Libertarian Alliance, the radical free market and civil liberties
institute, today welcomes the partial acquittal of BNP Leader Nick
Griffin and his colleague Mark Collett. Both men had been charged with
political offences. Their probable retrial on those charges where the
Jury could not agree constrains the Libertarian Alliance from saying all
that it otherwise might. But their acquittal on some of the charges is
unreservedly welcomed.
Moving away from matters subject to the sub iudice rule, the Libertarian
Alliance calls on the British Government to repeal all laws against
racial hatred and racial discrimination.
Dr Sean Gabb, Director of the Libertarian Alliance, comments:
"The rights to freedom of speech and association are fundamental to a
free society. So far as these rights are diminished, that society
becomes less free. I was born in a country where these rights had been
enjoyed for centuries. I have reached middle age in a politically
correct police state where the Government is now trying to silence its
opponents through the courts. Particularly under Tony Blair, this
country has become a more genteel version of Zimbabwe.
"Doubtless, there are people who take offence at the expression of
certain views on race and immigration. But free speech that does not
include the right to give offence is not free speech. It is the
political equivalent of decaffeinated coffee.
"If people are upset by what they read or hear, let them ignore it or
argue against it. There is no place in these debates for the Thought
Police."
The Libertarian Alliance believes:
* That the Race Relations Act 1976 should be repealed;
* That the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 should be repealed;
* That, pending repeal, the Race Regulations subsequent to these Acts
should be withdrawn;
* That those sections of the Public Order Act 1986 dealing with speech
and publication should be repealed;
* That those sections of the Criminal Justice Act 1998 dealing with
"racial aggravation" of offences should be repealed;
* That the Commission for Racial Equality and all similar organisations
should be abolished, and their records burned;
* That all those convicted of thought crimes under the above laws should
be pardoned and, where appropriate, compensated;
* That the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill now before Parliament should
be abandoned;
* That the Human Rights Act 1998 should be amended to protect the right
of people to say anything they like about public issues, and to
associate or not associate as they please.
END OF COPY
Note(s) to Editors
Dr Sean Gabb is the Director of the Libertarian Alliance and edits its
journal Free Life. His latest book, Smoking, Class and the Legitimation
of Power, is available at Amazon. His other books are available from
Hampden Press at http://www.hampdenpress.co.uk.
He can be contacted for further comment on 07956 472 199 or by email at
sean@libertarian.co.uk
Extended Contact Details:
The Libertarian Alliance is Britain's most radical free market and civil
liberties policy institute. It has published over 700 articles,
pamphlets and books in support of freedom and against statism in all its
forms. These are freely available at http://www.libertarian.co.uk
Our postal address is
The Libertarian Alliance
Suite 35
2 Landsdowne Row
Mayfair
London
W1J 6HL
Tel: 0870 242 1712
Associated Organisations
The Libertarian International - http://www.libertarian.to - is a sister
organisation to the Libertarian Alliance. Its mission is to coordinate
various initiatives in the defence of individual liberty throughout the
world.
Sean Gabb's personal website - http://www.seangabb.co.uk - contains
about a million words of writings on themes interesting to libertarians
and conservatives.
Hampden Press - http://www.hampdenpress.co.uk.- the publishing house of
the Libertarian Alliance.
Liberalia - http://www.liberalia.com - maintained by by LA Executive
member Christian Michel, Liberalia publishes in-depth papers in French
and English on libertarianism and free enterprise. It is a prime source
of documentation on these issues for students and scholars.
--
Sean Gabb
Director, the Libertarian Alliance
sean@nojunkcandidlist.demon.co.uk (remove "nojunk")
Tel: (44) 7956 472 199 Fax: (44) 870 052 4388
http://www.seangabb.co.uk http://www.libertarian.co.uk
Buy my book: "War and the National Interest: Arguments for a British Foreign
Policy" (Second Edition) - http://www.hampdenpress.co.uk
Fnews-brouse 1.9(20180406) -- by Mizuno, MWE <mwe@ccsf.jp>
GnuPG Key ID = ECC8A735
GnuPG Key fingerprint = 9BE6 B9E9 55A5 A499 CD51 946E 9BDC 7870 ECC8 A735