Defending free speech - The Jewish Chronicle

To my shame, I wasn't aware this was happening until I read about it just now:

Mark Steyn, perhaps the greatest conservative wit since P. J. O'Rourke, is currently facing a grotesque show trial in Canada for offending radical Islamic groups with a controversial magazine article he wrote two years ago. In the article, an excerpt from his book America Alone, Steyn predicted that mass immigration to Europe of unreconstructed Muslims would eventually mean a continent looking more like the Islamic world in its political outlook and the liberties of its citizens. Consequently, Steyn and the magazine are now facing a Human Rights tribunal in which:

Under Section 7.1 ... innocent intent is not a defence, nor is truth, nor is fair comment or the public interest, nor is good faith or responsible journalism.

The prosecution got off to a flying start by explaining that "free speech is a red herring".

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