Recently there has been a wave of anti-terror laws introduced and new ASBO criteria included in order to clamp down of the spread of racial hatred on the Internet. Just yesterday David Cameron announced that ‘hate preachers’ should be silenced with the introduction of new anti-terror ASBOS to stop there from spreading their bile on the Internet. He is, off course, referring to the Islamic fundamentalists who actively use the Internet to spread their hatred of our peace loving citizens and actively try to recruit young Muslims to take up the fight of Islam.
The government came under fire in the past for trying to issue an exclusion order of a visiting Muslim preacher called Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips and the another against Zakir Naik, to stop them from spreading messages that stir up tensions. All the time new measures are introduced to prevent people being about to spread nasty sentiment about minority groups of people.
This week another hate preacher manage to pass through the ever tightening net, and spouted his particular strain of bile over the Internet via twitter without any outspoken backlash or criticism from the powers that be. Richard Dawkins told a pregnant woman over twitter that, in the event of discovering her baby has Downs Syndrome, she should have and abortion and that it would be immoral to bring a Downs Syndrome child into the world. To give Mr Dawkind his dues, he has since appologised to the woman involved and suggested his remarks may have been taken out of context. This was just the latest in a long string of vicious attacks Mr Dawkins had made on various groups of people the most obvious of which off course are Christians.
Whatever the sentiments of his remarks he, unlike the Islamic fundamentalists who tend to have their twitter accounts closed or Youtube videos taken down, Dawkins is given and open platform upon which to spout his vile and putrid messages from. I as a disabled person, although not with Downs Syndrome, find his attitude toward disabled people very hurtful indeed and deeply offensive. It bothers me that he is not viewed as a fundamentalist or hate preacher, but rather is unduly elevated to some status as pseudo philosopher or modern thinker.
Just like the BNP who are somewhat contained from inciting racial hatred throughout the community via the media, it would seem appropriate that Dawkins was similarly prevented from spreading his particular form of hatred. Hatred is, off course, is a very strong word but it seems an appropriate use to describe the way Dawkins speaks out against Christian people and others a like as we have witness.
The threat of Islamic fundamentalism is something our generation has to live with and try and tackle and it is only right that anybody caught inciting or promoting racial intolerance should be dealt with by the law. Much as I despise what they do, I don’t dwell on the Islamic threat and the dangers these people present on our streets. I have faith in the authorities to protect us so I don’t worry about my personal safety while traveling on and off public transport.
I do however care deeply for the families who’s lives are consumed by having a disabled member, whether with Down Syndrome or another disability, and have to endure all sorts of prejudice each day while going about their everyday lives. The last thing these people need is to endure this kind of intolerance and vile messages being broadcast on social and mainstream media. The law needs to protect us all from every form of hatred while others, particularly Mr Dawkins, need to learn the values the people with Downs Syndrome teach us, off acceptance, tolerance and love.