In Canada where I live we have some of the most stringent anti-hate legislation on the books. It is forbidden to do or say anything that promotes hatred against anyone for reasons of race, creed, colour, or sexuality. This is further supported by The Charter of Rights and Freedoms which guarantees equality for all under the law. Any action that deliberately goes against the spirit of the Charter or advocates activities contrary to its nature can be subject to prosecution.
This includes speeches that advocate lesser status, or access to fewer services, for any members of society who have not lost their rights due to criminal behaviour. Even then there are provisions for people incarcerated ensuring that they continue to participate in society to some extent.
While the majority of Canadians accepted these provisions without a qualm there has been a vocal minority persistently complaining that these laws are an infringement of both free speech and the right to religious freedom. Some of these can dismissed as the usual neo-nazi nut cases who are finally being rounded up for holocaust denial and other racist drivel.
Conservative Christians are opposed to this legislation on the grounds that it infringes on their freedom to preach their beliefs. They want private religious schools exempted from the legislation so that teachers may be free to get up in class and speak out against homosexuality. According to them the bible says it is a sin. This gives them the authority to preach against both the granting of rights to and homosexuals themselves in their classrooms.
This became even more of an issue when the Superior Courts in province after province ruled that denying homosexuals the right to marriage was a contravening of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Technically speaking, therefore, anyone speaking out against gay marriage in overtly inflammatory language ran the risk of contravening our hate crime laws.
Article comments
1 - Jeremy
Even though I believe homosexuality to be a sin I believe they should have the same rights as everyone else. The part I would have the problem is when it starts to get pushed in the classroom under the guise of "sensitivity training". Homosexuality is an issue that should be reserved for the appropriate classes: Sex Education, Health, Psycology and Sociology. If you can keep it to these classes and not try to force extra
indoctrinationeducation I've got no problems with it. You should NOT have some PBS puppet/cartoon talking about it.I do believe that most religious groups tend to go overboard on homosexuality and tend to ignore the other sins..like all seven of the deadly ones...or the ten commandments. Gay is not in any of them...unless you call it lust?