反对同性恋的布道者

2001年10月,福音派基督教传教者哈里·哈蒙德举着写有“停止不道德行为,停止同性恋行为,停止女同性恋主义” 的标语牌进行示威。他拒绝停止示威并被警察逮捕。Timothy Garton Ash讨论了这个富有启发性的案例。

案例详情

2001年10月,一位名叫哈里·哈蒙德(Harry Hammond)的福音派基督教布道者在英国伯恩茅斯市中心的广场上举着标语牌示威,他大呼,“停止不道德行为,停止同性恋行为,停止女同性恋主义。”  “耶稣是主” 的字眼被刻标语牌在每一个角落上。愤怒的人群聚集在他的周围,争吵,喊叫,甚至对他抛土。有人试图拔掉他的标语牌,让他往后退。

由于哈蒙德拒绝停止示威,一名警察将他逮捕。 法院后来判决他违反了1986年通过的《英国治安法》第五条,这一条命令禁止展示“在他人的视觉或听觉范围内可能对他人造成骚扰、惊恐或痛苦的任何文字、符号或其他可见的形式的威胁,辱骂或侮辱。”被告不服上诉,上诉法院维持原判,并指出虽然标语牌的消息“没有表现出过激的语言” ,但哈蒙德的话依然是一种“侮辱” 。

作者意见

这个有罪的判决是非常错误的。哈蒙德只是在表达他的信念。这些信念另我们当中的很多人反感,但在一个自由和多元化的社会,没有人有权利不受到冒犯。他没有煽动暴力活动。警察需要警告,甚至在必要的情况下逮捕的应该是那个试图抢夺标语牌的人,而不是这位布道者。警察对付的目标错了,这样做鼓励的是在美国被称为“质问者否决”的情况。也就是你要嗓门够大,就能躲避合理的辩论。这是错误运用法律的一个典型例子。

- Timothy Garton Ash

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评论 (11)

读者须知:自动翻译由Google翻译提供,虽然可以反映作者大意,但不一定能提供精准的译意。

  1. it is absurd that gay people demand equality because they are one of the most protected groups. there are so many people whose rights are even more treathened, who suffer various dictatorship and torture, hunger… and we are doomed to listen to those stupid sick ones who celebrate their sickness and emphasise it. had the story been reversed, straight huligans would be in jail, and a hero would be twisted and discriminated gay

    • IT IS A TRANSLATION IN ENGLISH OF ivonavolimarka COMMENT
      NOT MY OPINION!

  2. Apsurdno i beskrupulozno je da se gejevi zale i zahtevaju neku ravnopravnost,dok su oni evidentno najzasticeniji. Toliko je ljudi koji su svakodnevno diskriminisani,cija su ljudska prava zaista ugrozena,koji trpe razne diktature,glad i nasilje. A mi konstantno slusamo o izopacenim ljudima koji svoju bolest slave i stavljaju na pijedastal.
    Da je prica bila obrnuta,uhapseni bi bili strejt huligani,a heroj nezasticeni i diskriminisani gej.

  3. 您的评论正在等待审核。

    I agree with the author’s opinion. It is true that everyone can have opinion and make a choice,and I think that Harry had every right to do that. Homosexuality is one of the biggest problems today,and we should be against it. Would you like to live in a world where it will be COMPLETELY approved? I would not. And that is a reason,’cuz Harry should not to be arrested. Even more,violence is not emphasized.

  4. As much as I disagree with his sentiment, he was expressing his opinion in a non-violent manner. He should not have been convicted for exercising his right to free speech.

  5. In my humble opnion I think they’re doing the right thing , because we should like animals respect for once how the nature is .

  6. I am neither for homosexuality, nor against it. In my opinion, it’s the choice of every person how to behave. There is freedom of speech, that’s why the preacher has his own right to write on a placard, what he wanted, moreover, the phrase which was written was rather neutral and the words were not so insulting, as policeman thought. To my mind, if sexual minorities feel better and more happy being together, then why not? As for me, it would be better for policemen to discuss and solve more vital and serious problems than accuse a person in expressing his point of view.

  7. As a man of science rather than a man of religion, I find any allusions to the ‘Lord’ and his opposition to homosexuality offending and provoking. But, in this case, I believe that the preacher had the right to express his beliefs and to call for opposition to homosexuality. Free speech is free speech and this conviction makes me think that recently there has been a growth of double standards in the judicial branch.

  8. What if a priest was holding up a sign “Stop Blacks, Jews and Muslims”? If that were the case, I highly doubt that this would even be contoversial in the least. Of course some might argue (like the priest) that that is different between the two since homosexuality is a choice whereas race is not, however as many homosexuals will argue the choice was not theirs. Therefore I do no see a distinction between the two.
    Moreover, the priest was calling to “stop” homosexuality. And although he did not specifically incite violence he did so indirectly. What does is mean to “stop” homosexuality? I have yet to read of a case when a man or a woman were civilly taught how to not be homosexual. Therefore what the priest was actually calling for was for the persecution of gays or outlawing homosexuality in Britain, both of which would infringe the Human Rights of those with the “wrong” sexual orientation.
    His conviction in my opinon should not be criticized, but rather celebrated as a victory FOR the human rights and the freedom of speech as it was merely another step towards achieving the world where one will not be judged for being different.

    • If the man cannot tell the difference between an act or a choice, viz. homosexuality, and a state of nature or religion, he has no business entering into the debate.
      Jack Dixon

  9. I believe that anyone is free to express themselves, but freedom of speech also means confronting those who think differently from us and, more importantly, predict the impact that words have on the hearer, free to participate. Secondly, the message that I send, as the vehicle? Phrases such as “Stop this” or “That banish” when impacting with a way of being, automatically lead to a strong reaction and dangerous. That is, in my opinion strikes against the rejection or acceptance of the onlookers find? This GAP is the key to the problem. That is, a communication management will be aware from the outset the success of the posts … and then, the fundamental error that has engulfed the poor priest is as follows: If I propose a censure, I will come to 99% censored.

  10. This is undoubtedly correct. The preacher was pacifically exercising his right of free speech. The court was wrong in yielding to the mob. The case is at odds with Beatty v Gillbanks, and Redmond-Bate v DPP.

    More importantly, this case opens the way to the tyranny of the mob.

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“言论自由大讨论”是牛津大学圣安东尼学院达伦多夫自由研究计划下属的学术项目。

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