Australian MP Anne Aly — the first female Muslim to serve in that capacity in Australia — said legislators ought to use their law-making powers to crack down on speech that offends Muslims.
She’s making the case for the laws under the guise of calling speech that’s offensive to Muslims the same as discrimination.
As Heat Street (thanks to Jihad Watch) wrote:
“Anne Aly, Australia’s first female Muslim MP, said that race discrimination laws should be expanded to cover insults based on religion as well.
“Restrictive speech laws Down Under have banned people from saying anything which could ‘offend or insult’ people because of their race.”
Aly’s call is counter to what others in Australia’s government are pressing. Other MPs want to rewrite existing law so that only speec that outright harasses or intimidates can go to court. Aly actually wants to keep existing law as is — but add stipulations to it that speak to perceived anti-Muslim speech.
Again, from Heat Street:
“Speaking to The Australian, she said: ‘I find it a little bit strange that someone can call you a ‘dirty Arab’ and that be covered under the bill, but if they called you a dirty Muslim you’re not covered.’”
