Demagogue

Count me among those who deplore bigots, but uphold their right to express bigoted thoughts. I'm bothered by the latest news related to European hate-speech laws. Reports today's Washington Post:

One Sunday in the summer of 2003, the Rev. Ake Green, a Pentecostal pastor, stepped into the pulpit of his small church in the southern Swedish village of Borgholm. There, the 63-year-old clergyman delivered a sermon denouncing homosexuality as "a deep cancerous tumor in the entire society" and condemning Sweden's plan to allow gays to form legally recognized partnerships.

"Our country is facing a disaster of great proportions," he told the 75 parishioners at the service. "Sexually twisted people will rape animals," Green declared ...

With these words, which the local newspaper published at his request, Green ran afoul of Sweden's strict laws against hate speech. He was indicted, convicted and sentenced to 30 days in jail. He remains free pending appeal.

... Green's case has triggered debate about the breadth of the Swedish law. Though many people here, including politicians and gay rights organizations, denounce him as intolerant, homophobic and a crackpot, others have sprung to his defense.

I was pleased to read that there were gays in Sweden who, however much they deplore Green's caustic rhetoric, recognize the overarching issue of free speech:

On Wednesday last week, about 200 people gathered outside the courthouse in the southern city of Jonkoping to voice support for Green during his first appeal. Many who showed up were homosexuals who said while they disagreed vehemently with what the pastor said, they defended his right to say it.