Is free speech dead?

Mind you, it has taken a while. I have a kept a file of correspondence with Terry and the QCCL dating back to 1991. Terry first replied by letter to a friend, “If the police force had been used to remove you or your group, and thereby prevented you from protesting, the Civil Liberties Council would have been immediate and strident in its criticism.”

Hmm, 38 years later is only “immediate” in an archaeological time frame.

In 2000 in response to the arrest of Graham Preston for merely holding a sign, Terry did once again at least promise to say something:

Those charges were dropped, and alas that was the last we heard from the QCCL who have apparently  declared pro-lifers persona non grata and beyond any civil rights. They simply refuse to respond to our letters and emails.

You see, the war against pro-lifers does not end outside abortion clinics.  Graham Preston, who has been assaulted and abused on countless occasions, for daring to express the wrong opinion, was arrested again two months ago nowhere near an abortion clinic. He was holding two signs, one read, ”This is not a potato” and the other was a very large picture of an unborn baby (alive) in the womb. Someone complained that there was a school nearby (nowhere in sight), and children could be offended. Of course the only ones offended were adults. Graham was arrested after refusing to move, and will appear for trial on 15^th May.

I emailed the QCCL about this, and received no response. I should point out that all our letters have been polite, and all our actions have been nonviolent and peaceful. (Of course the truth of this will never convince those who believe that pro-lifers are violent haters as they hurl their own hateful abuse at us.)

There is so much irony and hypocrisy in this whole debate it is hard to know what to write about. I cannot fail to point out the irony of the law which can jail women such as my wife Anne or Kathy Clubb for up to a year, for merely holding a sign or politely offering a leaflet or help outside an abortion clinic.

When introducing this law the Palaszczuk governments invited submissions with a paper subtitled: ”A woman’s Right to Choose”. The QCCL made a submission stating, yes, women (or men) should definitely be arrested for choosing to hold a sign or leaflet outside an abortion clinic.  Obviously a fine is not enough for a woman who makes the wrong choice here, and a year’s jail may also be necessary.

And I can’t let this go without looking at some of the madness that passes for a high court decision. 

 Here is one comment by the Chief Justice:

Silent but reproachful observance of persons accessing a clinic for the purpose of terminating a pregnancy may be as effective, as a means of deterring them from doing so, as more boisterous demonstrations. Further, there is the pragmatic consideration that "the line between peaceful protest and virulent or, even violent expression against abortion is easily and quickly crossed.