Madam, – Is a creeping fundamentalism emerging under cover of the recession? Letter writers to these pages have recently pointed out how the rise of unemployment and emigration have brought back unwelcome memories of the 1980s, particularly with anti-abortion protestors taking to the streets.
Despite the revelations of horrific abuse committed by religious orders upon vulnerable children in the Ryan Report, a form of religious or social conservatism is indeed asserting itself.
In the last week, we have seen worrying signs that the repressive powers of the State are to be enhanced at the expense of civil liberties like free speech. Not only will the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill make serious encroachments on the right to fair trial if it passes through the Seanad, but the introduction of a statutory definition of blasphemy in the Defamation Act will allow satirical cartoonists or writers to be prosecuted for poking fun at matters held sacred by any religion.
Back to the 1980s? It may be worse than that. The concern among many of us who objected to the new blasphemy provision is that we have enshrined the censorship culture of the 1950s within our criminal law. – Yours, etc,