The UN Passes Resolution to Restrict Religious Freedom of Speech
Today, the United Nations passed a “Defamation of Religions” resolution which is intended to restrict the criticism of religion. Backed, primarily, by the nations of Islam, this resolution is a powerful move to confine our basic freedom of speech. Part of what makes America unique is the first amendment, which declares that all citizens have the freedom of speech and expression. Furthermore, the first amendment of the Constitution divides the state from the church in the Establishment Clause. These two critical foundations to American democracy enable citizens to practice any, all, or no religion. People in this country have the freedom to proselytize their belief and those non-believers have the ability to criticize those beliefs. Both of these are our basic rights as Americans, one can not be advocated without recognizing the validity of the other. This is a dangerous resolution, and I encourage you to contact the White House and the United Nations to express your freedom of speech in order to maintain that freedom.
The AP press release of the resolution approval can be found here.
Below is the response to the resolution from Christopher Hitchens:
The Center for Inquiry condemnation of the resolution can be found here.
