Bishop warns Catholics may lose faith in SNP

[ian1964 10,448]

ALEX Salmond last night agreed to include a 'freedom of speech' clause in his new anti-sectarian laws after crunch talks with a leading Catholic.

 

The First Minister met the Bishop of Paisley after the churchman voiced concerns over the SNP's blitz on footy bigots.

 

Bishop Philip Tartaglia had said the legislation is "hasty" and "a distraction" from the true nature of sectarianism in Scotland — with Catholics up to five times more likely to be attacked for their faith than Protestants.

 

But Mr Salmond said their meeting in Edinburgh yesterday was "cordial and friendly" and that they had ironed out potential problems over the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill.

 

He added: "I believe we have made substantial progress. I also confirmed that we would place an explicit freedom of expression clause in the second part of the Bill.

 

"This legislation was never meant to stop freedom of expression in Scotland — it is about bearing down on sectarianism and other offensive behaviour in Scotland." Mr Salmond wants yobs who commit religious hate crimes at football grounds or on online to be hit with five-year sentences. Yesterday he vowed to plough on with the Bill despite opposing parties calling for him to scrap it.

 

Bishop Tartaglia appeared to have had his concerns allayed during his talks with the First Minister.

 

He said: "Fears the wide remit of the Bill might impinge on the freedom to express inoffensive views seem to have been recognised and are being addressed."

 

But he said their discussions over same-sex marriage remained "unresolved".

 

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3860176/Salmond-adds-freedom-clause-for-bishop.html#ixzz1aAb2Habd

[GovanAllan 0]

Jesus wept. First we can't decide what's sectarian now we will be arguing what's offensive.

[Zappa 0]

Jesus wept. First we can't decide what's sectarian now we will be arguing what's offensive.

 

That's the major problem with the proposed bill; it will ultimately be down to the discretion of stewards and police to decide what they deem to be offensive and that's a complete joke because what one steward or police officer finds offensive, another wouldn't even blink an eye. The whole concept is a complete and utter shambles and innocent people's lives are already being ruined by this nonsense.