This is striking several bells on the cunt-o-metre

( Damion International - now taking orders., Wed 28 Nov 2007, 16:21, archived)

I've actually been deafened the alarms.

( The Baroness The Harlot Pimpernel, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 16:26, archived)

cheers.
why am I being a cunt?

she's in a country, voluntarily, and has violated one of their laws. that law was not put into place after she went, it was in place a long time before.
if I were making the decision about what to do about her, it'd involve taking her to one side and telling her not to upset the religious nutters again, pretty please. in those words.
should she prove to be a staunch christian, she would most likely take some offence at that, though that offence would have no legal basis in that country.
I'm not making the decision. someone who is probably muslim is making that decision (vast sweeping generalisations aside, if the law's religious, the person adjudicating will most likely be of that religion).
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 17:01, archived)

LAST WORD LAST WORD LAST WORD
I was objecting mostly to the "If you are brazillian and an electrician in Britain..." part.

Which is ludicrous and makes me shake with anger in my belly.
( The Baroness The Harlot Pimpernel, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 18:03, archived)

I'll agree it's ludicrous
but I'm also pointing out that sometimes very very stupid things are done and still considered "legal" (how many of the cops who shot menezes have been tried for manslaughter or murder?). this, despite the fact that an (apparently - I have no in-depth knowledge on any crimes other than his lack of being a terrierist) innocent man lost his life through blatant idiocy through an action intended to uphold the law.
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 18:33, archived)

so...
do something wrong, in the wrong place, where there are laws against doing that thing, and it's okay if you're british?

laws are applicable to the land they are in. some countries have reciprocal arrangements to extend another country's laws beyond their borders.
some countries apply some of their laws to all of their citizens even while in another country (eg the UK paedophilia laws).

if someone comes to britain from germany and drives 150mph down the motorway, which is legal in germany, would they not expect to be punished for breaking the law in the uk?
would the motoring lobbies in germany be outraged if he was fined, possibly banned from driving in the uk for a period, possibly imprisoned if he was driving in a manner deemed to be reckless by the police, as he was driving a german-made car in a manner legal in his own country, despite being in britain?

the law's the law in the country to which it applies.
right or wrong, it's what's used to protect, punish and penalise the population.
if you don't like living under that law, go somewhere else.

I agree that laws and religion *shouldn't* have anything to do with each other, but this is reality. a few hundred years ago in this country it was effectively illegal to celebrate a catholic mass, occasionally punishable by corporal or capital punishment.
we've moved on from that and now have a bigger gap between most of our laws and religion.
not all countries have done the same, or see a need to.
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 16:37, archived)

i think it's the actual law that people are disagreeing with,
rather than the right to have your own laws in your own countries.
( Sir Sand GOBLIN ^popular page dis, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 16:43, archived)

or, more accurately, the punishment.

( Sir Sand GOBLIN ^popular page dis, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 16:44, archived)

I agree it's a daft law.
most things rooted in religion are, to a greater or lesser degree.
I also agree that flogging is a very nasty way to treat people, and I'd rather not visit a country where that was an option which could be used on me should I do something wrong, by accident or otherwise.
at points in the past we (the UK, or component parts as applicable) have had religious-based laws that carried physical punishment, both corporal and capital.
some (see the witch-trials of a few centuries back) were horrific, both in the ways the law was applied, and the people who were punished under it.
this is the situation in Sudan.
it was the situation before she went there and will most likely be the situation when she returns home.
people saying "oh no, that's awful" won't change a damned thing in that country.
people not going there, not spending money on things sourced there, campaigning on human rights there, etc *might* have a bigger effect.

edit: plus to the german motorist, the 70mph law on the motorway may appear to be complete bollocks as that limit is based on the abilities of a very very old and crap motorcar. logically, then, he'd feel entirely justified going 150mph to get where he was going a bit faster. many in this country would actually agree with him on that point, but he'd still be punished for doing that speed.
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 16:51, archived)

so nobody should mention that it is awful?
what?
( Sir Sand GOBLIN ^popular page dis, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 16:56, archived)

if you think it's wrong
DO something.
email your MP.
picket the Sudanese embassy.

but don't just say "oh that's awful, they shouldn't uphold their own legal system in their own country like that"
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 17:03, archived)

so your point is that people shouldn't do one thing when they could be doing something else?
and you don't even know that they are not doing something else? what? christ.
( Sir Sand GOBLIN ^popular page dis, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 17:17, archived)

okay.
quick guess time:
how many people who participated in this thread have done anything other than participate in this thread about it?

one? two?

how many people thought it was a Bad Thing for someone to risk physical punishment for naming a teddy bear?

lots.

go on, please prove me wrong, people. if you've been moved to actually act by this whole mess, please let me know.
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 17:23, archived)

you're an idiot.

( Sir Sand GOBLIN ^popular page dis, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 17:25, archived)

many would agree
with you on that fact.
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 18:38, archived)

you should be in politics.
they love people who use loads of words to make no decent point.
( Sir Sand GOBLIN ^popular page dis, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 16:58, archived)

Huzzah!
*enters politics*
...messes about a bit...
*leaves politics in disgust*

edit: sorry about all the words. I tend to type too quickly and never bother editing down for length.
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Wed 28 Nov 2007, 17:14, archived)