--- Justin Schwartz <jkschw at hotmail.com> wrote: >
>For example, the Dennis case,
> upholding the conviction of the
> CPUSA leaders for (I am not kidding) conspiring to
> advocate the overthrow of
> the government (really! but this would pass muster
> under the Brit
> antiterrorism law)
It wouldn't, unless I am more than usually mistaken, or unless the Dennis case wasn't the one which a quick google search pulls up. In order to be considered a "supporter" of a terrorist organisation for purposes of the Act, you have to do a damn sight more than merely wear a t-shirt or even shout "Up the IRA, Kill the Queen!". You have to collect names and addresses, shake the tin or allow your house to be used to hide weapons or people. The concept of a supporter was invented in order to stop some very nasty organisations (and some utterly harmless ones with poor press agents) from playing fast-and-loose with the definition of a "member".
Obviously the Brits would still get you under the harassment law, or any of the other myriad of actually appalling legislation we have, but the Terrorism act is, IMO, nothing like as bad as some of our other laws, and not unjustified in the circumstances, given that people were, until quite recently, being blown up and shot over political decisions which were nothing to do with them.
dd, frequent occupant of two major terrorist targets.
PS: For all that it is occasionally abused to protect American servicemen, the vast majority of uses of the Race Relations Act are entirely beneficial. And before Jeff Noonan chips in with his periodic remark about McLibel (which I wasn't ignoring to be snooty, btw, I just happened to be on the post limit both times, sorry), I'll join anyone in condemnation of our libel laws.
===== "Imagine the Duchess's feelings You could have pierced her with swords To find her youngest son liked Lenin And sold the Daily Worker near the House of Lords" -- Noel Coward
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