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The Black Seal
06 December 2004Blackadder actor, Rowan Atkinson ("Heaven is for people who like the sort of things that go on in heaven."), is to lead a coalition of comics, writers and scholars against a new British bill that would punish extremists who incite religious hatred. The group claims the bill, which is intended to protected Muslims and other faith groups from hate attacks, could undermine the free speech of comedians, satirists and writers, and curtail serious discussion of religion. "'Freedom of expression must be protected for artists and entertainers and we must not accept a bar on the lampooning of religion and religious leaders,'" said Atkinson, whose group is joined by the National Secular Society, plus several Christian organizations that fear the bill could prevent them from "'highlighting the persecution of Christians'" within some religions.
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