http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/16252617/loss-for-cleric-who-sent-offensive-letters/ The High Court has ruled against a self-styled Muslim cleric who argued he had a right to send offensive letters to the families of Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Man Monis, also known as Sheik Haron, wanted the court to quash 13 charges of using the postal service to offend relatives of fallen diggers and a trade official killed by a terrorist bomb in Jakarta. Monis and co-accused Amirah Droudis were charged because the letters, which criticised Australia's military involvement in Afghanistan, were seen to breach section 471.12 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code. It is a crime to use the postal service in a way reasonable people would regard as being "menacing, harassing or offensive", the code says. Lawyers for Monis and Droudis argued the section was invalid because it infringed the implied constitutional freedom of political communication. In a judgment handed down on Wednesday, the High Court unanimously agreed the section restricted political communication but were evenly divided over its purpose. Three justices wanted to dismiss the appeals but three sided with Monis, arguing the section was "neither legitimate nor implemented in a manner that is compatible with the constitutional system of government". But in cases where the court is evenly split it sides with the previous court's judgment, meaning the men's appeals were dismissed. Justice Dyson Heydon said many people would regard the letters as "sadistic, wantonly cruel and deeply wounding". The men could not have been charged under section 471.12 if they had hand-delivered the letters. ============================================================================= Monis and Droudis are poison, we need to ensure that we don`t let human garbage enter Australia. We need mature immigration policy, that is primarily centered on the good of this country, as opposed to the present spineless and irresponsible system that opens it`s arms to losers like Monis and Droudis. Australia is an attractive country (so far), on so many levels, we can afford to be selective about who we take in. A country is defined by it`s people, we need to have the courage to reject the dregs of the earth, and stand up for the future of this country.
I think what the west has done to Iraq and Afganistan is criminal. But thats no excuse for what this guy was doing, there are bad eggs in every basket and this cleric is a very soggy and rotten one at the bottom of the crate.
So much for free speech! What this mean muslim did, sending awful letters, was wrong, but it is even more wrong for the government to be trying to criminalize "offensive" writing.
Nothing wrong with free speech. If they were standing in the middle of Sydney spewing their hatred, no arguments, but by sending a letter they have singled out individuals and delivered a form of harrassment and menace. Guilty. Free speech is fine in a public arena, but to seek and deliver this kind of menace to an individual, it becomes intimidation and is punishable by law. Case closed.
What would you expect when half the population are devout socialists? Those same people think we should let 30,000,000 illegal aliens roost here in the US.....According to some from your country, everything is rosey with a bluebird stamp of approval...... Good point, freetoride...............
Just remember: the same precedents that are being used against radical muslims today could be used against the rest of us tomorrow. That is why it is so important to secure the rights and liberties of those we do not like, even the ones who are obviously guilty
Why do you need the "right" to sink the boot into grieving family members of dead people? These gutless things didn`t even have the balls to do it front on, they did it by post. This is in fact, a minor side issue, in comparison to the topic. The topic is the selection process of our immigration / refugee policy. People with attitudes like Monis and Droudis are never going to be an assett to this country. We need to allow the people with the common sense, and the balls, to design and enforce sensible border protection policy.
I can see what`s happening in your country, and the obvious vote trawling exercise that Obama is running. In my personal experience, the majority of the most vocal supporters of selective immigration policy, were themselves born overseas. They have witnessed the voilence and dysfunctionality of incompatible multiculturalism, they are aware of the stupidity of the jellyback, doormat approach. I hope your country can acheive more cohesion in the near future.
