- Aug 18, 2009
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So his contract denied him the right to express his religious beliefs openly? That’s rather draconian and pretty dangerous. We should be allowed to have and express our free will of thought, otherwise we are heading to a World that will consist solely of SM type robots, who are totally incapable of existing alongside those who have differing opinions.
If Israel Folau was a Muslim extremist advocating that white Christians should burn in hell, would he also have a right to express those views repeatedly in public?
Would Rugby Australia be expected to continue paying him a salary while he wilfully breaches his contract and damages their brand with impunity, and millions of dollars in sponsorships walk out the door?
It’s funny, I suspect those advocating for greater religious freedoms likely have quite a narrow scope in mind.
Personally, I’m all for the right to freedom of expression, but draw the line where it begins to trample on the rights of others. That line varies from situation to situation, recognising that some groups experience greater disadvantage and discrimination than others, and are more vulnerable to the impact of hate speech.