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Notes -
J. K. Rowling challenges new Scottish hate speech legislation, openly challenging them to arrest her for calling trans criminals men who pretend to be women:
https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1774747068944265615
#ArrestMe is, dare I say it, brave and powerful. At least she's putting skin in the game. It's also pretty well calculated in my opinion.
They can't really attack her for being a right wing extremist when her world famous books are a pretty clear allegory of Racism Bad. She even makes sure to target India Willoughby, who is apparently anti-black. Rowling has an enormous pot of money for expensive litigation and automatic worldwide attention on her. It's hard to righteously defend people such as
It's very practical politics to fish out the worst of the enemy milieu to preface one's normative statements. I think Rowling has a good shot at tactical victory - either the govt won't charge her or she'll win in court. On the other hand, only systemic change is going to change the progressive-leaning status quo. You need an Orban or some similar force to drag out the weed by the roots, rather than just pruning away when it grows particularly egregious. Rowling is no Orban, that's probably far too extreme for her.
The legislation is here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2021/14/contents
Crimes include 'stirring up hate' by 'behaving in a manner that a reasonable person would consider to be threatening, abusive or insulting' to select groups. Looks like it allows nigh-limitless opportunities for selective enforcement. And a huge drain on police resources, given they can't even investigate all crimes:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-68703684
If they charge her and fail to convict her, or do convict her and have a bunch of HP-loving constituents toss them out of office, their project suffers a major setback. So they won't charge her. They'll charge a bunch of loud people who engender no public sympathy, and some little people unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. They'll use them to build precedent, and of course "But you didn't charge Rowling" isn't a defence in court. After a while of this, they'll have the weight of precedent behind them and be able go after the next big fish if not Rowling herself.
Doesn't even need to be HP fans. Nicola Sturgeon's downfall began with the Isla Bryson case, after her very enthusiastic support of gender recognition norms and then she had to intervene to have the transwoman moved to a men's prison after all.
Convict Rowling, and a lot of people will go "Hang on, she was arrested for saying a guy who raped women and a guy who stalked a 13 year old shouldn't be in women's prison?"
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