Fry slams blasphemy law
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English actor Stephen Fry
Wednesday July 22 2009
English actor Stephen Fry has launched a scathing attack on Irish politicians over their decision to criminalise blasphemy.
The QI star stunned fans on his Twitter networking page when he left a post blasting the State and comparing it to the UK.
"B***cks to Ireland for being as crap as Britain," it read.
However Fry was quick to clarify the message in a later post, stating he was referring to politicians and not the nation as a whole.
"When I say 'Ireland' I mean the politicians who are trying to vote this in [the blasphemy bill] not the country itself obviously."
Fry is just one in a long line of high-profile media personalities to have criticised Justice Minister Dermot Ahern for his proposal to add a new crime in an amendment to the Defamation Bill.
Mr Ahern wants to define blasphemy as matter: "That is grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters held sacred by any religion [and] intended to cause outrage."
- Lorna Nolan
