What do the Islamic world and Europe have in common? There are actually many similarities, but one is this: in neither place are Christians always allowed to express their beliefs without fear of persecution.

As for Eurasia, its Ministry of Truth's latest handiwork is the arrest and punishment of an American street preacher who dared speak of sin in that land once known as Scotland. The victim is 47-year-old New Yorker Shawn Holes, who was on a UK tour when he was arrested in Glasgow after running afoul of UK hate-speech laws. Writes Pink News:

He said that while preaching, a number of gay couples stopped to listen and asked him about his views, which he said seemed like a "set-up".

...When asked about his views on homosexuality, Holes said: "Homosexuals are deserving of the wrath of God - and so are all other sinners - and they are going to a place called hell."

For this Oldspeak transgression, Holes' arrest was followed by the imposition of a £1,000 fine, which is a harsher penalty than even some Britons who commit violent crimes must endure. 

I've said much about "hate speech" laws over the years, and I won't rehash the old arguments except to again point out that all hate-crime law is an attempt at thought control. Instead, I'd like to point out another bias relating to this situation and others like it.

At a UK blog called Harry's place, writer Peter Tatchell defends Holes, saying, "[I]n a democratic, free society it is wrong to prosecute him. Criminalisation is not appropriate." Yet he also takes pains to polish up his politically correct credentials and writes, "Mr Holes is obviously homophobic and should not be insulting people with his anti-gay tirades. He should be challenged and people should protest against his intolerance." And this attitude is reflected in the title of Tatchell's piece: "Freedom of speech must be defended... even for homophobes."

It's also reflected in reader comments on the Holes case, where respondents focus on the man's alleged "homophobia." But, question: why the fixation on the preacher's homosexual commentary? Note that what he said was, "Homosexuals are deserving of the wrath of God - and so are all other sinners...." In other words, it doesn't seem that Holes is nearly as fixated on homosexuality as his critics. After all, his frame of reference was all sinful behavior -- so he is perhaps better described as "sinphobic" (as we all should be) -- yet all the "homophiliacs" do is take issue with his condemnation of one particular sin.

Oh, I do understand the situation. Unlike homosexuals, adulterers, fornicators, and apostates aren't some of the "protected groups" under British law. It's also true that homosexuality is the only sin Holes mentioned by name. Yet this might only have been because homosexuals were asking him questions about their behavior. What would have been the focus had the preacher been approached by militant adulterers?

But even this isn't the point. It is rather that there are no militant adulterers to speak of, but there is an organized homosexual movement. And like all leftist causes, it has been very successful at framing the debate.

It works like this: the left takes something, in this case homosexuality, out of the closet and tries to normalize it. Then, when traditionalists simply play defense and try to preserve the status quo, the leftist social engineers shout, "Why are you so hung up on homosexuality!"

It's as if a man comes up to you, starts wildly directing blows at your head and then, when you put your hands up to block, says, "Why are you getting so violent! You're a hater!" Yeah, I guess I am. I hate having my head bashed in for no reason.

But it isn't hate that drives the best of us, for we are true soldiers who, to paraphrase Chesterton, fight not mainly because we hate what is in front of us, but because we love what is behind us.

I don't really know who is going to end up burning in hellfire, as that's God's judgment. I do know, however, that the left has set the whole West on fire and then accuses traditionalists of being hung-up on flames when we simply attempt to douse the blaze. And with civilization threatened with being reduced to ash, it just makes one wonder if it isn't time for another great flood.

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