J.K. Rowling celebrates victory over Amnesty – but it could quickly turn into a defeat

In a sharp critique published by Berlingske, the author argues that true freedom of speech requires tolerating even absurd claims, using Amnesty International's stance on gender-critical organizations as a case in point. The piece contends that if freedom of expression does not encompass viewpoints one finds objectionable, it devolves into mere freedom for one's own beliefs.

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Freedom must also include Amnesty's right to make the absurd claim that gender-critical organizations are 'anti-rights.' Otherwise, freedom of speech simply means freedom for the viewpoints you yourself consider true.

Amnesty International's report, 'Hate Harms,' is characterized as a "manual for how to kill freedom of speech with good intentions and linguistic manipulation." The author asserts that the organization has lost a battle in the court of public opinion. However, this victory is deemed insufficient for figures like J.K. Rowling and other targeted organizations, suggesting the fight for free expression is far from over.

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Amnesty International Denmark has published a new report, 'Hate Harms,' which is in practice a manual for how to kill freedom of speech with good intentions and linguistic manipulation.

The article frames the debate as a fundamental test of Danish free speech principles. It implies that allowing organizations to label critical viewpoints as "anti-rights" erodes the very foundation of open discourse. The author's perspective is that while Amnesty may have faced public defeat, the underlying threat to free speech persists, necessitating ongoing scrutiny and defense of open expression.

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Amnesty lost in the court of public opinion. But that was not enough for Rowling and several of the branded organizations.