An Asbo for Dave Walker

Since I have a love for hippos (or hippowatermus as my daughter calls them) and for Mozambique, I went back to a favourite cartoon. No apologies for re-posting it. A read through the lingamish blog at www.lingamish.wordpress.com is enlightening. There is more than one way to spread Christian knowledge.

 

 

 

I’m repeating a letter sent to Mark Brewer. Why? Mark Brewer has to get the message loud and clear and every blog should post it. Hopefully anybody wanting to employ Bplaw would think again and everybody wanting to join his noble charity will do a double-take.

Dear Mr. Brewer

We are writing on behalf of 498 supporters of cartoonist and blogger Dave Walker, a group which includes, bishops, national jounalists in the UK and US, lawyers, clergy, and concerned member of the public.

We would like to ask you please to contact Dave Walker and withdraw the demands made in the ‘Cease and Desist’ letter which you sent him in July. Your letter, as far as we know, instructed Dave to remove all his posts about the recent history of SPCK bookshops or face action for libel. With the pressures of the impending Lambeth conference, and a very short deadline given by yourself, Dave complied. He commented at the time: “I have therefore removed all of the SPCK/SSG posts on this blog, as although I believe I have not done anything wrong I do not have the money to face a legal battle. The removal of these posts is in no way an admission of guilt.”

Many of us have read the posts concerned, and are surprised, to say the least, that they could be called libelous. Indeed, the first three posts make no mention at all of yourself, the Society of St. Stephe the Great, or anyone associated with you. The 4th post reports your takeover of the bookshops with the comment “this is splendid news.” Another post is a simple link to your SSG video on YouTube. Other items include verbatim reports of your own statements, and in the simple post on the death of Steve Jeynes, dozens of people used the comments to express their grief and condolences to Steve’s family.

Dave is a reasonable man, and if all critics were as fair as he is the world would be a better a better place. If you were able to reconsider, and point out specific statements and claims you were unhappy with, we are sure Dave would be happy to correct them where appropriate. This is the normal process of debate on the internet, and in real life, and follows the strong tradition of free speech for which our countries stand and are rightly proud.

So this is a polite request from all of us: please contact Dave Walker, advise him that you ‘cease and desits’ communication no longer stands, and let him report freely.

Yours sincerely

Rev. David Keen and seven other signatories representing the “We support Dave Walker Group”

I remain amazed at how polite this letter is. Hopefully Brewer will respond.