Short answers to stupid questions

David Cameron very accurately pointed out the shortcomings of Twitter.  I suspect that Gareth Compton and Paul Chambers might privately agree with the thrust of DC’s comment that too many tweets might make a twat, although in both cases they probably feel that it’s the law that’s being the twat here.  I can, however, make a reasonable stab (I hope that’s not going to get me arrested) at answering the ineffably awful Yasmin Alibhai-Brown here.

If I had said, "It would be a blessing if this man was stoned to death," what would happen to me as a Muslim woman in this country?

Nothing.  And I’m not sure what you think would happen to you ‘as a Muslim woman’ that wouldn’t happen otherwise. 

Some sort of perspective needs to be taken here.  I remember sending a text message during the Old Trafford test of 2005 saying ‘someone please shoot Ricky Ponting’.  Should I have been arrested for incitement to murder?  C’mon.  The history of prosecuting people for telling jokes is not a happy one.