Italian comic insults Pope, faces jail

Never underestimate the hatred people can muster against the pope:

"An Italian comic who said Pope Benedict would be punished in hell for the church's treatment of homosexuals could be tried for dishonouring him, a jailable crime under a 1929 treaty with the Vatican, judicial sources said.

Sabina Guzzanti, one of Italy's most pungent political satirists, made the remarks before a cheering crowd of thousands gathered at Rome's Piazza Navona in July.

Her explicit comments were widely published by Italian media and posted on the Internet.

The church, at the time, expressed its "profound displeasure with the offensive words about the Holy Father". (Times of Malta)

I think we can all agree that this comedian's words were offensive and false. If I had to state an opinion, however, I do not think one should be jailed for saying such things.

I think these individuals should, however, be firmly answered in the public forum, not along the lines of "oh my, we're so offended" but rather with an argument such as "think about what you are saying" ... and then listing the qualities of this Pope that make her comments so mindless in comparison.

In other words, shame these people, don't jail them. Sending them to jail makes them look like a sort of brave martyr for free speech, shaming them with the truth makes them look exactly like what they are - idiots.