the truth is that many of the obsolete laws are a testament to the brutal repression of Catholics in Ireland when it was a British colony. [..] They might seem funny now, but these pieces of legislation were deadly serious at the time—tools fashioned specifically for the intimidation and coercion of a populace.

Oh, how far we've come since then:

Insulting a police officer or municipal official on the internet has been made illegal in the town of Granby, Que., after the council voted unanimously tonight in favour of beefing up an already controversial bylaw.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/insult...e-online-banned-by-granby-que-bylaw-1.3061023

It's great that we've got Freedom of Speech in our hallowed Western democracies.