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Posts
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Rowan Atkinson wants the law changed to allow a return to freedom of speech.
I’m all for it. In a modern and democratic society we have to accept that people have differing views and should be allowed to express them without being hauled in front of magistrates.I’m all for gagging some ppl’s backside’s to stop them talking out of them.
Yes of course and let’s put the Daily Mail at the head of the call for free speech.
Let’s cheer as it slags off Muslims and other minorities based on straightforward lies.
Let’s whoop with joy as it seeks to make us frightened of our own shadow and the enemies within.
Let’s take our pitchforks in our hands and go out and hunt down the PC brigade, making sure that once they are gone, we can go after the real outsiders.
Let’s set up a scaffold for everyone who is different and dares to say “hang on old fruit you seem to be treating me unfairly”.
Just one question – whose free speech and to what end?
More seriously, I do absolutely believe in freedom of speech, association and movement – something we don’t have in this “free” democratic country. It’s just that the right to free speech is so much more important than the right to be non-PC (or downright abusive).
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Let’s see a stop to people being jailed for being tasteless or stupid on Twitter and Facebook. I deplore some of the things said about black footballers with heart conditions, and child abuse/murder victims, but locking them up is just way over the top.
We have laws against defamation and incitement to hatred. We need to have them applied consistently and with some balance. At the moment the police and judiciary jump when they think the public will be offended and lock young men up for basically being prats. Others do far more serious things and get away with them.
Let’s get rid the Public Order Act which is part of the apparatus of a Police State. Nobody could be bothered opposing at the time cos it meant the power to lock up troublemakers they didn’t like. We lock people up without trial and extradite them to the USA for crimes they committed in the UK. Class!
What will be locked up for next – opposing the government, protesting peacefully? Ooops, sorry that already happens.
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But while we are at it, let’s not pretend that free speech is pretty or comfortable.
Free speech means respecting the right to protest, even for extremists, the right to strike and other freedoms we no longer take for granted.
Free speech is more than your right to say what you want. You have to be able to respect someone else’s right to free speech, however extreme their views, whilst respectfully disagreeing. That of course gives papers like the Daily Mail a field day, pointing out all the enemies within, and inciting fear of the alien.
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Anyone advocating completely free speech knows that it is a basic right, but one hell of a double-edged sword.
I advocate free speech absolutely, but I also advocate the maturity and tolerance it takes to handle it. Many people calling for free speech don’t have that tolerance.
:(
All very good points ML.
@ momes – =D> =D> =D> =D>
Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing when it comes to rags like the Mail talking of free speech..as momes says, free speech for whom, for what? They attack free speech for their opponents, demand free speech for themselves.
Free speech is inviolable to me – it’s crucial in cases where people oppose you, not just when they support you. I even believe in free speech for Terry. Bad arguments must be expressed, or no progress is possible.
But speech which is directly inflaming, or aimed at violence, is breach of the peace – old offence. That’s the difficult one, and that’s why I suspect panda calls for legal action against racism.
To me, racism and chauvinism are to be protected when put forward as part of an argument. As such, they are to be discussed and debated. When pressed to violent action, stamp on it and stamp hard.
@momentaryloss wrote:
I advocate free speech absolutely, but I also advocate the maturity and tolerance it takes to handle it. Many people calling for free speech don’t have that tolerance. :(
We could always lock them up for not being worthy. :roll:
@terry wrote:
@momentaryloss wrote:
I advocate free speech absolutely, but I also advocate the maturity and tolerance it takes to handle it. Many people calling for free speech don’t have that tolerance. :(
We could always lock them up for not being worthy. :roll:
Mmmmm – it’s an option.
You can be in charge of judging the worthy then!
:lol: :wink:
It’s always best to take what some people say with a large dose of salt.
.. Or Pepper :-
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