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View Full Version : Racism versus Free Speech - A Slippery Slope into Tyranny...




edinmark
03-27-2012, 06:08 AM
England is paying the price for "political correctness", treating the laws like a political football, and eroding the basic right to free speech.

I would be interested to hear your views on this...

is this where America and the West is heading - jail for unpopular opinions?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/mar/27/student-jailed-fabrice-muamba-tweets

PauliticsPolitics
03-27-2012, 06:19 AM
Yea, that is stupid government mommy business...

But at the same rate, I would be fine with the racist tweeter getting his a$$ kicked at the next soccer riot.

airborne373
03-27-2012, 06:43 AM
Racism is collectivism. Even commie scum deserve free speech.

TonySutton
03-27-2012, 06:46 AM
I would rather a person speak their mind and know where they stand than to have them speak PC and never know the devil that lurks inside.

nobody's_hero
03-27-2012, 06:47 AM
District judge John Charles told Stacey: "It was racist abuse via a social networking site instigated as a result of a vile and abhorrent comment about a young footballer who was fighting for his life.

"At that moment, not just the footballer's family, not just the footballing world but the whole world were literally praying for his life. Your comments aggravated this situation.

Was it? I don't even know who the **** Muamba is. I hope he gets to feeling better but I have to be honest and say that I'm not keeping track of everyone in the world who suffers a cardiac arrest. Judge Charles sounds like a bit of a fruit-basket.

I will say that the author of that article needs to learn how to use quotation marks.

tod evans
03-27-2012, 06:56 AM
"The swiftness of the arrest demonstrates how seriously police are taking the posting of potentially criminal comments on social networking sites by so-called trolls."


There are two issues here as I see it;

1) Should the government be permitted to prosecute "typing-crimes"...

2) Should "racism" be considered a crime....



The English parliament has judged typing controversial material criminal...And with this thread the idea that a thought or belief may be subject to litigation is set forth.

My stance on litigation is very simple.....repeal most of it and don't pass any more!

Laws were enacted to punish "acts", the first amendment was written to protect speech...Simple concepts until somebody becomes offended then they believe they're justified seeking redress in the courts.

We have started down this "thought-speech crime" road with hate-crime enhancements.....(legislation)

I hate people with pink hair.......People who's ass won't fit in my jeans should be put to death......Sounds kind of stupid eh?.....Passing legislation to protect fat-assed/pink headed people is insane.....Why should I be guilty of "more murder" because I killed the pink headed lard ass?

Even more insane is paying civil servants to draft legislation criminalizing speaking out about my loathing...

There are way too many cops/lawyers/bureaucrats for a "free" society to support, if we permit more legislation to be enacted we'll need even more cops,lawyers and bureaucrats to sort it out.....And who's paying for all this?

Where does one "race" cross into another? If I'm French/English would my great grandson still be able to sue his neighbor for calling him a "Frog"....or "Limy"

When does curly hair become an afro?

For Pete's sake there are far more important things messed up in todays world than what you or I type/think or talk about!

Highstreet
03-27-2012, 07:26 AM
Ridiculous.

otherone
03-27-2012, 07:40 AM
Racism is collectivism. Even commie scum deserve free speech.

lol...irony.
btw, no one 'deserves' free speech. The entire point is that NOTHING has the authority to alienate us from it.

JohnM
03-27-2012, 07:46 AM
You are quite correct.

Free speech is always a fragile flower, but in recent years, respect for freedom of speech has been diminishing in the United Kingdom, with the result that freedom of speech is being slowly, but surely eroded.

When it seems like things in the USA are bad, remember that not only are things much worse here in the UK, but we also lack a Ron Paul type figure.

In fact, the really sad thing is that the freedom movement in Britain is tiny. There will be a few bloggers, (e.g. Ed West (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100147237/56-days-in-jail-for-a-tweet-when-race-becomes-an-issue-all-sense-goes-out-of-the-window/)) who will criticize this, but it is difficult to imagine any elected politicians publicly saying that this attack on freedom of speech is a national scandal.

Edit: And note the words of the judge:
"I have no choice but to impose an immediate custodial sentence to reflect the public outrage at what you have done."

The judge sends him to jail, you will note, "to reflect the public outrage". In other words, the judge considers it his duty to make sentences reflect the baying of the mob.

otherone
03-27-2012, 07:57 AM
You are quite correct.
When it seems like things in the USA are bad, remember that not only are things much worse here in the UK, but we also lack a Ron Paul type figure.


England's shared identity and 1500 year-old culture is not 'centered' on the idea of Liberty. America, in it's relative newness and diversity, has only it's supposed dedication to the ideas expressed on a 200 year-old, much-abused rag to hold us together.
That,...and TV.