Freedom of speech in the U.S.

In the U.K. the following rules apply.

Hate speech laws in theUnited Kingdomare found in several statutes. Expressions of hatred toward someone on account of that person's colour, race, nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origin, religion, or sexual orientation is forbidden.Any communication which is threatening, abusive or insulting, and is intended to harass, alarm, or distress someone is forbidden.The penalties for hate speech include fines, imprisonment, or both.

Do you think this law is wrong?

In the U.K. the following rules apply.

Hate speech laws in theUnited Kingdomare found in several statutes. Expressions of hatred toward someone on account of that person's colour, race, nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origin, religion, or sexual orientation is forbidden.Any communication which is threatening, abusive or insulting, and is intended to harass, alarm, or distress someone is forbidden.The penalties for hate speech include fines, imprisonment, or both.

Do you think this law is wrong?

tenaka2

A British guy called me a "wanker" on Xbox Live. How do I report him to the authorities?

in australia, you can get a $240 fine for swearing

A British guy called me a "wanker" on Xbox Live. How do I report him to the authorities?

Oleg_Huzwog

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]

In the U.K. the following rules apply.

Hate speech laws in theUnited Kingdomare found in several statutes. Expressions of hatred toward someone on account of that person's colour, race, nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origin, religion, or sexual orientation is forbidden.Any communication which is threatening, abusive or insulting, and is intended to harass, alarm, or distress someone is forbidden.The penalties for hate speech include fines, imprisonment, or both.

Do you think this law is wrong?

whipassmt

Where do you draw the line? If someone states where the U.S. president will be at a particular time and gives vantage point and calibre is that freedom of speech?

That law is fine

in australia, you can get a $240 fine for swearing

Firebird-5

[QUOTE="Firebird-5"]

in australia, you can get a $240 fine for swearing

xaos

it's not the federal government, it's the state governments who decide they want a higher share of the GST revenue. So they increase mining royalties, or install speeding cameras that earn upwards of $7 million

Yes, that law is wrong.

In the U.K. the following rules apply.

Hate speech laws in theUnited Kingdomare found in several statutes. Expressions of hatred toward someone on account of that person's colour, race, nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origin, religion, or sexual orientation is forbidden.Any communication which is threatening, abusive or insulting, and is intended to harass, alarm, or distress someone is forbidden.The penalties for hate speech include fines, imprisonment, or both.

Do you think this law is wrong?

tenaka2

I'm from the Uk and I like that law.

On topic... yes, yes I do think the law is wrong. I'm okay with penalties for harassment, threats, and raising false alarms. But allowing fines and/or imprisonment for "any communication which is insulting" that "distresses someone"? That's just bizarre.

Yes it's wrong.

Yes it's wrong.

DroidPhysX

Any way to justify that?

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

Yes it's wrong.

tenaka2

Any way to justify that?

You can't look to an organization (government) to censor the world to your liking. The world is as the world is. People, and the things they think and say are part of life.

The only things that should be off-limits are things that pose a threat to someone's well-being... such as threats of harm.

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

Yes it's wrong.

BMD004

Any way to justify that?

I'm Irish, so I doubt that, I just dont like hate and the promotion of it.

For the US, yes.

We've always had thicker skin, I don't see why that should change.

[QUOTE="DroidPhysX"]

Yes it's wrong.

tenaka2

Any way to justify that?

[QUOTE="BMD004"][QUOTE="tenaka2"]

Any way to justify that?

tenaka2

I'm Irish, so I doubt that, I just dont like hate and the promotion of it.

Yes, completely wrong.

For the US, yes.

We've always had thicker skin, I don't see why that should change.

airshocker

So its ok for a group to stand by a love ones grave and for another group to shout 'ah ah ah they deserved it, in a volume that over rides the priest trying to eulogy?

[QUOTE="airshocker"]

For the US, yes.

We've always had thicker skin, I don't see why that should change.

tenaka2

So its ok for a group to stand by a love ones grave and for another group to shout 'ah ah ah they deserved it, in a volume that over rides the priest trying to eulogy?

Could possibly be charged with disturbing the peace.

So its ok for a group to stand by a love ones grave and for another group to shout 'ah ah ah they deserved it, in a volume that over rides the priest trying to eulogy?

tenaka2

If that's your opinion, you're entitled to it.

I don't think it's morally ok, but they have the right to do it.

[QUOTE="airshocker"]

For the US, yes.

We've always had thicker skin, I don't see why that should change.

tenaka2

So its ok for a group to stand by a love ones grave and for another group to shout 'ah ah ah they deserved it, in a volume that over rides the priest trying to eulogy?

The are laws governing the use of public vs private land, and laws governing public disturbances already in place.

As I just said in another thread, if you support this law, I better never see you on this forum either A.) Criticizing a religion (i.e., Christianity, Islam) in any fashion that might insult someone, or B.) Criticizing a country (i.e., the United States)in any fashion that might be considered insulting. I mean...you might hurt someone's feelings. Oh, the humanity...

Why does religion get special protection? My religion is entirely arbitrary. I can change it at will. A few months ago I was a Christian. Now I'm an atheist amoralist. I didn't have to go register this anywhere, or fill out a change-of-religion form*. I just changed my mind. I also recently decided that I like Sinn watches better than Breitling watches. So...how come it's illegal for someone to hurt my feelings in regards to my religion, but it's not illegal for someone to hurt my feelings in regards to the fact that I will spend several thousand dollars on a watch? I think it'd just be terrific if when anyone hurt my feelings about anything, the government would come shut them up. I'd win every argument on GameSpot OT.

* Hey, there's a great idea for the Left: Make people register their religions. We can't have people with potentially dangerous ideas wandering around without the government keeping close tabs on them.

It's too generalized imo. Sure, harassment, and threats are one thing, but stating opinions, no matter how unreasonable should be well within the right of the people. For instance if a white supremacist started calling up black people and making threats then of course there should be legal repercussions. Now on the other hand if a white supremacist just wanted to hate black people for no reason (no matter how stupid that is) It's an opinion, a misguided, sick opinion, but an opinion non-the-less, and you cannot punish people based on their opinions.

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]

So its ok for a group to stand by a love ones grave and for another group to shout 'ah ah ah they deserved it, in a volume that over rides the priest trying to eulogy?

airshocker

If that's your opinion, you're entitled to it.

I don't think it's morally ok, but they have the right to do it.

My opinion is that they don't have a right to do that to anyone. Its a horrific act. Governments exist to protect us from such acts, society exists to protect us from such things, the freedom of speech is selective and an illusion, yet its protected.

As I just said in another thread, if you support this law, I better never see you on this forum either A.) Criticizing a religion (i.e., Christianity, Islam) in any fashion that might insult someone, or B.) Criticizing a country (i.e., the United States)in any fashion that might be considered insulting. I mean...you might hurt someone's feelings. Oh, the humanity...

Why does religion get special protection? My religion is entirely arbitrary. I can change it at will. A few months ago I was a Christian. Now I'm an atheist amoralist. I didn't have to go register this anywhere, or fill out a change-of-religion form*. I just changed my mind. I also recently decided that I like Sinn watches better than Breitling watches. So...how come it's illegal for someone to hurt my feelings in regards to my religion, but it's not illegal for someone to hurt my feelings in regards to the fact that I will spend several thousand dollars on a watch? I think it'd just be terrific if when anyone hurt my feelings about anything, the government would come shut them up. I'd win every argument on GameSpot OT.

* Hey, there's a great idea for the Left: Make people register their religions. We can't have people with potentially dangerous ideas wandering around without the government keeping close tabs on them.

Palantas

My opinion is that they don't have a right to do that to anyone. Its a horrific act. Governments exist to protect us from such acts, society exists to protect us from such things, the freedom of speech is selective and an illusion, yet its protected.

tenaka2

And society does protect those funerals from the Westboro nutjobs. Google it.

Government exists only to ensure our rights are protected, to provide basic services, provide for national defense and foreign relations, and maybe a few other things.

They don't exist to make sure peoples feelings don't get hurt. That's what the waaaahmbulance is for.

My opinion is that they don't have a right to do that to anyone. Its a horrific act.

tenaka2

What makes that a horrific act? Was someone injured? Was their property destroyed? Were they forced to provide some service against their will?

EDIT:

Strange, leftist think tanks were filing briefs in support of Phelps in Snyder v. Phelps.DroidPhysX

All right.

this kind of thing demonstrates that European nations, despite being more liberal and progressive in many ways than the US, suffer from their own drawbacks. no nation is perfect

[QUOTE="airshocker"]

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]

So its ok for a group to stand by a love ones grave and for another group to shout 'ah ah ah they deserved it, in a volume that over rides the priest trying to eulogy?

tenaka2

If that's your opinion, you're entitled to it.

I don't think it's morally ok, but they have the right to do it.

My opinion is that they don't have a right to do that to anyone. Its a horrific act. Governments exist to protect us from such acts, society exists to protect us from such things, the freedom of speech is selective and an illusion, yet its protected.

this kind of thing demonstrates that European nations, despite being more liberal and progressive in many ways than the US, suffer from their own drawbacks. no nation is perfect

arbitor365

So freedom of speech alllows anyone to make a sign sayiing anyone of any particular group is less then human is ok for americans? this protects free speech?

[QUOTE="arbitor365"]

this kind of thing demonstrates that European nations, despite being more liberal and progressive in many ways than the US, suffer from their own drawbacks. no nation is perfect

tenaka2

So freedom of speech alllows anyone to make a sign sayiing anyone of any particular group is less then human is ok for americans? this protects free speech?

I think a lot of the "hate Crime" laws speech or otherwise is wrong. Commiting a crime on someone is a crime regardless of their sex,sexuality,color,religion,etc. Punish the crime equally not the intent. Otherwise we start down the slope to thought crimes.mattykovax

If someone says kill all (minoirty) this is a slippery slope?

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]

[QUOTE="arbitor365"]

this kind of thing demonstrates that European nations, despite being more liberal and progressive in many ways than the US, suffer from their own drawbacks. no nation is perfect

BMD004

So freedom of speech alllows anyone to make a sign sayiing anyone of any particular group is less then human is ok for americans? this protects free speech?

[QUOTE="mattykovax"]I think a lot of the "hate Crime" laws speech or otherwise is wrong. Commiting a crime on someone is a crime regardless of their sex,sexuality,color,religion,etc. Punish the crime equally not the intent. Otherwise we start down the slope to thought crimes.tenaka2

If someone says kill all (minoirty) this is a slippery slope?

[QUOTE="tenaka2"]

[QUOTE="arbitor365"]

this kind of thing demonstrates that European nations, despite being more liberal and progressive in many ways than the US, suffer from their own drawbacks. no nation is perfect

BMD004

So freedom of speech alllows anyone to make a sign sayiing anyone of any particular group is less then human is ok for americans? this protects free speech?

Again I repeat my earlier statement, if this person gives details of the presdents location and specifies a good location to stand from does this cut into your ideals of free speech?

[QUOTE="BMD004"][QUOTE="tenaka2"]

So freedom of speech alllows anyone to make a sign sayiing anyone of any particular group is less then human is ok for americans? this protects free speech?

SolidSnake35

[QUOTE="BMD004"][QUOTE="tenaka2"]

So freedom of speech alllows anyone to make a sign sayiing anyone of any particular group is less then human is ok for americans? this protects free speech?

tenaka2

Again I repeat my earlier statement, if this person gives details of the presdents location and specifies a good location to stand from does this cut into your ideals of free speech?

If someone says kill all (minoirty) this is a slippery slope?

tenaka2

And giving the government the right to punish people for their opinions isn't? Once again, if you're telling people to go out and kill other people, we already have laws in place for this. We do not need additional no-hurt-feelings laws to stop this.

[QUOTE="SolidSnake35"][QUOTE="BMD004"]Like we said... it's not "ok". 99% of people will think that guy's sign is disgusting and will completely disagree with him. But he has the freedom to express his opinion in that manner if he wants. BMD004

I agree that freedom is important but you have to take a step back and realise it's not everything.SolidSnake35

I disagree. This statement is contrary to my beliefs, and it saddens and frustrates me that people have opinions differing from my own. You are upsetting me. Please stop posting and promoting this point of view.

[QUOTE="BMD004"]

[QUOTE="SolidSnake35"] Why does he have this freedom? Because it's a "freedom"?SolidSnake35

And giving the government the right to punish people for their opinions isn't? Once again, if you're telling people to go out and kill other people, we already have laws in place for this. We do not need additional no-hurt-feelings laws to stop this.Palantas

[QUOTE="SolidSnake35"]I agree that freedom is important but you have to take a step back and realise it's not everything.Palantas

I disagree. This statement is contrary to my beliefs, and it saddens and frustrates me that people have opinions differing from my own. You are upsetting me. Please stop posting and promoting this point of view.