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Thread: Freedom of Speech?

  1. #1
    Veteran Member DRUNKENDRAGON's Avatar
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    Default Freedom of Speech?

    Arrested and tasered for asking questions


    http://www.netenfo.com/caught_on_tape.htm

  2. #2

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    What is "Hate Speech"?

    What is your definition? Who defines what hate is?

    If you believe in prosecuting hate speech, who gets to decide what hate speech is?

    And if you prosecute people for speech which you or an ally of yours consider "hate speech" then do you REALLY believe in FREE speech?

    Should you allow people to say things that you find repulsive, untrue, hateful, or you disagree with?

    What if others agree with them but you don't?

    Does Free Speech only protect speech you agree with? Or does it protect speech that you disagree with as well?

    We do not want people to scream "FIRE" in a movie theatre if there is not really a fire. Where do we draw the line and does it become a slippery slope?

    Interested in your knowledge and opinions.

  3. #3
    The ABBOTT
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    As long as the speech does directly cause violence or harm to others it should be permitable. For instance, if you want to hate a certain ethnic group, ok, but don't advocate for others to bring harm upon them. The same with the old yelling fire quandry. The only reason to do this is to cause chaos.

  4. #4

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    An agreement between two or more people to do harm to someone in the future is already against the law.

    Offense: Conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm / conspiracy to wound with intent to cause GBH
    Legislation : Offences against the Person Act 1861 / Criminal Law Act 1977

    According to this attorney, yelling fire in a crowded theater isn't necessarily illegal anymore. Although, I wouldn't volunteer to be the person to test that theory.

    Is it legal to shout "fire" in a crowded theater?
    https://civil-liberties.yoexpert.com...ter-19421.html

    An interesting aside in the article, he writes that once upon a time in America, printing and distributing fliers in opposition to a U.S. war was considered illegal speech.

    Schenck v. United States. - It instead concerned a man’s conviction for protesting the First World War’s military draft. The man, Charles Schenck, had printed 15,000 fliers that encouraged readers to resist conscription. The Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 criminalized such an offense, said prosecutors. According to their ruling, Schnenck’s fliers created a clear and present danger — a clear and present danger to the government’s recruiting efforts. He hadn’t endangered life, as falsely shouting "fire" in a crowded theater would have, but he may as well have. This "clear and present danger" standard stood for half a century. Further rulings even expanded it, criminalizing additional speech.

    In some respects, we have far more freedom of speech than an American did 100 years ago. Although, you could probably argue otherwise. But at least when it comes to war, you wouldn't get arrested for distributing anti war fliers in the year 2020.
    Last edited by Sense-A; 10-08-2020 at 10:01 PM.

  5. #5
    The ABBOTT
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    I think we have progressed in the aspect of freedom of speech. Just look at music, no way would rap music of recent times been permitted 50 years ago. Politicians were constantly railing against it in the 80s and 90s if I remember right. Your pal Gore and his wife were two that spearheaded it at one point in time.

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