[ShadowWolf_IH]

since we are all up for a good debate, how about we go ahead and discuss freedom of speech vs slander and just flat out hate statements.

discuss, debate, have fun, keep it PG-13.

what is your opinion

[Krackers87]

I think everyone should have the right to call you, or any other man woman and child, a large floppy penis

[Grey Wolf]

Let them talk. You don't have to listen if you don't want to.

[an0n]

I'd rather slaughter anyone and everyone who expresses an idea of belief which I do not agree with.

[NGTM-1R]

You have the freedom to say whatever you want, but you also have the freedom to get sued or beat down for it.

[Nuke]

ah behold the tyrrany of an0nistan

[an0n]

Actually, it's Northern Rapistan.

And my currency is the Penile Pound.

I love NationStates.

[Grey Wolf]

Actually, on second thought, telemarketers and anyone who calls your house during dinner should be executed. Some Marine Recruiter called me during dinner today, even though I have no intention whatsoever of joining the military, and wouldn't hang up for about fifteen minutes.

[WMCoolmon]

Just tell them you're interested in theater.

[vyper]

"I may not like what you have to say, but I will fight to protect your right to say it."

I think creationism is outdated neo-conservative bull**** - but if someone said "we're rounding all the creationists up and putting 'em in death camps" - I'd have to do something.

In personal life, you may insult me all you want so long as I don't have the means to stop you. That's freedom and democracy.

[deep_eyes]

Originally posted by Krackers87
I think everyone should have the right to call you, or any other man woman and child, a large floppy penis

[Nuke]

if hate groups didnt have freedom of speach it could be worse, at least this way thay can make total fools of themselves. they would be able to hunt down and recriut weak minded individuals to serve in their ranks.  the problem with freedom of speech is that it puts far too much info out there for the average mind to process and anylize the given info most of which is useless. freedom of speech denies people the freedom to select what they want to hear. giving total freedom on one aspect of everyday life will take away another freedom. giving somone the right to carry a firearm denies others the freedom to not have to worry about being shot. its always a tradeoff. the concept of total freedom seems like a fantasy. total freedom is anarchy, but anarchy cannot be totally free cause you are not free from the negative aspects of human behavior which will surely manifest themselves. freedom is just another buzzword we use to pimp our so called 'superior' government. regaurdless of weather or not you have freedom of speech you will still have hate groups. if you have to hate people, at least be fair about it and hate all people equally.

[Scuddie]

What is too bad, actually, is that most people dont realize that slanderous and libelous statements do not fall under the free speech laws in most countries.  It is certainly this way in the US, and it is enforced very strictly.  However, a cold, hard truth seems to be accepted legally, as well as civilly (is that a word?), regardless of the situation.  But oddly, only if it is asked if it were so.  You cant just come out and say "This man screwed a goat, and hired the ****** guy to deface a website".  You arent even allowed to say anything suggestive.

I dont know what the free speech laws are in the UK, but in the US, they are very conflicting, IMO.

[Liberator]

Not really, obscenity laws are about punishing people for behaving in a way that they should know better than to behave that way in public and to enforce a slightly more moral public enviroment.

Example:
Child A buys an album that his parents have deemed obscene.  They show it to their friends whose kid has been asking for the same album and they think it obscene too.  Now in a perfect world, and I wish with all I am that it were at least thus, the parents would take matters into their hands, as is their responsibility, and "explain" to the children why the album is bad.  After enough "explanation" the kids will get the hint that they shouldn't spend their money on filth and the album will tank so another onewon't be made.  Unfortunately it's not a perfect world, so the government has stepped in with Obsceneity Laws, BTW, I'm all for laying out in B&W what is to be considered obscene in the public square, that way all the cards are out on the table before the hand.  These laws prevent people of low character from exposing society to their degenerate ideas.

As I said, I would prefer to leave it in the parents hands, but as we've seen, a lot of parents these days don't pay attention to what they're children are doing away from school.

[Grug]

Lib - were you ever a teenager?

I can tell you now, that 90% of kids, even if were sat down and spoken too like an adult, would still get the album.
But these days instead of purchasing the album they would just d/l it for free off the internet, so the so called offensive album should theoretically go down the drain anyway. Perfect balance.

I think freedom of speech is great, used in the correct time and place.
Certain public areas should be neutral, people can talk and discuss things, but in a civil way.

As for parents treating kids like adults, oh. my. god.
There may be a good idea somewhere in that concept but I am yet to see it applied correctly.
Kids will be kids, slap them on the ass, and they learn their lesson.
Game Over.

[Liberator]

umm, "explain" == beating the tar out of them till they shut their smart mouths and do as they are told.  I was petrified of my father even as a teenager.  That probably a large reason why I am like I am.

[Grug]

ah I see.

[icespeed]

freedom of speech is technically all very good. it means i can spout off about Christianity whenever i like. unfortunately people seem to twist freedom of speech around to mean, 'talk about anything you like except Christianity'. but still, i guess i should be thankful that i'm not in a country where spouting off means i get my tongue torn out or something.

beating a child shouldn't be a regular thing, but it can be a good thing if necessary. for example if a kid makes a sparkler bomb (which my brother regularly does- you scrape sparkler dust into a can and light it, the whole thing whooshes up into a pyro's dream) and sets it off inside the house, that's probably a good time to smack his ass.

[Aspa]

I'm all for speech freedom. How else can you tell who the idiots are?

[Clave]

Actually, on second thought, telemarketers and anyone who calls your house during dinner should be executed. Some Marine Recruiter called me during dinner today, even though I have no intention whatsoever of joining the military, and wouldn't hang up for about fifteen minutes.

Three words:  Telephone Preference Service