Freedom of Speech

[YamiB]

A few topics lately keep drifting into debates over freedom of speech so I though I would make a topic that is actually about it.

Should freedom of speech be restricted in instances where people are pushing for violence against certain individuals or groups?

 

[LittleNipper]

A few topics lately keep drifting into debates over freedom of speech so I though I would make a topic that is actually about it.

Should freedom of speech be restricted in instances where people are pushing for violence against certain individuals or groups?

I feel that then it fast becomes a value judgment as to what causes someone to actual violence. Only a person who injures another should be punished. And that punishment should be directed towards the ACT done on another individual and not directed at what people are thinking while they do bad things. Otherwise, one creates two sets of punishment. One directed towards those who seemingly act randomly and yet have hurt individuals, and another directed towards those whose end result is exactly the same and yet are accused of hating those they hurt. As the hurt individual, I'm looking for justice/restitution and not rationalizations as to why this one is going to be treated differently from that one.

 

[Corey]

A few topics lately keep drifting into debates over freedom of speech so I though I would make a topic that is actually about it.

Should freedom of speech be restricted in instances where people are pushing for violence against certain individuals or groups?

There's no should...it already is. It falls under the same general criteria as yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater.

 

[Washington]

There's no should...it already is. It falls under the same general criteria as yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater.

Can you cite a particular law? I failed to find any that says it is against the law to incite violence, although I suspect there is one.

 

[Guid]

A few topics lately keep drifting into debates over freedom of speech so I though I would make a topic that is actually about it.

Should freedom of speech be restricted in instances where people are pushing for violence against certain individuals or groups?

No, various 'Riot Act' types laws are sufficent if there appears to be the possibility of violence.

Hate speech laws aren't about impending violence. They are about putting people in jail for, say, writing a newspaper article, or what they post on their websites. These laws are invading the sphere of opinons and ideas and trying to put it up for government review (and those who hold opinions up to possible prison).

Dispicable or foolish opinions can be countered with free speech - just speak the truth; the truth will set you free.

Guid

 

[jcook922]

Can you cite a particular law? I failed to find any that says it is against the law to incite violence, although I suspect there is one.

Public Disturbance, Intention to Incite a Riot, you can be hauled in for threats, if that's what the OP meant by intention to commit violence. Least those are laws that I've been taught to enforce in a military police role, I'm not sure about the civilian side.

 

[Autumnleaf]

A few topics lately keep drifting into debates over freedom of speech so I though I would make a topic that is actually about it.

Should freedom of speech be restricted in instances where people are pushing for violence against certain individuals or groups?

Yes. Inciting mobs should be curtailed.

 

[YamiB]

No, various 'Riot Act' types laws are sufficent if there appears to be the possibility of violence.

Hate speech laws aren't about impending violence. They are about putting people in jail for, say, writing a newspaper article, or what they post on their websites. These laws are invading the sphere of opinons and ideas and trying to put it up for government review (and those who hold opinions up to possible prison).

Dispicable or foolish opinions can be countered with free speech - just speak the truth; the truth will set you free.

Guid

And where did I say anything about hate speech laws? Your thinking that ignorant ideas can easily be countered with the truth is extremely naive, not that there is anything that can be done about this.

 

[lawtonfogle]

And where did I say anything about hate speech laws? Your thinking that ignorant ideas can easily be countered with the truth is extremely naive, not that there is anything that can be done about this.

I long ago decided stupidity is dominant to intelligence. Think of it this way, you make a stupid mistake, how many smart actions must follow to fix it versus you make a smart move, how many stupids ones does it take to undo it all.

Or think of a game of chess. Many of the best moves and strategies can be undone by one stupid move.

 

[BigBadWlf]

No, various 'Riot Act' types laws are sufficent if there appears to be the possibility of violence.

Hate speech laws aren't about impending violence. They are about putting people in jail for, say, writing a newspaper article, or what they post on their websites. These laws are invading the sphere of opinons and ideas and trying to put it up for government review (and those who hold opinions up to possible prison).

Dispicable or foolish opinions can be countered with free speech - just speak the truth; the truth will set you free.

Guid

Can you actually cite people in North America who was actually convicted and sentenced to jail for writing a newspaper article?

 

[Guid]

Can you actually cite people in North America who was actually convicted and sentenced to jail for writing a newspaper article?

Zundel is in jail in Germany as a result of a number of hate speech law tangles in Canada for his publications (the first one I think is for "publishing false news"). Later, however it was a German court that handed out the sentence that jailed him. Canada had him deported knowing he'd be jailed in Germany for his opinions:

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/02/15/zundel-germany.html

Bill Noble was sentenced to jail in Canada for publishing his views on a website:

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2008/05/c7292.html

MacLeans Magazine (a primary national news magazine) and its writer Mark Steyn have been dragged before a tribunal, I think it continues:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadi...n_rights_complaint_against_Maclean's_Magazine


And there are others who've received various penalties including prison and fines.

I'm hoping MacLeans with its human and financial resources can get these dispicable laws struck down. I think they've already issued a challenge in court.

These laws themselves are abuses and the way these laws are carried out are abusive i.e. secretive tribunals. The whole thing is a disgrace and an affront to a peaceful, open and free society.

Guid

 

[BigBadWlf]

Zundel is in jail in Germany as a result of a number of hate speech law tangles in Canada for his publications (the first one I think is for "publishing false news"). Later, however it was a German court that handed out the sentence that jailed him. Canada had him deported knowing he'd be jailed in Germany for his opinions:

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/02/15/zundel-germany.html

Bill Noble was sentenced to jail in Canada for publishing his views on a website:

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2008/05/c7292.html

MacLeans Magazine (a primary national news magazine) and its writer Mark Steyn have been dragged before a tribunal, I think it continues:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadi...n_rights_complaint_against_Maclean's_Magazine


And there are others who've received various penalties including prison and fines.

I'm hoping MacLeans with its human and financial resources can get these dispicable laws struck down. I think they've already issued a challenge in court.

These laws themselves are abuses and the way these laws are carried out are abusive i.e. secretive tribunals. The whole thing is a disgrace and an affront to a peaceful, open and free society.

Guid

So your answer is …no you cannot actually cite people from North America who have been arrested, tried, convicted and jailed because they wrote a newspaper article.