The Slow Death Of Free Speech

[silverfaun]

A scroller but intensely interesting to anybody who cares about our rights and freedom.

How the Left, here and abroad, is trying to shut down debate —  from Islam and Israel to global warming and gay marriage

April 2014

These days, pretty much every story is really the same story:

• In Galway, at the National University of Ireland, a speaker who attempts to argue against the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) programme against Israel is shouted down with cries of  effing Zionist, effing  pr…..… Get the eff  off our campus.’

• In California, Mozilla’s chief executive is forced to resign because he once made a political donation in support of the pre-revisionist definition of marriage.

• At Westminster, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee declares that the BBC should seek ‘special clearance’ before it interviews climate sceptics, such as fringe wacko extremists like former Chancellor Nigel Lawson.

• In Massachusetts, Brandeis University withdraws its offer of an honorary degree to a black feminist atheist human rights campaigner from Somalia.

• In London, a multitude of liberal journalists and artists responsible for everything from Monty Python to Downton Abbey sign an open letter in favour of the first state restraints on the British press in three and a quarter centuries.

• And in Canberra the government is planning to repeal Section 18C — whoa, don’t worry, not all of it, just three or four adjectives; or maybe only two, or whatever it’s down to by now, after what Gay Alcorn in the Age described as the ongoing debate about ‘where to strike the balance between free speech in a democracy and protection against racial abuse in a multicultural society’

http://www.spectator.co.uk/australia/australia-features/9187741/the-slow-death-of-free-speech-2/?

[just_me_karen]

I'm not sure what experience you've got with kids, but he certainly looks old enough to make his own decisions. I doubt he'd agree to wear that tshirt if he didn't want to.

Also, I like it, I want one! (You can buy them on twitter haha)

[icyfroth]

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@boris1gary wrote:

no it isn't  "free speech" at all and in fact in this state (NSW) the Libs recently passed a new law with $500 fines for swearing.

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so you think it's not against common decency for people be able to incorporate foul language in their speech. How would you like to here the F and C word used in mainstream media and general language, for instance.

It already is on some programs. I won't mention names but their initials are ABC.

[spotweldersfriend]

Yes those and the climate change deniers.Trinket sellers by day and science experts in their spare time. lol...giggle...

[icyfroth]

Oh yes it would def be you, Karen lol

[boris1gary]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@boris1gary wrote:

no it isn't  "free speech" at all and in fact in this state (NSW) the Libs recently passed a new law with $500 fines for swearing.

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so you think it's not against common decency for people be able to incorporate foul language in their speech. How would you like to here the F and C word used in mainstream media and general language, for instance.

It already is on some programs. I won't mention names but their initials are ABC.

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icyfroth, you included the t-shirt on a thread about "free speech" not me. I merely pointed out that wearing a t-shirt with a swear word has nothing to do with "free speech" and it is a fineable offence. What I think is against common decency, well there is already a thread for that, 100 days of lies, deceptions and broken promises by this government or something like that.

[just_me_karen]

Modern family in Australia advertisement to you, icy lol

[freakiness]

Who says the child and the young man are together anyway. There is as much chance her family are to her other side, cropped out for effect.

[icyfroth]

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@freakiness wrote:

Who says the child and the young man are together anyway.

who says they're not?

There is as much chance her family are to her other side, cropped out for effect.

There is as much chance that is not the case.

Not relevant anyway.

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The relevance is there's a teenaged boy wearing a tshirt with an obscene message to our PM minister on it which means Free Speech in Aus is alive and well for some.

I would hate to see the uproar if the same were worn against a Labor PM.

[i-need-a-martini]

Or this:

How the Right, here and abroad, is trying to shut down debate —  from asylum seekers to education to global warming and political corruption

Australia 2014

These days, pretty much every story is really the same story:

• In Canberra, at any press conference, Mr Morrison refuses to inform the public about the situation with refugees seeking asylum in Australia. Instead, the Minister tells taxpayers that he is not prepared to divulge information. Later all communication on the subject is shut down when the minister refuses any further press conferences.

• In NSW a few days ago, Prime Minister Abbott does not respond to journalists questions about the dramatic resignation of the states Premier. Instead he informes them that he will allow questions on the subject at the END of the press conference. However, only 3 questions were allowed to be called.

• At this very same press conference, the Prime Minister tells a female journalist (afetr referring the her derogoratively and smirkingly as "madam") that the media should "lift it's standards" whilst at the same time attempting to change anti vilification laws in order to allow journalists to print whatever they blooming well feel like without having to comply with any standards.

Is this the kind of limitations on free speech and intelligent debate you mean silverfaun?

[the_great_she_elephant]

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@icyfroth wrote:

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@boris1gary wrote:

no it isn't  "free speech" at all and in fact in this state (NSW) the Libs recently passed a new law with $500 fines for swearing.

---

so you think it's not against common decency for people be able to incorporate foul language in their speech. How would you like to here the F and C word used in mainstream media and general language, for instance.

It already is on some programs. I won't mention names but their initials are ABC.

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What has common decency got to do with it? The argument here is about free speech -whether we should have the the right to say whatever we like, whenever we like, regardless of whom it might offend. It is possible to be incredibly offensive without using either the f or c word and and conversely it is also possible to use them without being particularty offensive