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Politics

Should racist speech be controlled by the law?

205 replies

MrManager · 07/12/2010 18:56

Specifically the criminal law, i.e. should it be an offence (as it is now), or is freedom of speech too important?

OP posts:
mycounty · 09/12/2010 11:37

Riven.I'm sorry if you are being harrased. Contact the police we have laws that deal with this and threatening behaviour. I don't like people being prosecuted for calling me an 'English Bastard' It has happened in this country and it is ridiculous.

Nickiename> Please don't put words into my mouth. I did not make ONE personal attack on you. You impliment yourself....sadly.

Nickiename · 09/12/2010 11:24

You hate 'bullying' unless it is on the grounds of race, or you are doing it yourself, right?

Nickiename · 09/12/2010 11:22

I can see why you are so keen to defend name calling, MyCounty, as you love doing it yourself. You say you came on here because you were upset that someone (Desiderata) was being verbally 'bullied', yet I'm supposed to suck up her and your personal attacks? At least attempt some consistency of thought.

DuelingFanio · 09/12/2010 11:21

MyCounty - the 'black and proud' sentiment/call came after many many years where black people were beaten down, bound in slavery, denied votes and so on. If you are unaware of this then I suggest you do a bit more reading and educate yourself on history of racism'. You might also want to read up on the kind of organisations who use the phrase 'white pride'.

for the person who called someone a 'black bastard' I would suggest that you examine your racism, because that is racist and though you protest that you are anti-EDL and so on you were displaying racist behaviour by bringing their colour into an argument where it was in no way relevant.

I'm also calling 'Troll' on some of the posters on this thread and then hiding it.

Blu · 09/12/2010 11:15

Nickie's post said that she agreed with me that racist abuse / violence should NOT be treated any different to any other abuse / violence, because a punch is a ounch and just as horrible for the recient whoever they are.

Desiderata immediately started insulting her! She added that people who are vulnerable because of physical difference (children / disabled people). NOT black people, need protection. Desiderata accused her of protecting black people in a patronising way.

Nickie declined to re-explain her post, to cintiniungh insults from Desi.

How is Desi being bullied?

Desi - please post your original comment again, because I would like to debate a) does it matter what goes on in other countries - what matters to us, surely is what we allow, and what we wish to be acceptable here in our country b) whether racism is in fact simply generated by indiginousness or otherwise, majority / minority in quantity, and / or how other factors are involved - compare and contrast countries in which the indiginous population is now in a minority and subject to racism etc etc.

It can't just be an issue of numbers: DS (as a mixed race Asian / white child is in a minority in his largelt black british class and there is no reported racism by anyone.

How ever it happens, racism is dysfunctional in some way, and the result of dysfunction, but the way forward is to remove the dysfucntion, not criminalise people's expression of thought.

sarah293 · 09/12/2010 11:12

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mycounty · 09/12/2010 11:06

Riven. Families should bring their children up to respect other people, that is not the job of the state, to impose sanctions on speech. These laws only create resentment and most of that is directed towards ethnic minorities, of whom people see getting 'special treatment' or being protected. It does not protect people in the future.

Jack Straw wrote to every mosque in this country, stating he would bring in 'hate crime' laws for their votes. How measured and fair is that?

Many people feel aggrieved and feel they are not listened too, (on both sides) but bringing in laws to stop free speech was, and is not the way forward.

sarah293 · 09/12/2010 11:00

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mycounty · 09/12/2010 10:56

Riven. If someone took my hat/scarf off my head and called me names, The first action is assault and depending on how they did it (were joking/having a laugh) or did it in another manner would be why I would call the police, the rest is name calling. I'm very afraid for this country when people choose to want prosecution for the spoken word. I find that very disturbing. Sad

mycounty · 09/12/2010 10:49

Nickiename. You say that desiderata 'upset a lot of people with her 'horrible comments' her comments are subjective, if people don't like them fine. What I object to is some MNs piling in and having a go at someone just for the sake of it.
You personally took it as an insult to be called 'racist', would you take it as an insult if I called you boring? It seems to me that whenever white people say that they have been in this country for thousands of years or mention in way that they may be proud to be white and have a long history of their family living in this country then they are called racist.

Black people can say they are black and proud, why not white people?

Why do you get so upset by words on paper? I don't like people being picked on. That is it. Xmas Smile

sarah293 · 09/12/2010 10:39

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Nickiename · 09/12/2010 10:38

Desiderata upset a lot of people with her horrible comments, then, apparently too thick to understand my post, got completely hysterical and called me a racist. But that makes her a victim, right?

Nickiename · 09/12/2010 10:37

Pathetic.

mycounty · 09/12/2010 10:36

Nickiename. It's mycounty. Not mycountry!
Desiderata IMO by reading the posts directed towards her was picked on, and if you decide you are one of them fine, so be it. Smile

AnyFuleSno · 09/12/2010 10:34

hiding thread. Good bye

Nickiename · 09/12/2010 10:33

sorry, just seen it's mycounty. whatever.

Nickiename · 09/12/2010 10:31

That's crap MyCountry (Hmm @ your username by the way) Desiderata responded to a measured, reasonable post of mine with hysterical abuse, and called me a racist. She's no victim.

mycounty · 09/12/2010 10:19

Riven. Yes I was, but to prosecute someone for that? Bonkers, IMO.

mycounty · 09/12/2010 10:18

I note with dismay that many of you post here to bully people, and I see your 'victim' is Deseridata.

IMO many things are said that another finds offensive, does that make them criminial? Certainly not.

As said we had laws of incitement, that was enough.

Why should anyone here apologise? You lot should grow up and stop bullying each other!

By the way I've been given the 'hate crime treatment' by a black person, should I prosecute? Certainly not. I was offended but I'll get over it and live! Xmas Grin

Nickiename · 09/12/2010 09:34

AnyFule, back off. I wrote a thoughtful, friendly post which Desiderata completely misunderstood (and still cannot understand Hmm and piled in with a completely hysterical and aggressive posts in which she called me a racist, a complete personal attack of the worst kind (and a severe case of projection). I could have had her post deleted but I am trying to give her the opportunity to read my post and APOLOGISE for hers. So if you don't mind, just butt out.

sarah293 · 09/12/2010 09:19

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scurryfunge · 09/12/2010 00:29

I think Desiderata's posts were the nasty ones.

AnyFuleSno · 08/12/2010 23:27

Nickie seems to me like you just piled on here for a fight, your posts are nasty and patronising

Nickiename · 08/12/2010 21:38

ah, no scurry. Poor Desiderata,if she hadn't been quite so fast and loose with the personal insults I might have taken pity and explained it to her. Mind you, if she didn't understand it first time, I honestly don't hold out much hope.

scurryfunge · 08/12/2010 21:34

So she has apologised too, one hopes? Smile

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