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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Freedom of speech

168 replies

puzzleduck · 06/01/2014 16:46

Did anyone see BB last night?

I dont know their names but a man was telling a woman that he didnt agree with people being Gay because its written in the Bible that its not allowed. He got a verbal warning from BB for this conversation.
AIBU to think that we have freedom of speech in this country and as he was only stating that HE didnt agree with it they should not have given him a VW.

OP posts:
nennypops · 06/01/2014 16:47

We don't have freedom of speech to make homophobic comments publicly, I'm delighted to say. YABextremely U.

vestandknickers · 06/01/2014 16:49

Freedom of speech does not include making homophobic comments thank goodness. Do you really believe we should be allowed to say anything in public?

Sirzy · 06/01/2014 16:51

Exactly what Nenny and Vest have both said.

ToniViolin · 06/01/2014 16:52

I think the producers have a responsibility to balance the views expressed on their programme and make it clear that they do not endorse those views, and to clarify what they feel is unacceptable. I would have been very disappointed if his statements went unchallenged.

MurderOfGoths · 06/01/2014 16:53

YABU much as I'd ever hate to side with the makers of BB, he's on their property, using their programme as a platform, they have every right to tell him what he can and can't say. Freedom of speech does not apply here.

CaroBeaner · 06/01/2014 16:53

We don't have freedom of speech to make insulting verbal attacks on people based on who they are, but I cannt see why people should not be allowed to state their beliefs and opinions.

The importance of free speech is exactly to protect the right to voice unpopular opinions and beliefs and that applies equally to the conservative minded as to the liberal and progressive.

If people do not state their beliefs how can they be challenged?

I didn't see it: if he used insulting 'hate speech' about homosexuals he should have been warned. If he parroted the famous passages from the bible and how he interprets that, then no, he shouldn't be censored. What next: the Bible a banned book??

Original poster
puzzleduck · 06/01/2014 16:54

He said he didnt agree with it as per his religion. How is that homophobic, its his opinion?

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 06/01/2014 16:55

Freedom of speech doesn't mean that any particular organisation has to provide a platform for it. Not sure what BB is - some tv show?

magimedi · 06/01/2014 16:56

His religion, as wel has views , is homophobic.

Ubik1 · 06/01/2014 16:57

I think people should be able to state their honestly held beliefs. It's part of his religious faith. Many people share his views. I have a right to hear what he has to say, even if I don't agree with it.

Channel 4 seemed perfectly happy to allow various BB participants to simulate sex using a bottle, make racist comments, treat women like objects and humiliate them ...i don't know why it's clutching its pearls now.

Sirzy · 06/01/2014 16:57

how is it not homophobic?

The fact he is using his religion to justify him beliefs makes it no less homophobic.

nennypops · 06/01/2014 16:59

OP, if someone claimed that their religion meant that they didn't agree with the existence of black people, would you say that they should have absolute freedom to proclaim that view just because it's their opinion? How about their freedom to proclaim an opinion that, say, paedophilia is absolutely fine and should be encouraged?

17leftfeet · 06/01/2014 17:01

I'm paraphrasing but he said -if a child was born handicapped and a doctor could fix them then you would, it's the same thing'
He also said someone is only gay if they carry out homosexual acts and they have a choice not to do that

I was sitting and watching like this BlushBlushBlush

Someone should give that man a Biscuit

nennypops · 06/01/2014 17:04

People who use the Bible to support homophobia are simply hypocritical in any event unless they follow absolutely everything in the Bible slavishly. On that basis, for instance, they should never wear cloth of different threads, or eat shellfish, but strangely in my experience they never seem to take their religious beliefs quite that far.

WestieMamma · 06/01/2014 17:05

Freedom of speech is an American concept. There is no such thing in the UK and never has been. In the UK you can think what you like but you have no right to inflict those thoughts on other people.

nennypops · 06/01/2014 17:06

Good grief, if what 17leftfeet is saying is correct, he was unquestionably homophobic. Claiming that homosexuality is equivalent to a handicap which should be cured is unbelievably ignorant and prejudiced.

Who was this a*hole, anyway?

AngelaDaviesHair · 06/01/2014 17:07

Evander Holyfield. Bite his other ear off, I say.

Original poster
puzzleduck · 06/01/2014 17:08

My BF is Gay even HE said the guy should have the right to his own opinion.

OP posts:
MurderOfGoths · 06/01/2014 17:08

"My BF is Gay even HE said the guy should have the right to his own opinion."

Has anyone stopped him having an opinion? He's just been told not to voice it using someone elses time/money.

Sirzy · 06/01/2014 17:09

Ahh so because ONE person says it was ok then that makes it fine!

He has the right to his own opinion, he doesn't have the right to spout his crap air that opinion on national TV without the broadcaster making it clear that it isn't an acceptable view

nennypops · 06/01/2014 17:09

Not so, WestieMamma. We have freedom of speech, we simply have some entirely sensible restrictions preventing speech likely to stir up hatred on various grounds including race, disability, gender and sexuality; plus quite limited restrictions preventing defamation. Outside those limitations people in the UK can "inflict" their thoughts on other people as much as they like.

ukatlast · 06/01/2014 17:10

It's a slippery slope if people cannot state what they really think. Forewarned is forearmed after all. It's very unhealthy if people have to hide what they really think.
I thought freedom of speech did allow the stating of personal opinion - what is not allowed is inciting homophobia/racism etc which is subtly different.
Ironic that this was Big Brother as I also don't like the idea that programme makers are free to vet/censor what people can say just because they are the programme makers. This is one step away from advertisers/business interests dictating everything.

As a female it is also better when pursuing a career in a male dominated environment to know who the true sexists are, rather than assume they will not be promoting in their own image or favouring they guy they last had a round of golf with.

nennypops · 06/01/2014 17:11

OP, does your allegedly gay brother seriously think it's OK for people to appear on public media saying they don't agree with him being allowed to exist?

Piscivorus · 06/01/2014 17:12

The trouble is that even the idea of free speech is open to interpretation; some people think it means you can say anything while others think it means you can only say things deemed to be acceptable to them. I read an interesting article on this by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown here

17leftfeet · 06/01/2014 17:13

m.youtube.com/watch?v=VkGs63qGPJY