Freedom of speech isn't tolerated by some

[WhatNextBanana]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/comment/2025/09/10/charlie-kirks-shooting-terrible-moment-american-democracy/

Political violence on the rise.

People are getting angry when people have Political views they don't agree with. Freedom of speech must be allowed not shutdown.

Tragic news of a young family man shot by someone today. Please remember he was a human with a family. Violence is never ok.

Because we are talking about freedom of speech...which some people believe that means you can say whatever the fuck you want.

But words can and do provoke violence, as we don't live in a perfect word, and anyone speaking publicly has to be aware of the potential consequences of what they say.

Charlie Kirk knew full well that his words and views provoked strong reactions, he made a career out of it, and he did it in a country that is awash with weapons that make it all too easy for someone to kill indiscriminately and people who have no issues using them. His death isn’t right, but it was foreseeable.

This has fuck all to do with the right wing.

Uh-huh. Apart from the minor detail that the US right wing is the reason that so many crazy people get their hands on guns in the first place.

It's because of right-wing gun legislation that tens of thousands of Americans die by guns every year. Regardless of his political views, Charlie Kirk is just another victim and another statistic.

No, as I don't think it's OK for white people to be called gammon, flagshaggers, belittled for loving their origins. There are two extreme sides to the political spectrum. I don't agree with racism and I don't agree with hypocrites, hiding under the guise of compassion when that compassion is selectively issued. I'm not the knly one that's had enough of the left giving it large with their sneery attitudes to anybody who doesn't agree with them

It's got fuck all to do with the right wing, unless the shooter is found to be on that side. Kirk's views were not illegal.

What do you believe freedom of speech means?

It has everything to do with the right wing.

Ultimately, the shooter's views don't matter (they are probably mentally ill; they usually are). Kirk's views don't matter.

What matters is that pretty much anyone in America can get a gun and bring it everywhere. And that's because right-wing politics have made it that way.

Freedom of speech is about having the right to express your opinions and/or share information without interference from the state (within reason, limits have always been in place). Nothing more.

What do you think it means?

Do you know that three students were critically wounded in a school shooting incident a couple of hours ago in Colorado as well? But that kind of thing happens so often, it's barely even newsworthy.

For every single person with extremist views who is murdered by a gun, like Kirk, there are thousands of innocent people (including kids) who get murdered by guns without ever getting a chance to express their views at all.

To focus on Kirk and say this is about free speech is a ridiculous distortion of the real problem. The real problem is right-wing gun laws.

I'm not even disagreeing with you 😂 I'm left-wing, but I truly do not believe it is helpful for either side to hurl insults at each other. Libtards isn't helpful. Nor is flagshaggers, etc. The reason there is so much civil unrest is because politicians have pitted the two ends of the political spectrum completely against each other. I'm very socialist tbh, but I'm absolutely happy to listen to people share their concerns around asylum seekers/immigration, the impact on the NHS, concerns around cultural integration, etc. I absolutely understand the concerns of predominantly working class communities and how immigration has affected those areas. I will not however sit and listen to people saying 'shoot the boats', 'burn the mosques', etc. There is a way to put your beliefs across. It's not helpful when left-wingers call right-wingers thick, uneducated, etc. It also absolutely does the right no favours to talk about shooting boats. Civilised debate around immigration (or any other topic) is very different from people just using it as an excuse to be overtly racist.

But on a side note, can we not compare calling someone a flagshagger or a libtard to the genocide of millions of people due to their ethnic origins. It's absolutely not comparable 🙈

"What were you wearing?"

Was he asking for it?

Can you even hear yourself?

One could argue that saying, "freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequence" is a statement which could encourage someone of unsound mind to commit acts of violence.

Well tonight has certainly opened my eyes to how wicked some of the tolerant ‘be kind’ left can be. I’ve never read such hateful bile, and on a parenting site no less. All because someone said some things they didn’t agree with they’re revelling in his murder. I despair.

I really need to go to bed now, but absolutely no one on this thread is ‘revelling’ in this man’s murder. Sheesh.

Saying that he had abhorrent views and that he actively campaigned for unrestricted gun ownership is not the same as condoning his death.

Honestly the hyperbole and mischaracterisation sometimes make me despair. Are people even reading the thread?

It's all over social, it's not going anywhere

Can we drop this notion that Kirk was a free speech advocate? Like many on the right, he wasn't pro free-speech, he was pro right-wing speech.

He and his organization published watchlists, to "name and shame" university professors who espoused left wing views.

He was a partisan hack, who sought to oppress views he didn't agree with.

He was, of course, also a prominent ally of Donald Trump, who has passed laws and sought to deport people over their Pro-Palestinian views, and has repeatedly attacked the free press.

By all means, mourn Kirk's death, be angry at his murder, but he was just one more of a long line of right wing gobshites who dishonestly hid behind the slogan of "protecting free speech" while stifling it.

Who is "revelling" in it? There's a quote function on this site, maybe you could provide an example.

One gun death is a tragedy. 46,728 is a statistic. That's the mentality.

Tonight has confirmed to me that greatest threat to democracy and freedom of speech comes from the left and not the right.

I was talking about Mumsnet in general tonight. I said it on this thread as all the others have been taken down.

And as I write this post as sure as night follows day someone posts “He just became one of his totally acceptable statistics 😀” with a fucking smiley face.

Well you might want to read this thread. Just an idea.

I'm not sure that his wife and two young children are finding it hilarious right now.

But you have confirmed that the greatest threat to democracy, freedom of speech and civil order comes from the left and not the right.

He did

What makes tonight different to when Democrats were shot in June?
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/16/republicans-trump-minnesota-lawmakers-killings