Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Wow. I can't believe some of the comments in here.
We can't yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater. People will get hurt by that. You can walk up to a stranger and tell her she's ugly, but would you, knowing your words would hurt her? Of course not...not if you're human. Why do many of you defend people who purposely go out of their way to cause other people pain? That's not freedom of speech. That's just sick.
Your examples are a non sequitur. The discussion here is re criticism, debate on ideology, theology, myth, lore etc. There are a group of holy rollers in town who often spout off (in some cases with a megaphone) nonsense about people going to hell, if they don't believe in their brand of superstition. Is it offensive? I'd say it is - should they have the right to free speech (I'm not sure about the damn megaphone - noise pollution)? Yes. It's part of the price we pay for living in a free society.
I seem to remember the Cronulla riots in Oz, not to mention the notorious exposed meat Shiek.
Were there any killings in the Swedish one?
FYI, the Cronulla Riots were racial in nature, not religious. Both sides were disgusting. Heck, I found the white side even worse with the typical trashy bogans (our "rednecks") yelling out racist stuff.
What was the purpose of showing a gay porn movie to Muslims?
I don't know how authentic that video is, if it's something that did happen, maybe it'd be better for those Muslims to just walk away from that specific classroom instead of cursing in Arabic and making a scene.
Quote:
Having "free speech" also means having knowledge and education enough to know when to shut the heck up. No, it isn't considered "free speech" to drop a picture of Jesus Christ into a vat of urine and call it "art". It's hurtful to other people. It isn't proper to make fun of someone elses prophet, God, religion or anything else. That's bullying. I have little regret for the bully who thinks it's funny to hurt other people just prior to getting his butt kicked...or his lights punched out.
Yeah, the punishment of mocking a religion, God, or prophet ought to be firing squad.
Wow. I can't believe some of the comments in here.
We can't yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater. People will get hurt by that. You can walk up to a stranger and tell her she's ugly, but would you, knowing your words would hurt her? Of course not...not if you're human. Why do many of you defend people who purposely go out of their way to cause other people pain? That's not freedom of speech. That's just sick.
Because it's people saying unpleasant things vs. people KILLING THEM FOR SAYING IT. Not only that, it amounts to the Muslim world demanding that the non-Muslim world live by their beliefs. **** that.
Having "free speech" also means having knowledge and education enough to know when to shut the heck up. No, it isn't considered "free speech" to drop a picture of Jesus Christ into a vat of urine and call it "art". It's hurtful to other people. It isn't proper to make fun of someone elses prophet, God, religion or anything else. That's bullying. I have little regret for the bully who thinks it's funny to hurt other people just prior to getting his butt kicked...or his lights punched out.
Free speech does include going past the line. It's not reccomended and not respectful, but they are JUST words. If someone soaks a christan symbol, and calls it art, then they did. Respect should exist but it doesn't always. For those of us who are neopagan, there's plenty of disrespect from christans. But the winner isn't bated. If you fall into the trap, then the bully wins.
If a christan chooses to turn violent and start the fight, then the responsibility falls on them. Especially in terms of religion, we have a right to choose. We have the responsibility to agree to disagree. Bullys will always win when the instigator gets his target to start the fight.
What is 'respectful' is to keep your mouth shut and not knock anyone's faith nor push that yours is better. Most dominant religions fail at respect.
There will always be bullies. What makes the difference is when their targets give them the power for it to matter.
Perhaps it's been scary to some people for a while...
Churchill for instance more than 100 years ago:
"How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries, improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.
A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement, the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property, either as a child, a wife, or a concubine, must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.
Individual Muslims may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome."
Read more at snopes.com: Winston Churchill on Islam
I saw that the guy who was likely the target ;said it should be possible to insult any religion. I guess he also thinks it should be possible to go into a bar and insult a guys mother too. Not reality as long as humans are on earth. At least he admits its the insult factor at work; not satire really.
Under US constitutional and criminal law, there are no limits to unpopular speech, no matter how insulting, and words are not a defense against assault.
There is a natural law about "consequences" that goes back thousands of years: "Do not engage alligator mouth before consulting pea-sized brain".
In the danish mind, people should be protected from the consequences of uttering unpopular speech. This Swedish journalist-cartoonist was under the protection of 200 cops and CIA-type guys when the shooters opened up, not even the equivalent of one NY or LA city cop.
We're not talking about shouting fire in a theater, we're talking about criticism, observation, discussion, debate, commentary, satire. People have rights, ideas don't. We should be free to criticize, opine on or take to task any ideas we want. The fact that hundreds or thousands or millions of people believe something doesn't make it above criticism.
Your problem is that you are applying your values to people around the globe. What is acceptable to you is not necessarily acceptable to others. Until you fail to realize that the US constitution isn't a global doctrine I would imagine you would find it hard to accept that there are different sets of value for each society. Each segment of society has its boundaries, real or feigned. For the US, it is a trumped up WMD excuse to slaughter innocents. For the Muslim radical, it looks like attacks on their religious leader is the excuse to behave like horrendous savages. I find it disturbing that between the two sides of this equation the bodies of innocents continue to pile up.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
