To a point, People should be able to express their ideas openly but people going around using freedom of speech as an excuse to be racist/homophobic/unpleasant can shove an iron bar up their arse.
English
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So other people's freedoms end where your feelings begin?
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No, they end where their 'freedoms' cause harm to other people.
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That's the beauty of freedom, it protects what isn't popular because popular speech doesn't need protection. You're free to say whatever stupid think you'd like. This prevents the majority from infringing on the minority.
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I can see your point, but does freedom really mean you can cause harm/distress to others? And I don't mean typical butthurt I mean where your words/actions have a serious impact on someone else.
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Not at all, which is why you can't endanger people by falsely yelling fire in a crowded movie theater. However, racial slurs don't cause harm to others.
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I agree, I was using it as an example. A better one would be something that is currently outlawed in the UK, I forget the specific term but it's something along the lines of Incitement of Hatred/Violence. It's basically where you stir up a crowd of people/individuals to commit crimes like Imams who preach terrorism and the Skinheads who scream 'Kill all the darkies' Simply because their words Have and Do cause people to go out and cause direct harm to other people. But yeah, it shouldn't be illegal to say racial slurs nor should it be illegal to beat the crap out of someone for using said slur :D
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But then you get people who are emotional to the point it's silly. Like those who petitioned to get the tornado scene removed from superman because of the Sandy hurricane or the theatre massacre scene in that mobster movie because of the theatre shooter IRL.
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Edited by Psy: 10/20/2013 3:46:16 PMPeople like that are idiotic, that's a good example of where freedom of speech should be allowed. What I'm referring to is stuff like the WBC - God Loves Dead Soldiers/Fags burn in hell etc. That shouldn't be allowed.
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The Westboro people should absolutely be allowed to express their beliefs, no matter how asinine. What they say is asinine and repulsive, but it is their right. No one has the authority to stop them from saying mean things.
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Eh, I am inclined to agree but at the same time I do not like someone being allowed to go to a Serviceman's funeral and scream 'thank god for IEDs'
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[quote]To a point, People should be able to express their ideas openly but people going around using freedom of speech as an excuse to be racist/homophobic/unpleasant can shove an iron bar up their arse.[/quote] There's a saying that says something to the effect of, "Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from the repercussions."
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Yes, I quite like that one.