Thread: Freedom of Speech Vs. Hate Speech

GW I knew you could not stay away! There is something about a good that makes you want to and end the end we all end up .

Matt

Originally Posted by mhailey

GW I knew you could not stay away! There is something about a good that makes you want to and end the end we all end up .

Matt

Sorry.
He wanted an example and I managed to stay on topic
but since you mentioned it........

Originally Posted by pio

i think all this isn't black and white...

why does it always have to be about race?

Originally Posted by pio

depending on the insult and the situation...

i think all this isn't black and white...
its a gray area and should be a case by case...

I couldn't disagree more. there has to be a black and white standard, very clear cut, to prevent abuse by the authorities.

to get back to your previous quote, it may differ state by state, but in Texas, "fighting words" must be a verbal threat to you or your family. e.g. "i'm gonna kill you" or "i'm gonna wait in the parking lot for your wife" because they indicate a PHYSICAL danger.

if you just call someone names and say "god hates you" "you suck" "you stupid !@#$%" that's all perfectly fine because it doesn't indicate a threat of force. the rules may be different in other states, but that's the way it is where I live. in order to get a CHL you must study the law and pass a written exam about it (100 questions the last time I took it) and some of these things were covered on the test.

racial slurs are NOT illegal. tacky and hurtful, perhaps, but still protected speech. I don't know how to make this distinction to you any clearer, Pio.

Originally Posted by jockeys

I couldn't disagree more. there has to be a black and white standard, very clear cut, to prevent abuse by the authorities.

to get back to your previous quote, it may differ state by state, but in Texas, "fighting words" must be a verbal threat to you or your family. e.g. "i'm gonna kill you" or "i'm gonna wait in the parking lot for your wife" because they indicate a PHYSICAL danger.

if you just call someone names and say "god hates you" "you suck" "you stupid !@#$%" that's all perfectly fine because it doesn't indicate a threat of force. the rules may be different in other states, but that's the way it is where I live. in order to get a CHL you must study the law and pass a written exam about it (100 questions the last time I took it) and some of these things were covered on the test.

racial slurs are NOT illegal. tacky and hurtful, perhaps, but still protected speech. I don't know how to make this distinction to you any clearer, Pio.

got it!
i might not like it...but that how it is...

Originally Posted by gratewhitehuntr

Sorry.
He wanted an example and I managed to stay on topic
but since you mentioned it........


why does it always have to be about race?

NO APPOLOGIES! I was just trying to make a sentence out of smilies.

Matt

Originally Posted by jockeys

I couldn't disagree more. there has to be a black and white standard, very clear cut, to prevent abuse by the authorities.

Everything is open to interpretation. Everything is down to the discretion of the authorities.

Everything is open to abuse.

Originally Posted by gregs656

Everything is open to abuse.

some things are more open than others. a rigidly defined standard is less easily abused, imho.

Like the speedlimit?

In many, many cases it's more easily abused. If you nail something down hard enough with a definition, then it only takes a small variable to throw it off.

These are systems made by people, interpreted different ways by different people, and ignored by others.

Everything is open to abuse, and the degree of how open it is changes like the wind, depending on the guy who's standing there making the decision.

Originally Posted by gregs656

Everything is open to abuse, and the degree of how open it is changes like the wind, depending on the guy who's standing there making the decision.

That's where "Jury of your peers" comes in.

that is, of course, assuming you go to court in the first place. Even then, there are two guys standing there twisting the law into their favor.

But, what if it never got to court because it never got called in because the cop was your mate and hey, he only looked to be a little drunk, I phoned up and he got home ok.

Or 'Don't let me catch you with pot again'

Or maybe you had a lot of cash, and the cop was taking on the side?

You get the idea.