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Thread: How Far should Freedom of Expression go?

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    Tribunus Plebis Member Gaius Scribonius Curio's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Far should Freedom of Expression go?

    Quote Originally Posted by SwedishFish View Post
    Should I be able to burn a cross on my neighbours front lawn?
    No, that is destroying somebody else's property. Expressing your views by destruction is wrong, and is, rightly in my opinion, illegal.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mikeus Caesar View Post
    In Adelaide?

    Oh god, i've moved to hell. Not only is it full of drunks, tramps and mullets, but now also neo-nazis.
    Of course in Adelaide, where else? Except for maybe Tasmania.

    Jokes aside though...

    Quote Originally Posted by Mikeus Caesar View Post
    But then, i've had to deal with my fair share of racist skinheads at work. Some fascist came in and was ordering a meal. He had a pretty thick accent and my Chinese friend couldn't understand him, so i came along and took over. Once she'd wandered away, he started muttering rubbish about how 'this should be a job for Australian kids, not them, but people like you, am i right, friend?'.

    I was utterly disgusted by this man. So it was quite satisfying when i replied back to him that i wasn't Australian, but British. The smile dropped off his face. My Chinese friend then arrived with his food and a big grin on her face and stood right next to me. He snatched the bag off her and walked out saying something about ' disgusting' while we tried not to laugh....

    I can only hope the rest of Australia isn't like this, otherwise i may just change my mind on living in what seems to be an otherwise pleasant land.
    I have to say I have never experianced anything like this in Perth. I mean a lot of the Australians I know personally are a touch xenophobic, and do tend to have a bit of a superiority complex when it comes to 'Poms', and other Europeans, but at the same time it mostly (after knowing them for 4 years) a bit of a joke.

    That said, as disgusting as people like the one you met are, it is their right to hold their (fundamentally wrong) opinions, and to express them.

    Quote Originally Posted by Koga No Goshi View Post
    I know, I meant the post in general. People tend to assume Freedom of Speech is absolutely literal. It isn't. You can't play loud music after 11. You can't stand around outside of someone's house yelling obscenities at them all day. You can't lie to Federal investigators. You can't yell fire in a theater. You can't provoke a mob to riot or start flipping over cars. And in some places, hate rhetoric or fighting words (it's the same idea really) known to provoke an immediate and emotionally destructive or violent reaction, either from an individual or a group, is equally not supported under Free Speech.
    That is the Question Koga. Not whether he is allowed to fly this flag, but whether he should be allowed to.
    Last edited by Banquo's Ghost; 10-21-2008 at 07:27. Reason: Edited quote
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