How Far should Freedom of Expression go?

[Gaius Scribonius Curio]

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.

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...

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.

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.

[Koga No Goshi]

That is the Question Koga. Not whether he is allowed to fly this flag, but whether he should be allowed to.

Of course. I was responding to a comment that anything that doesn't cause direct physical harm should be allowable. And my response basically was that it isn't and never has been fully allowed.

[Strike For The South]

Of course. I was responding to a comment that anything that doesn't cause direct physical or property harm should be allowable. And my response basically was that it isn't and never has been fully allowed.

Well it should beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Koga No Goshi]

Well it should beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Hey Strike...

I'm in yer fridge.

DESTROYING YOUR ALCOHOL!

*An instant energy shield bubble appears around Koga*
I'm protected by free speech! Put the baseball bat down! ;)

[Strike For The South]

Hey Strike...

I'm in yer fridge.

DESTROYING YOUR ALCOHOL!

*An instant energy shield bubble appears around Koga*
I'm protected by free speech! Put the baseball bat down! ;)

1. You are on my property
2. The Alcohol is my property.

[Koga No Goshi]

1. You are on my property
2. The Alcohol is my property.

Ah but I didn't actually destroy it. I was just trying to goad you into violence. ;)

[Strike For The South]

Ah but I didn't actually destroy it. I was just trying to goad you into violence. ;)

Dont scare me like that.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Ah but I didn't actually destroy it. I was just trying to goad you into violence. ;)

Trying to goad a Texan to violence?

Threatening a Texan's liquor/beer?

Koga, my lad, they're not going to find enough of you to do a proper DNA test.



Actually, in Texas, you being in his fridge without his permission would be enough. Strike would be processed, but the local DA wouldn't even bother bringing in to the Grand Jury.

[Gaius Scribonius Curio]

In my opinion physical harm and property damage are definitely way way beyond the line, to make that clear. Inciting either of those things also.

However it is difficult to say how far a restriction on that or inciting hatred would go.

Last night for example, I was playing indoor soccer. My team is made up of 3 Englishmen, including myself, an Irishman, a Scotsman, and an Australian of Dutch heritage. All of us love it in this country. We were playing a bunch of Australians who were wearing Socceroo's shirts. We wiped the floor with them needless to say, Australians are, as a rule, awful at Football. But my point is that my young Geordie friend was subjected to what some would call abuse. In return when he scored a goal he called the guy a 'fat Australian '

This was all in the spirit of the game and afterwards we all shook hands and got on with our lives. But even in everyday situations there are a lot of things that would be 'unacceptable' if inciting hatred was illegal.

[Kadagar_AV]

Too much censorship on these boards.

[LittleGrizzly]

Freedom of expression should have no boundaries, IMHO.

Do you mean no laws against incitement to hatred also ??

I could probably support people being left alone to fly whatever flag they want outside thier house, but what about a guy telling a large crowd about the evil that is black people and getting them whipped up into a frenzy where they go out and target black people

IMO theres no such thing as pure free speech but there should be very few basic limitations on it....

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

If my neighbour flew a Naziflag I would support him if anyone tried to force him to take it down.

I would not, however, borrow him a cup of sugar or my lawnmover. And I would probably fly a Rainbow flag just to piss him off...

Agreed. My neighbour may well fly a Nazi flag, and I wouldn't want anyone to have a legal basis to tell him to take it down. However, I'm going to fly the Star of David in my front yard and play Hatikvah as loud as I can.