Freedom of speech issues?

[Skullheadhq]

I read this article. As can be seen it's on the BBC which isn't known for its sense of humour or being sensationalist.

Has this chap really been banned for life for an email? It seems extremely heavy handed to put it mildly.

So, banning anyone for life based on an email is normal behaviour in the USA?

In America, threatening the President is a massive offense.

I know of some one when they were 13, they draw a picture of Bush jr getting killed, and the school found out and reported it, and he was taken away by the Secret Service and questioned.

What would happen if an American sent such kind of message? Would he be disallowed to enter the US? Exiled? Or worse, granted french nationality?

They get visited by the Secret Service.

I wonder what will happen if an American sends such a message to David Cameron, will he get banned from the UK, or will the UK say sorry and compensate the said American?

Amurrica, home of the free...

[Fragony]

At least harmless cartoonists don't get their door kicked in by a SWAT-team, like here.

State intimidation, yes Co-hen

I can tell from personal experience that such a thing can happen to you here as well. I, my words, 'nominated Tjibbe Joustra for the golden neckshot' on Geenstijl and was summoned and charged, was interrogated for 6 hours they had over 20 pages on me despite me not having a criminal record. It was like a scene out of 'Das Leben die Anderen'. Creepy. Good thing that I know that you don't ever ever EVER talk to the police, was 2 years ago heard nothing about it

[Meneldil]

I knew it. Fragony is secretly a terrorist.

[Beskar]

or associated with groups underwatch by the government.

[Skullheadhq]

Was interrogated for 6 hours they had over 20 pages on me despite me not having a criminal record. It was like a scene out of 'Das Leben die Anderen'. Creepy. Good thing that I know that you don't ever ever EVER talk to the police, was 2 years ago heard nothing about it

Do they have these kinds of files about everyone, what was in the files? I knew the privacy situation here is bad, but this bad?

[Fragony]

Do they have these kinds of files about everyone, what was in the files? I knew the privacy situation here is bad, but this bad?

Beats me, but they sure give themselve a lot of lattitude. The worst or best thing is they don't understand anything about anything, heard about cases where they wanted to know who 'ed' was when they heard an e-mail adress(@), such idiots can do that to you

[Skullheadhq]

Beats me, but they sure give themselve a lot of lattitude. The worst or best thing is they don't understand anything about anything, heard about cases where they wanted to know who 'ed' was when they heard an e-mail adress(@), such idiots can do that to you

Only bureaucracy's incompatance saves us from bureaucracy ;)

[Rhyfelwyr]

On the theme of freedom of speech/expression, koran-burners are arrested in the UK.

Police state! Panic! Uproar!

But at least Gateshead Council left us feeling all warm and fuzzy:

"The kind of behaviour displayed in this video is not at all representative of our community as a whole. Our community is one of mutual respect and we continue to work together with community leaders, residents and people of all faiths and beliefs to maintain good community relations."

[rory_20_uk]

They are turning the country into a massive Millennium Dome - a bland mess which has the main quality of not offending anyone anywhere.