Did you guys know, that this isn't the first time this has happened? This article is from the U.K, but It's happened in America too. Because one posts the wrong thing on Facebook or Twitter -- people have actually gone to JAIL FOR IT! In this case -- it was because of a racist remark. Right or wrong, the notion that they can JAIL YOU, is CRAZY! I'm wanting to get everyone else s take on this, tyrannical governments around the world and how quickly things are becoming like A Brave New World or 1984. What can we do to help stop all this?
First reaction, the judge made a judgement. The open question is whether or not the laws he has to work with allow that judgement to be made at his level. In other words, if it was in his purview, it is perfectly OK. If the citizens don't like it, they have to see that the law is changed. Judges can't (in the US anyway, they aren't supposed to) MAKE law. Unless the law is clear, they can INTERPRET it as they think it was intended. Therein lays the rub, getting into the lawmaker's heads. Anyway, it is almost moot to me. Not a chance in hell I'll ever have accounts on either witless or facebutt.
The hate speech laws in the UK and Europe are quite strict. The people there are aware of this. They have to make their own choices. Is saying their piece is worth the consequences? Which cases in the US are you referring too? The US cases that I have found involved people being arrested because they posted evidence against themselves online. Usually pictures of them commiting a crime. There was also a man arrested after his girlfriend posted a picture of here engagement ring on facebook. The $3000 ring he had stolen. The incidents I have found in the US were not evidence of tyranny. They were evidence of stupid criminals.
It would seem that the person in question by their own actions fell foul of domestic race hate laws. It was immaterial where the staement was made, whether it be in the local newspaper, on wall graffiti, on the TV, Radio or shouting out a megaphone in a public space....the law still applies. The problem is that people think that twitter and Face book pages are like some kind of private diary which you just allow your friends to look at if you allow them viewing priveleges. I have no sympathy for the numnuts that put incriminating information on their twitter or facebook pages. Laws against race hate, defamation and bullying can apply as much to the digital online world as it does in the offline analog world. I don't think the case is a matter of tyrannical government gone mad...although people in most jurisdictions have a reasonable right of freedom of expression, that is a qualified right, rather than an absolute right...an ignorance as to what those qualifications are will often bring people unstuck.
I know a dozen or so teens who were called in and questioned by the state police and federal investigators because some kid made a stupid comment on facebook. They all had their cell phone texting records printed out and questioned about the contents too. There is no privacy folks. If you hit "send" it is being scanned by law enforcement filters and it is available to call up for all time. Don't even think that you have the ability to delete anything you type. And lets not even get into video footage...................
Letter to editor of a small Michigan Newspaper This may be a little off track, but not much. . A Small MICHIGAN NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL..... Short and to the point..
your link seems not to be working tac. Edit: No great loss....it was just a hand wringing rant from a right wing conservative about how America is going down the toilet because of the left wing progre....um...I mean commie socialist pro abortion, historical revisionistic pro life (anti capital punishmentist), animal liberationist, anti santa clausist and nativityist, pro First Ammendmentist (wall of separationist) pro freedom of sexual orientationist leaning individuals and their fellow travellers. He of course is entitled to hold that view, and express that opinion...for what it is worth....I am doubtful whether he would acknowledge that right wing conservative ideology and activism has also contributed to the S bend bound direction that American society has been headed for several decades.....it will take more than finger pointing to get the USA out of the toilet, particularly when both sides of American politics are pressing the flush button like there's no tomorrow.
Just as the article points out.... This Law if signed will not get passed the first Federal Challenge, and will be thrown out as a First Amendment Violation, as well as being vague, on its Face.... What are these Aridzonia Legislative Idiots thinking.... I mean really.... Duh....
As Forrest Gump would say... "stupid is as stupid does" Given that it is only a few days or so since April 1, I thought perhaps that it was an April Foolsday joke, but this Bill has been in the legislative pipeline for quite some time. Just as legislating against stupidity is a fool's errand, legislating against boorishness is rather absurd, when the medicine to be taken by the community as a whole, is far worse than the malady experienced by a few delicate petals.
Just when you thought it was safe to cheer for the republicans.. ccc As I was telling my wife today, when she was mentioning fox news lauding Holder's position on SCOTUS; Same team, different flavor..
I realize the Arizona proposal legislating against undefined offending and annoying behaviour hasn't a chance of becoming law. The drafters have already taken such flack that they have slipped it off the Govornor's desk for a rewrite ... but my God - IT GOT THAT FAR! That it passed a body of elected legislators is a horror story from the Twilight Zone ... I hate slippery slope arguments, but just damn!
woow i think every one should be entitled to there on opinion. but some things just should not be done. and that is one to me. the race remark should be left unsaid. the judgment should be care fully made on what to do. it could go either way.
Of course everyone should be entitled to their own opinion. Otherwise they are not living or in control of their own life and must answer to someone else who decides what they are allowed to think and how far they must jump and when. If having your own opinion is even a question, which it is today, there is a SERIOUS problem. The founding fathers in America stated that free speech is to protect unpopular speech, not popular speech. This should be a big duh of course.
The boorishness or offensiveness of a comment is usually determined by who's ox is gored. People should refrain from certain language but they still have a right to show how ignorant they are. I firmly believe in freedom of speech but as the courts have determined, you can't yell fire in a theatre. I like to remind younger students on campus (I'm one of the oldest attending) that they do not have a right not to be offended. Free speech works both ways. There are a lot of 'silver ponytails' out there that ranted and raved for freedom of speech and freedom of expression (whatever that newspeak refers to) and demanded to be heard back in the 60's. Now they are the biggest proponents of PC language, especially on college campuses. Everyone should read 'the Animal Farm' or at least spend a half hour watching the animated version.
So the question is who has to be annoyed by it? You, me, or who exactly is the person who sets the standard? We are just getting more and more sensitive. Who started this being more sensitive is a good thing in the first place?