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The Forum > Article Comments > The paradoxical nature of freedom of speech and hate speech > Comments

The paradoxical nature of freedom of speech and hate speech : Comments

By Rivka Witenberg, published 2/7/2019

How can we guard against harmful or hateful speech when freedom of speech is highly cherished in democratic societies?

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It always, absolutely always, comes down to the same issue. Who decides what is and isn't hate speech?

When hate speech is defined as 'something I don't want to hear' and then this becomes the means to stop such speech, free society is over.
Posted by mhaze, Tuesday, 2 July 2019 12:46:01 PM
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At one time conventional wisdom/men of Letters apparently believed in a flat world?

Others believed even more strongly that planet earth was a little more than six thousand years old, at the centre of a universe that revolved around us. That we all of us came from a single couple as descendants, that the world was flooded nearly wiping out all mankind, beast and crawling insect.

That from this tiny-tiny, two by two, gene pool. All that then survived became the ancestral stock from which all else sprang.

Others believed that there was a great exodus from Egypt by the 'CHOSEN PEOPLE" Led by the prophet Moses, to the promised land, given to them by the hand of God.

Yet in spite of the lack of any credible evidence, these myths/legends have been the basis for several religious beliefs. A cohort who believe to a generic man, they're divinely inspired to force-fed these beliefs.

And protected by alleged freedom of religion.

While it's true the freedom of speech is protected as is freedom of worship. It can't be used as a tool to persecute or preach condemnation on all disbelievers.

Or label natural difference and sexual bias as sinful!

Imagine we still believed that left-handed people chose to be left-handed by choice, continued age-old, cruel medieval punishment to try change nature.

If the freedom of speech is sacrosanct so's the truth, but more so!

If what you believe, cannot be proven! But, in fact, the only credible evidence available says otherwise. You don't have the freedom or right to spread your, learned lies! Or medieval bigotry.

Stone age bigotry allows some folk/control freaks, to believe they've a right to exert control over a woman's body, decide that the medical termination she wants to proceed with, is not her right!

That they, protected by freedom of religious expression, has rights to harras/harangue folk who just don't share their learned beliefs, nor their, "I KNOW THE MIND OF GOD" (like Folau?) pedantic absolutism!

I say. They have no such rights. That INDIVIDUAL freedom of worship is just that! No more!
Alan B.
Posted by Alan B., Tuesday, 2 July 2019 12:55:05 PM
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had a bit of coffee today Armchair?
Posted by runner, Tuesday, 2 July 2019 1:20:56 PM
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Harm?

If someone is driven to suicide by bullying or the hate speech of others, dressed up as freedom of religious expression! Then there is real harm. An outcome! A result! A consequence, and whether the bully or the religiously inspired persecutor likes it or denies it, a personal responsibility for that harm/hanging (price to pay at the end of the day) belongs to them!

It's all well and good to rant on about sticks and stones.

But factually bullies do far more harm than they know or care about!

And the better men among us must call it out and every time!

Otherwise, the supremacists, Nazis, Homophobes and other trash will continue with their persecution dressed up as freedom of speech/religious freedom! When no such freedom actually exists! And the reason these same flawed individuals, wants 18C abolished!

And a right bestowed to discriminate and persecute, dressed up as freedom of religious expression!

Alan B.
Posted by Alan B., Tuesday, 2 July 2019 1:25:46 PM
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Hi O'Tossers

I dunno what the problem is:

The Nazis expressed Hitler given freedom of speech against Jews.

So Izzy can invoke Christianity in his freedom of speech against Gays.
Posted by plantagenet, Tuesday, 2 July 2019 1:57:03 PM
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Nailed it in one Pete!
Cheers, Alan B.
Posted by Alan B., Tuesday, 2 July 2019 6:03:10 PM
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