Free Speech

[Tau]

As far as I am aware free speech is not part of the British constitution and has never been, except inside the house of lords and commons and at speakers corner, otherwise we have no such law. In the usa they can say anything, we cannot and never have been able to say anything especially if it is inflamatory to someone or group of people.

 

[shepp]

Problem is the line you can't cross must to some degree be subjective.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I saw a great post by a mod on our American site site www.homebrewtalk.com/ in a thread where a member was kicking off about a mods decision on a post (not 100% sure what it was) the mods reply was, this is a privately owned and run forum there is no freedom of speech here.

So i guess as you say in America they have the right to say whatever they want but they do not have the right to say it wherever they want.

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[IainM]

As far as I am aware free speech is not part of the British constitution and has never been, except inside the house of lords and commons and at speakers corner, otherwise we have no such law. In the usa they can say anything, we cannot and never have been able to say anything especially if it is inflamatory to someone or group of people.

I'm not sure this is right. Freedom of speech is enshrined in the European convention of human rights, as well as in common law. Of course, there are law forbidding some speech, like hate speech, inciting violence, terrorism and so on. The same is true in the USA.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I'm not sure this is right. Freedom of speech is enshrined in the European convention of human rights, as well as in common law. Of course, there are law forbidding some speech, like hate speech, inciting violence, terrorism and so on. The same is true in the USA.

I have seen american advertising between football matches and i know they wouldn't get away with it here but as Tau says are they allowed to say anything surely there must be a line they cannot cross.

 

[Tau]

I have seen american advertising between football matches and i know they wouldn't get away with it here but as Tau says are they allowed to say anything surely there must be a line they cannot cross.

I watched a documentary on free speech in the states and they crossed lines that would not be allowed here. For example they are allowed to stand next to someone and call them all the scum and that they should be killed etc and the police couldn't do anything as it is spoken and came under free speech, it was horrific and wouldn't be allowed here.

As for the hunan rights it's not free speech, it's restricted in many ways and besides we may opt out of it after brexit.

 

[Linalmeemow]

I have seen american advertising

I was staggered by their advertising when I started visiting the US in the 1990s. Each company would openly slate their competitors which I don't think has ever been allowed here.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I watched a documentary on free speech in the states and they crossed lines that would not be allowed here. For example they are allowed to stand next to someone and call them all the scum and that they should be killed etc and the police couldn't do anything as it is spoken and came under free speech, it was horrific and wouldn't be allowed here.

I bet Home Brew Talks version of the snug is like a war zone. :lol:

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[Tau]

Of course in the state of florida if they get too in your face and have a slightly foreign twang and you fear for your safety, as a result you can shoot them without being charged for murder etc. Swings and roundabouts hey lol

 

[GlentoranMark]

I got banned from the Betfair forum last week after 14 years of posting and I knew I was wrong. I mentioned the racist word.

I must admit I tested the mods many times but I always knew how to get my point across without being offensive. This time I knew I was wrong and was subsequently banned with no appeal. I'm gutted but it's my own fault.

What my point is that you can get your point across without being offensive. Last week I just snapped and as soon as I hit send I knew my time was up.

I've posted here that potential terrorists should be labotomised and I'll stand by that but being racist is wrong. There are ways to get what you want to say where you can argue your point without being offensive.

I don't think here is a forum for politics. We're all like minded blokes, mostly middle aged, white and UK/ Ireland. If you want to discuss politics then go to a politics forum.

 

[HebridesRob]

You're allowed to say anything as long as it isn't specifically illegal and I'm in favour of that bit it goes too far. There should be freedom to cause offence. I don't think you should be allowed to incite violence but people should be respected, not ideas. I see no reason why anyone should be breaking the law because they've offended a religion.
https://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/human-rights/free-speech-and-protest/speech-offences

edit: Free speech in a legal sense and free speech on a discussion board are different things. I have no problem with forums discouraging people being offensive. Though I use a Welsh board where moderators are pretty laissez faire and it seems to work OK.

 

[Linalmeemow]

I use a Welsh board where moderators are pretty laissez faire and it seems to work OK.

That's because no-one can understand a word they're saying!

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I don't think here is a forum for politics. We're all like minded blokes, mostly middle aged, white and UK/ Ireland. If you want to discuss politics then go to a politics forum.

This was mentioned in another thread, the snug is described as a place for all non brewing chat there are no restrictions and there never will be (as long as threads and posts stay within the rules)

 

[Davemc]

This was mentioned in another thread, the snug is described as a place for all non brewing chat there are no restrictions and there never will be (as long as threads and posts stay within the rules)

Agreed, I sometimes see topics in the Snug that I think, I'll not even read that because there will probably bee something that gets me riled but I have the choice not to read it or contribute and I defend other's rights to have and air their views so long as its within the rules.

 

[geigercntr]

Agreed, I sometimes see topics in the Snug that I think, I'll not even read that because there will probably bee something that gets me riled but I have the choice not to read it or contribute and I defend other's rights to have and air their views so long as its within the rules.

One of the reasons I've been visiting The Snug less & less in the last year or so

 

[Thumper]

The UK is a signatory (and in fact the main engineer) of the European Convention of Human Rights, in which the right to free speech is enshrined.

That right does have limits; it is for example illegal to directly inciite violence, even if people are rarely charged for it. But almost every right we have is conditional or situational. Even America has some limits to freedom of speech, despite what some diehard purveyors of frozen stone fruits would have you believe; albeit less restrictions than us.

 

[Duxuk]

All liberals love the idea of freedom of speech. Just don't dare express an opinion which they don't share. They'll say you're vile and disgustingly prejudiced. This is exactly what's happened to Tim Farron (and he's a Liberal with a capital L!). His view that homosexuality is condemned in the New Testament meant he had to go. If you've ever read it, you'll know his opinion is factually correct but that doesn't mean that it is an opinion a liberal can hold. SO yes, freedom of speech will always be subjective.

 

[MyQul]

One of the reasons I've been visiting The Snug less & less in the last year or so

One of the reasons I've been visiting The Snug more & more in the last year or so (to try and make sure the arguments dont go too far :lol:).

 

[Cwrw666]

As far as I am aware free speech is not part of the British constitution and has never been, except inside the house of lords and commons and at speakers corner, otherwise we have no such law. In the usa they can say anything, we cannot and never have been able to say anything especially if it is inflamatory to someone or group of people.

As far as I'm aware the UK does not have a written constitution as such but what passes for one is basically the accumulated law as made by parliament and tested through the courts.
So anything goes really as long as there isn't an actual law against it.

 

[johnnyboy1965]

I got banned from the Betfair forum last week after 14 years of posting and I knew I was wrong. I mentioned the racist word.

I must admit I tested the mods many times but I always knew how to get my point across without being offensive. This time I knew I was wrong and was subsequently banned with no appeal. I'm gutted but it's my own fault.

What my point is that you can get your point across without being offensive. Last week I just snapped and as soon as I hit send I knew my time was up.

I've posted here that potential terrorists should be labotomised and I'll stand by that but being racist is wrong. There are ways to get what you want to say where you can argue your point without being offensive.

I don't think here is a forum for politics. We're all like minded blokes, mostly middle aged, white and UK/ Ireland. If you want to discuss politics then go to a politics forum.

Ageist and racist in one post.Well Done