[Newsbot]

Title: Hate speech or free speech? What much of West bans is protected in U.S.
Category: Law & Order
Posted By: ManifestDestiny
Date: 2008-06-12 19:22:01
Canadian

[ManifestDestiny]

Good article

[ridenrain]

.. and who makes the rules?

Quote:

In an exchange during the Marc Lemire case, Canadian Human Rights Commission (HRC) investigator Dean Steacy was asked "What value do you give freedom of speech when you investigate?" Dean responded: "Freedom of speech is an American concept, so I don't give it any value."

Our rights and freedoms are far too valuable to leave in the clumsy hands of these idiots.

[naelch]

While I like the idea behind Canadian "free speech", I prefer the American view on this matter. Free speech should be total and absolute.

One thing though: the question of Freedom is not that obvious. Free speech is linked with Freedom, itself linked with choice. The question is: in a society controlled by finance, and in which money "shapes" the market that itself is _supposed_ to give us this choice, how really free is this "free speech".

Another question: Free Speech is an ideal, designed for "ideal beings" (like all ideals). Humans are far from being either perfect, similar, smart 100% of the time and situations. In that case, what effects would produce Free Speech on "standard" human, as observed in real life with their phobias, tendency of self-censorship and information deformation and individual interests?

One example: in the context of Weimar Germany, free speech allowed all parties to exist, from the far-left to far right. However the far-right succeeded to take power using FREEDOMS (including free democratic vote) and by inventing ethnical mythologies enough complex to seem "scientific" and thus acceptable and a good "justification" by the standard citizens (i.e like us). That could show that freedoms and Free Speech are only effective in sceptical populations, which is rarely the case because people prefer to believe. It sooo much more confortable...

[ManifestDestiny]

I wonder where the regular crew of clowns are?

[Mr_Canada]

Um...

My post got deleted?

I thought it was pretty good.

I don't even think it was really that hateful.

*sigh* Whatever happened to simply telling people what's wrong?