[beepbeeprichie]

(Original post by OU Student)
Don't people have a right to live their life without someone insulting them?

Nope. That is a much better way of putting my point. People don't have the right not to be insulted/verbally abused.

[OU Student]

(Original post by beepbeeprichie)
Nope. That is a much better way of putting my point. People don't have the right not to be insulted/verbally abused.

So why does someone have the right to insult them? Oh silly me, the victims have no rights these days.

[chefdave]

(Original post by OU Student)
Don't people have a right to live their life without someone insulting them?

You don't have the right to walk around on the metaphorical red carpet and have the government silence everyone on your behalf. This is called tyranny.

[beepbeeprichie]

(Original post by OU Student)
So why does someone have the right to insult them? Oh silly me, the victims have no rights these days.

This is a circular argument. They are not victims until you prove their rights have been infringed. Which is exactly what you're trying to prove. So you can't appeal to the BS 'victims have no rights these days' argument.

People have that right because they have a general liberty to do things that don't interfere with other people's likewise liberty.

[OU Student]

(Original post by beepbeeprichie)
People have that right because they have a general liberty to do things that don't interfere with other people's likewise liberty.

But insulting someone does interfere with their liberty.

[beepbeeprichie]

(Original post by OU Student)
But insulting someone does interfere with their liberty.

Only on your ****ed up definition of liberty. You really think that 'liberty' protects a person from being insulted?

[Snagprophet]

I think it's nonsense for arresting someone for offending them.

[limetang]

(Original post by Dr. Von Nostrand)
Good, freedom of speech doesn't mean you have the freedom to be a complete cock while hiding behind your laptop screen.

Actually it does.

[Kiss]

(Original post by Tommyjw)
Well if it no-one finds it then how are we sure it exists? what a stupid thing to say. If we dont find a mass murderer who is in hiding, does that mean he shouldnt be punished ? No. If we cant find someone who stole an old ladys bag, should he then not be punished? No.

You can't compare the thoughts of someone who isn't actually physically or mentally harming anyone by keeping his thoughts private to a murderer in hiding. There's a fine line between thinking and doing.

If you had any clue what you are talking about you would know such racist views and remarks are not 'illegal' and such if they are in a palce where the person has reasonable reason to think no1 can hear and no1 would be offended. I dont care to arrest everyone who has racist views, merely those whose sole idea is to express those views in ways that make sure others see it and thus offend them. Writing 'i hate blacks' on a small piece of paper and putting it in your drawer is entirely different than me say, posting a facebook status saying it. Both is about expressing your views but only one has the aim to offend those who view it.

Your last post and the quotation above seems to suggest otherwise. And whilst racism is horrible you can't simply just silence every single person who has that view point if they wish to express it. Really? You mentioned that anything published, printed or written down is an automatic reason to arrest someone so your drawer example is out the window.

One of the most ridiculous things I've heard on here. Someone having a different opinion to another person is enough to cause offense nowadays - people who wear different clothes causes offense to others. Should they be locked up for causing offense? It only seems to regurgitate some of the other facist sentiments you've said before on this thread - basically, according to you, you can only express a view as long as it doesn't cause offense? Good luck with that.

None of that makes sense whatsoever. I never stated anything about everyone agreeing with me. I simply stated that if what someone said was racist, and given people are offended by racism by the sheer nature of what racism is, than what he said was offensive and should be taken down as it is offensive published material, which is much different than spoken words

It was heavily implied. And coming back to your drawer example, anything published would include a minor little thing like writing 'i hate blacks' on a small piece of paper and not letting anyone else see it. The mere fact that you don't want people expressing opinions and views different to you is enought to convince me you are a facist.

Lol.. such nonsense.

Care to elaborate?

Pathetic is subjective.

It certainly is, like lots of things. Like having an opinion on race would be called subjective in terms of a view - seems hypocritical for you to mention subjectivity when you've been calling for the arrest of people having different opinions.

Such sad views on freedom of speech, ah well, your loss.

Speak for yourself.

[TheIronist]

(Original post by Snagprophet)
I think it's nonsense for arresting someone for offending them.

This. But I'd go beyond just mere nonsense. It's an infringement on our civil liberties and judging by some of the responses on this thread, people don't seem to care about them at all.

If you want to put people in jail you better have an extremely serious reason for doing so. Offence is not a reason serious. I am offended everyday by many things. I am offended by people suggesting that we should put people in jail for expressing an opinion - no matter how awful.

I anticipate will be said in response to my comments and I would very gladly respond if anyone has anything to say on this matter (which I hope they do).

[Snagprophet]

(Original post by TheIronist)
This. But I'd go beyond just mere nonsense. It's an infringement on our civil liberties and judging by some of the responses on this thread, people don't seem to care about them at all.

If you want to put people in jail you better have an extremely serious reason for doing so. Offence is not a reason serious. I am offended everyday by many things. I am offended by people suggesting that we should put people in jail for expressing an opinion - no matter how awful.

I anticipate will be said in response to my comments and I would very gladly respond if anyone has anything to say on this matter (which I hope they do).

Exactly, I think crimes need to genuinely affect people physically, unless the insults are part of a community-wide bullying against an individual, but this is one random person the footballer has never nor will ever meet.

[Eightyeight]

(Original post by TheIronist)
This. But I'd go beyond just mere nonsense. It's an infringement on our civil liberties and judging by some of the responses on this thread, people don't seem to care about them at all.

If you want to put people in jail you better have an extremely serious reason for doing so. Offence is not a reason serious. I am offended everyday by many things. I am offended by people suggesting that we should put people in jail for expressing an opinion - no matter how awful.

I anticipate will be said in response to my comments and I would very gladly respond if anyone has anything to say on this matter (which I hope they do).

Very true!

[roadlesstravelled]

what did he say exactly?

[SpicyStrawberry]

The likes of Twitter and Facebook just seem to attract morons who wouldn't have the guts to say half the things they do online to the person they are aiming their comments at. I'm glad this idiot has been found out tbh, his comments were completely unnecessary.

People can voice their concerns, there is nothing wrong with that, but the way in which you do it is what is important. I hardly think removing someone's racist comments is "oppressive", if they wanted to say it why can't they just write it in a private diary instead of inflicting their hurtful remarks on other people who clearly don't want to hear it.

It hardly comes as a surprise that racism is unacceptable, so if you're going to publish remarks like this online you should be prepared for the consequences.

[SpicyStrawberry]

(Original post by James10000)
Worrying trend.
twitter is private, and none of the police's business
person has no history of racism, clearly he was just being abit of a troll . shouldnt be a crime

Domestic violence goes on in private homes, and if the abuser has no previous history and just a bit tipsy, does that mean it's not a crime?

[Kiss]

(Original post by SpicyStrawberry)
The likes of Twitter and Facebook just seem to attract morons who wouldn't have the guts to say half the things they do online to the person they are aiming their comments at. I'm glad this idiot has been found out tbh, his comments were completely unnecessary.

People can voice their concerns, there is nothing wrong with that, but the way in which you do it is what is important. I hardly think removing someone's racist comments is "oppressive", if they wanted to say it why can't they just write it in a private diary instead of inflicting their hurtful remarks on other people who clearly don't want to hear it.

It hardly comes as a surprise that racism is unacceptable, so if you're going to publish remarks like this online you should be prepared for the consequences.

Why? The whole thing was just a public backlash because Muamba got injured. Does that mean everyone HAS to like him? According you it would, as your comments would seem to suggest that you're stuck with the notion that everyone should get along and like each other.

Whilst what he said was offensive, he shouldn't have been arrested for it. And to be fair it seemed more like he was trolling than anything else - though I'm sure someone like you from the wambulance brigade would not doubt consider trolling as bad as murder.

[SpicyStrawberry]

(Original post by Kiss)
Why? The whole thing was just a public backlash because Muamba got injured. Does that mean everyone HAS to like him? According you it would, as your comments would seem to suggest that you're stuck with the notion that everyone should get along and like each other.

Whilst what he said was offensive, he shouldn't have been arrested for it. And to be fair it seemed more like he was trolling than anything else - though I'm sure someone like you from the wambulance brigade would not doubt consider trolling as bad as murder.

Um, I never said anything of the sort. I said it's fine to dislike someone, but the way you go about it is what is important. Just because you don't like someone doesn't give you the right to abuse said person, whether it be to their face or online.

And no, I don't consider trolling as bad as murder, I just think if we are supposedly a decent society we should treat each other with a bit of respect, some things just aren't worth the hassle. If this guy is racist then that's his issue, there's no need to inflict it on everyone else. Please stop making assumptions about me just because I happen to disagree with your views

I read somewhere that someone hacked his account and posted all that stuff and he denies it was him that did it, but it's hard to prove.

[amyshamblesxx]

(Original post by roadlesstravelled)
what did he say exactly?

I saw some of his Tweets and the ones I can remember said:

"go die you ****ing n****r"

"pick some cotton instead you black bastard"

"you deserve it you w*g"

etc etc.

Really classy

[Kevin J]

(Original post by Snagprophet)
I think it's nonsense for arresting someone for offending them.

I don't.

I know of a widowed 70 year old man who got verbally abused by three teenage chavs every single day about his dead wife, should those three individuals just get away with a slap on the wrist?

[NB_ide]

(Original post by Kevin J)
I don't.

I know of a widowed 70 year old man who got verbally abused by three teenage chavs every single day about his dead wife, should those three individuals just get away with a slap on the wrist?

Ongoing harassment is quite different, tbh. One-off "omg that's offensive!" things are where people might think the offendee is at fault, not the offender.