The Student Room Group

Freedom of Speech Must be Abrogated





I know that this video is old, but old videos can be brought up months or years later at inappropriate times to ignite protests. This video is a direct insult against people’s sexuality. One’s sexuality is not a choice and therefore should not be free to insult or criticise. I think it is time we annul freedom of speech.


Protests outside Ugandan embassies have spread across the western world following an online video insulting homosexuality. The Ugandan ambassador to Switzerland and three other embassy staff were killed in a rocket attack after the diplomat’s car was targeted. Despite having no involvement, the Namibian embassy in the Irish capital of Dublin was set on fire after it was stormed by protestors outraged by the offensive video.


The Norwegian King Harald V has called for African nations to clamp down on homophobia and Prime Minster of Canada, Stephen Harper said the film was another “ugly face” of homosexual defamation. President of America Obama has called for freedom of speech to be curtailed to prevent any further incitements of hatred against people’s sexuality.


There have been calls from Western government to ban the video. The Italian government has even gone as far as blocking access to YouTube after “public demand”.


A Scottish government minister has offered $100,000 reward for the death of the maker of the anti-gay film.


I blame the Ugandan government for this video which was clearly insulting. People are trying to justify insulting people’s sexuality through the idea ‘freedom of speech’. Freedom of speech must be abrogated to prevent further incitements of hatred towards people's sexuality. And also, I am sick of people making comparisons, stating that if a similar video had been made about a peaceful religion, then such widespread violence wouldn’t have occurred.

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Abrogated



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Original post by RibenaRockstar
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Was that the wrong choice of word? :beard:
Reply 3
Original post by The Epicurean
Was that the wrong choice of word? :beard:


I think he was asking thee meaning of the word. :s-smilie: Cool thread btw.
That video always surfaces after a while in the shadows.
Reply 4
Totally disagree.

Primarily because I believe my freedom of speech trumps the right of people to not be offended. You don't ban a train of thought by banning criticism and contextual use of words, you drive it underground where it festers.

I've had quite enough of the holier-than-thou brigade trying to impose their own moral standards on others thank you very much.
Original post by ipoop
I think he was asking thee meaning of the word. :s-smilie: Cool thread btw.
That video always surfaces after a while in the shadows.


After he said WTF, I was wondering whether I had used the word in the correct context.

I was bored lol :mmm:

Original post by Heliosphan
Totally disagree.

Primarily because I believe my freedom of speech trumps the right of people to not be offended. You don't ban a train of thought by banning criticism and contextual use of words, you drive it underground where it festers.

I've had quite enough of the holier-than-thou brigade trying to impose their own moral standards on others thank you very much.


My intentions were not quite serious which is how you seem to have taken them. If you read through my post you will see it more of a jest. I am merely just highlighting how other groups often get insulted for how they are born, namely, their sexuality, yet there aren't world wide protests calling for freedom of speech to be curtailed. Freedom of speech is the fundamental factor which is allowing these people to voice their opinion and protest against freedom of speech which is quite ironic.
Reply 6
Original post by The Epicurean
After he said WTF, I was wondering whether I had used the word in the correct context.

I was bored lol :mmm:



My intentions were not quite serious which is how you seem to have taken them. If you read through my post you will see it more of a jest. I am merely just highlighting how other groups often get insulted for how they are born, namely, their sexuality, yet there aren't world wide protests calling for freedom of speech to be curtailed. Freedom of speech is the fundamental factor which is allowing these people to voice their opinion and protest against freedom of speech which is quite ironic.


IMO no one is born with a sexual orientation, if you think it about it, is anyone born Theist or even Atheist:s-smilie:? Having said that, hiding behind freedom of speech to insult and incite hate towards another human being is not right. I don't think though that freedom should be taken away, especially not by legislation.
Reply 7
Original post by The Epicurean
My intentions were not quite serious which is how you seem to have taken them. If you read through my post you will see it more of a jest. I am merely just highlighting how other groups often get insulted for how they are born, namely, their sexuality, yet there aren't world wide protests calling for freedom of speech to be curtailed. Freedom of speech is the fundamental factor which is allowing these people to voice their opinion and protest against freedom of speech which is quite ironic.


It seems that I'm the victim of Poe's Law. Drat!

Thanks for the clarification! :colondollar:
Original post by ipoop
IMO no one is born with a sexual orientation


Well if you say so then that must be true.
Original post by ipoop
IMO no one is born with a sexual orientation, if you think it about it, is anyone born Theist or even Atheist:s-smilie:? Having said that, hiding behind freedom of speech to insult and incite hate towards another human being is not right. I don't think though that freedom should be taken away, especially not by legislation.


Admittedly that is a difficult debate as there is no conclusive evidence. It is the nature/nruture argument. But regardless of that, people's sexual orientation is not a choice.

However, I would say being a Theist or an Atheist is a choice. You can be brought up and taught that one view is correct, but once you are an adult, it is your choice to decide. One can easily alter their view. For example I was raised a Catholic but I am now Athiest. I am however Heterosexual, but I could not alter this and suddenly become Bisexual tomorrow.

Where do you draw the line between insult and criticism? Some people take insult over the slightest criticism. But criticism can be constructive and an important part of discussion.

The video concerning Islam was a poorly made video which should have been ignored or if people were going to protest against it, should have done so in a peaceful way. The video does not justify banning criticisms of religion though. many criticisms of religion are justified. But by reacting in a violent and agressive manner, they have done exactly as the video maker wanted them to react and lived up to the message of the video.
(edited 11 years ago)
Probably going to get negged for this. But I was always under the impression that Freedom of Speech should be respected because repression only seems to make the opinion fester into something more malacious, however I believe there is always a way to dictate your opinion in a manner that is somewhat respectful and is supported by relevant evidence.
Original post by Heliosphan
It seems that I'm the victim of Poe's Law. Drat!

Thanks for the clarification! :colondollar:


The part I put in quote pretending to be a news article were actually stolen from online news articles regarding the reaction to The Innocence of Muslim video but altered to fit my new agenda. Otherwise you would have heard about the scandal of a Scottish government minister publically offering $100,000 for a person to be killed :mmm:

I think without the quote, it would definetly be a case of Poe's law, but if you have read a lot of news articles recently regarding The Innocence of Muslim video, the quote would come across as a more obvious case of parody. But without the section in quote, it would admittedly be a case of Poe's law.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 12
No it must not.
Reply 13
Original post by Heliosphan
Totally disagree.

Primarily because I believe my freedom of speech trumps the right of people to not be offended. You don't ban a train of thought by banning criticism and contextual use of words, you drive it underground where it festers.

I've had quite enough of the holier-than-thou brigade trying to impose their own moral standards on others thank you very much.


I also believe freedom of speech trumps the right of people not to be offended. Yet this is still beyond free speech. It has never been the freedom to preach hatred and incite violence which is what Ugandan churches do.

There is a difference between free speech, and abuse. In making the distinction, the way things are said, people's tone and emphasis should wherever possible be considered.

Two people, independently and on separate occasions could literally say the same thing: 'You have sinned, am an abomination, and should not be allowed near children' - yet the way either person said those words - their tone and emphasis could very easily mean one of them was exercising free speech, while the other goes beyond free speech and becomes harassment and abuse.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Kiss
No it must not.


Did you read the part I put in quote in my OP? If you did, you will see that it is a parody of the reaction to The Innocence of Muslims. I have taken actual quotes from the news and just changed the person/country who said it and changed the topic of discussion to homosexuality. I'm not actually calling for freedom of speech to be annuled. As we can see from real life, different groups get insulted all the time, but that in no way justifies killing embassy officials and such an uproarious demand that we end Freedom of Speech.

Original post by philosophizingnerd
Probably going to get negged for this. But I was always under the impression that Freedom of Speech should be respected because repression only seems to make the opinion fester into something more malacious, however I believe there is always a way to dictate your opinion in a manner that is somewhat respectful and is supported by relevant evidence.


I agree. Such has happened on TSR and eslewhere, since people around the world and on TSR have started to call for Freedom of Speech and criticism of religion to be reduced/ended, criticism of religion has increased exponentially.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 15
Original post by The Epicurean
Did you read the part I put in quote in my OP? If you did, you will see that it is a parody of the reaction to The Innocence of Muslims. I have taken actual quotes from the news and just changed the person/country who said it and changed the topic of discussion to homosexuality. I'm not actually calling for freedom of speech to be annuled.


Yes you are? :s-smilie:

Hence:

"Freedom of speech must be abrogated to prevent further incitements"

and

"One’s sexuality is not a choice and therefore should not be free to insult or criticise. I think it is time we annul freedom of speech."
Original post by Kiss
Yes you are? :s-smilie:

Hence:

"Freedom of speech must be abrogated to prevent further incitements"

and

"One’s sexuality is not a choice and therefore should not be free to insult or criticise. I think it is time we annul freedom of speech."


Read inside the quote and then compare it to what is actually in the news now and you will see that I am not being serious. You clearly haven't read the quote otherwise you will see that none of what was in the quote actually happened. Rather it was a parody of what has been happening in responce to the Innocence of Muslim's video.

Refer to my posts I have made in another thread.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2132527&p=39679924#post39679924
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2132527&page=3&p=39690193#post39690193
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2132527&page=5&p=39691208#post39691208

Another post I made in this thread

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2133642&p=39691384#post39691384
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 17
Original post by The Epicurean
Read inside the quote and then compare it to what is actually in the news now and you will see that I am not being serious. You clearly haven't read the quote otherwise you will see that none of what was in the quote actually happened. Rather it was a parody of what has been happening in responce to the Innocence of Muslim's video.

Refer to my posts I have made in another thread.

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2132527&p=39679924#post39679924
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2132527&page=3&p=39690193#post39690193
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2132527&page=5&p=39691208#post39691208


Well then why didn't you at least put your non-serious parts in italics??? Or put a :rolleyes: face? Everyone is going to think that you really are against free speech then since most people, like myself, just scan the title and will skim through the post briefly before making a judgement - not great but unless you've made it very clear then people will get the wrong idea.
Original post by Kiss
Well then why didn't you at least put your non-serious parts in italics??? Or put a :rolleyes: face? Everyone is going to think that you really are against free speech then since most people, like myself, just scan the title and will skim through the post briefly before making a judgement - not great but unless you've made it very clear then people will get the wrong idea.


I don't see why I need to put 'rolleyes' in my post when if any person would have taken the effort to skim read the quote I put or any further posts of mine in this thread they would have seen quite clearly that it was not serious. To tell people a parody is a parody kind of takes away from the post its parodical nature.

If you jump to conclusions without having read through my post, then it is your fault that you made such a mistake.
Reply 19
the word abrogate should be abrogated.

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