Is it their right to free speech, or are the just being jerks?

Question

When people on Yahoo answers are rude, offensive, mean-spirited, is it their right to be that way, or should they be booted?
Can we learn anything from them?

Answer 1

The world of children and protective parents should be resisted at all costs. This censorship is EXACTLY the kind of ideological bias towards "reasonable, peaceful, tolerant" society that SHOULD be avoided if you want to know anything about what's Really on peoples' minds. Otherwise you filter to only hear your own constrained voices-- an affirmation of the virtues of conformity, which should be questioned... incessantly, why I can say "sex" and not "f u c k" is important.

Answer 2

The Constitutionally-guaranteed Right to Free Speech has always been limited: it has never been construed as an absolute right. For more information on traditional limits imposed on the Right to Free Speech, consult someone from the American Civil Liberties Union (http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/index.html).

The ACLU's charter purpose is protecting the freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, though it works to ensure that the rights enumerated in the other Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America are applied equally to all US Citizens.

Having so stated, lots of people are "rude, offensive, mean-spirited" -- but the Internet was from its creation populated by coarse, thick-skinned people. Do a little research: the Internet was never intended for children or pansies or illiberal minds: it was created for scientists and military personnel to timely exchange information reliably under the pressures of war.

Your question is akin to asking whether all the bearded, gun-toting rednecks should be booted from a Hell's Angels bar. A better question is "How long will it take you to realize you're the oddball?"

While I was in the Air Force, I was responsible for a group of Airmen, a few of whom left the base one Friday for liberty in Biloxi. When they returned earlier than I'd expected, I asked how things had gone. I could tell something wasn't quite right, but it took a while to get the information from them:

They had gone down a certain road looking for bars, intending to get as drunk as they could without getting into any official trouble. They began with a variety of mixed drinks and beer, and apparently didn't realize how little pain they were feeling when they left the first bar.

At some point, they entered another bar and initially thought they'd found the ultimate hangout: there were lots of women and very few guys at the bar. However, they "soon" realized that all the girls were with other girls, and all the guys were with other guys: it was a "gay bar" -- and they weren't.

So, using your logic, they should have thrown out the homosexuals so that all the "good, decent heterosexual people" could use the bar. Fortunately, they didn't, or I'd still be having to re-up to handle all the paperwork and legal problems.

It's like when there'son television a show in which the characters use the "F-bomb" every other breath, or in which the characters are occasionally (or always) nude and/or involved in graphic depictions of sexual activity. If any or all of that bothers you, don't watch that show: there's LOTS of channels that NEVER have anything like that on the air.

If you complain about having to watch porn for 30 minutes, you're not complaining because there's too much of it: you're saying you want more. And if you're complaining about the convenience of someone else's access to it, you're being overly self-righteous.

As to whether "we" can learn anything from them, that depends on how intelligent and open-minded "we" are.

Answer 3

It's nothing to do with "free speech" as a political concept, since Yahoo! is a private company and can set its own rules. But part of the fun of this site is that it's NOT tightly regulated; people are free to be ignorant and vindictive and sarcastic, as well as brilliant, helpful, and supportive. In other words, it's a forum of expression; the less regulated that expression is, the more authentic the forum becomes.

And yes, we can learn from these people: we can learn not to be like them.

(To be fair, though: some questions deserve derisive answers.)

Answer 4

I believe that we should have Free Speech, to a point that is. There are alot of narrow minded people out there that think Free Speech means they can spend their lives berating people for every little mishap that happens to them, but I think these people are really hurting inside. They are self concious about themselves in ways that noone can comprehend, mainly because they spend all their time belittling others and not taking a look at the big picture.

Answer 5

My Dad used to say "Everyone has a right to be a jerk."

I read these comments, too. I can't believe what some people write, offensive language, sexual references, etc. I think because the questions and responses are anonymous, these individuals think they can say whatever they want.

I figure if they use offensive, rude, mean-spirited comments and the like, I decide their comments, etc. are not valid.

So, delete the responses and move on. Shake your head and bite your tongue, I guess.

Answer 6

The right to free speech does not supercede yahoo's right to property, though under free speech you can say what you wish this does not mean that others have to provide you with a means for doing so. Yahoo can boot whomever they wish, it is their site.

Answer 7

They have freedom of speech, however there are RULES that they agreed to when they started using this service. Since yahoo owns the servers, etc. people have to follow them; yahoo can ban, suspend, or boot anytime they like.

Answer 8

It's their right but you also have the right to ignore them and keep your own opinions. But be open-minded because some of them, behind the offensive stuff, may actually have point if they are serious. Just remember that everyone has an opinion.

Answer 9

PEOPLE DO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH BUT THE LINE HAS TO BE DRAWN SOMEWHERE. THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE SHOULD BE BOOTED BECAUSE THERE ARE KIDS ON THIS THAT DON'T NEED TO SEE THAT KIND OF STUFF. WE AREN'T GOING TO LEARN ANYTHING FROM THEM BUT THE KIDS WILL, AND IT IS STUFF WE DON'T WANT THEM TO LEARN. IF THAT KIND OF STUFF STAYS ON HERE THAN THE KIDS WILL THINK IT IS OK.

Answer 10

Be sure of a thing. I ll never answer rudely, unless you boot me first.
Hmmmm
not a nice way for a start..isnt it? ciao