Folks, what do you think are the limits of free speech if any?
2006-09-14 20:44:41 · 30 answers · asked by pinochio 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Free speech should NOT be limited by how offensive something is. But just because someone has the right to say something, doesn't mean it is the right thing to say.
Free speech DOES mean someone has a right to mock & offend anyone, although such behavior would be improper to say the least.
The rules of ettiquette do not limit free speech. They only express what is & is not proper, not what is & is not allowed.
And, inspite of what some liberals seem to think, free speech means you can tell someone you are offended by what they said.
2006-09-18 12:42:29 · answer #1 · answered by Smart Kat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Speech doesn't have to be beautiful to be free.
That's the point.
The only limits to free speech are those that cause direct harm--such as the classic example of shouting "Fire" in a crowded theater.
Does offending someone's religion qualify as causing direct harm? I would say no. The problem is that it is difficult to define what is "offensive."
Yes, religious speech can cause harm--as in the violence over the Danish cartoons of Muhammed. But for that to have been prohibited, we would have had to know what the reaction would be and exactly where to draw the line so as to prevent such harm. Since everyone's response is different, it's impossible to define that.
I don't think there can be limits on free speech related to offending someone or their religion.
2006-09-15 05:30:42 · answer #2 · answered by smurfette 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why should there be a limit on free speech? That would defeat the purpose of it being free. However, I understand what you mean and you just have to realize that some of what people say is just opinions. They might not even believe what they are saying and are just putting an idea out there. You don't have to listen to anyone you find offensive but sometimes I do anyways just to understand a different viewpoint. Our society is such that we can say almost anything without consequences and having so many diverse and contrasting opinions - it's a truly wonderful thing!
2006-09-15 04:00:51 · answer #3 · answered by Kitkat Bar 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ooh, a proper philosophical dilema. The general consensus seems to be that everyone is entitled to there freedom, until the exercise of their freedom affects the freedom of another. Unfortunately, that tends to mean that as long as people have opposing viewpoints and desires, one man's freedom will always impinge on another's.
Whilst being sensible and understanding, we can all pay lip service to this addage, but the problem arises when cultures become diametrically opposed. Take, for example, the Muslim and Jewish faiths. They hate one another. They both claim God wants them to purge the world of the other. They are both convinced that the holy land is their own, given by the grace of God and that it is currently being defiled by the close proximity of the other.
I, personally, feel affronted by nearly every religious type (usually some Christian variation, to be honest) who tries to bludgeon their personal doctrines and belief onto me. I try to respect people's various beliefs and customs, although I quite honestly find them a little ridiculous, but often find that the religous people do not respect my choice of not worshipping some deity or other.
Whether people intentionally or unintentionally offend one another with their words and actions is irrelevant. If offence is caused, people get upset. There is, however, a difference between heated debate and idiotic bullying. Unfortunately, the latter seems to prevail in these types of discussion, which proliferates further ill feeling as everybody goes in on the defensive, expecting to be attacked.
The most annoying form of this has got to be the sort of biggot who is convinced that their own belief is gospel truth and that everyone else is wrong, then when they've annoyed everyone so much that people have descended into general abuse, they hide behind their religion and claim they are being racially abused.
In conclusion, then, I think if you're going to enter into a debate which by very nature is contentious and fractious (how many people have been killed in wars over the millenia in the name of some religion?) you're putting yourself up to be shot at. It's not nice, it's not fair, but then that's the nature of the world we live in. If people don't like it, maybe they should just wind their necks in and keep their opinions to themselves. That includes the idiots who post contentious statements like "all XXXX's are gay" etc. I for one will take the opportunity to berrate the moron and have no qualms about it. I'm not above a bit of mindless abuse! So what I'm saying is - no there is no limit on free speech, but if you play with fire, get ready to be burned!
2006-09-15 04:17:16 · answer #4 · answered by lickintonight 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free Speech is a wonder tool of the domocratic world.
However when the person using "free speach" is being racist, sexist, homophobic or exhibiting any othe kind of predjudice then it is no longer free speech but some kind of right wing political campaign.
Polictics does allow free speech, but when people are banging on about if we got rid of this group of people our lives would be better then that is facisim.
Lets take the BNP policy of not letting anymore immigrants into the UK and sending back all asylum seekers to their original country.
If you close the boarders, then Britain will stop taking economic migrants - jobs will go unfilled, tourism will reduce - we'll go into the biggest recession seen in the UK since the 1930's.
If you send the asylum seekers home - they are often likely to be tortured, the UN Geneva convention prohibites us torturing people, so if we send them back and they get tourture our policy would be "assisting murder".
Clearly these political policies that use the name of FREE SPEECH to be preached to the electorate are wrong and potentially illegal.
It's time we have a bill of rights and actually make illegal certain things that claim to be FREE SPEECH.
2006-09-15 03:55:57 · answer #5 · answered by thebigtombs 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe in free speech and I also believe people should act responsible when exercising that right. If you think someone may get offended than take that into consideration.
I also think too many people get offended by the littlest things. People are way too uptight about what others think about religion, race, background, etc.
I think that people have to take responsibility for their actions and that includes speech. If you take the chance of offending someone, than you need to be prepared to face whatever may come your way because of it.
2006-09-15 08:45:22 · answer #6 · answered by jarhed 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Constitution of the USA does not provide the right to not be offended. If it were made law that someone cannot offend me and the beliefs of my religion, then in turn I would not be able to tell them about my religion because it may offend them. Everyone needs to grow up, agree to disagree, and maintain our right to free speech.
2006-09-15 03:56:45 · answer #7 · answered by Silvax 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps this question of free speech and criticism regarding Religion is one of the fundamental problems ,the tiresome bigots who are only too willing to be "Offended" by anyone who has a very different opinion , as we see throughout the world one thing leads to another and before long various factions become "Offended" and before long Violence is the order of the day , spurred on by those who consider their "Religion" is the only way ,and they are the ones with a "Special" access and relationship with God, everyone else having got it "Wrong" so it,s O K to be Judgemental of others and Kill the "Infidel" in the name of their Religion . ? ? ?
2006-09-15 04:27:07 · answer #8 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In this country, there are no limits to free speech unless the safety of many people is put at risk by what you say (for example, you can't run into an airport yelling "BOMB BOMB!!" without being detained for questioning and/or arrested).
As far as religious offense, people are allowed to say whatever they want because the other person is not forced to listen to them or obey anything they say; he or she can simply walk away. For this reason, I don't think there should be any limits to free speech.
2006-09-15 03:52:49 · answer #9 · answered by snpdrgon84 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why should religion be the exception. People can criticise other aspects of life so why not religion. Any religion that is so insecure that it cannot cope with either criticism or even ridicule is a pretty poor sort of belief system.
There are lots of Jewish and Catholic jokes, yet the faiths continue. Maybe the problem with Islam is that being the 'new kid on the block' of major religions they are still very insecure. Maybe they will mature into a faith capable of taking criticism and humour directed at their beliefs.
2006-09-15 04:00:22 · answer #10 · answered by intelligent_observer 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋