What I'm asking here is whether in a public place you can actually have complete freedom of speech to discuss hard, sensitive or difficult subjects taking into account that there are no children present and people from all religious and cultural backgrounds are present. PS I live in England.
2006-10-24 01:56:46 · 30 answers · asked by John H 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
I don't think that you can truly have freedom of speech anymore.
Every subject seems to be too taboo and creates too much of an outcry, or people instantly become outraged or offended.
The only way you could have effective open discussions would be to hold debate or discussion groups where open minded people could come and give their views on any matter.
People are too scared to provoke an opinion and too quick to label someone who speaks their mind.
We seem to be lead by the media on how we should react to certain subjects and this causes friction in every aspect in society.
Take for example the country's aim to have a totally multicultural society. This would be fantastic. But it will never happen whilst people are too scared to say the word black, white, asian e.t.c, let alone bring up any ideas or problems. This government seems to get along by favouring every culture at some point when instead they should be favouring none. All this does is create a feeling of unjust actions which causes friction amongst this so called 'multicultural' society. Adding to this, people fear speaking up about these feelings and instead develop a dislike for other cultures and mistrust in our government. So when someone does finally say something it is often either greeted with reprimand or subject to retaliation.
So, going back to the question, no we can't have freedom of speech in a public place. The people who created it (a supposed democracy) are the very people who are preventing us from doing so.
2006-10-24 02:28:12 · answer #1 · answered by tamara19 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah loads.
Like you can't talk about how you want to save the terrorists the time and trouble in bombing us because you're going to kill the PM - you'd get arrested so i wouldn't bother.
If you firmly believed that the holocaust didn't take place you openly discussed it - you'd get lynched. I'd personally just think your were a **** that had never read a history book. But really, some people would lynch you.
I suppose you could discus loads of stuff 'freely' but with certain things you'd have to pay the consequences.
Don't insult the moslem's either, they'd actually issue a fatwa, now that's fu*ked up. Hell I'm sure someones been issued a fatwa just because they discussed how much of a crappy idea it was.
So on one hand you can discus hat you like, but you wont always be able to keep the conversation up.
2006-10-24 02:06:52 · answer #2 · answered by speedball182 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
something of a personal or emotional nature. i don't love each and every secrets and techniques or non-secret delicate information shared. I hate public scenes besides and that i imagine human beings opt to shop the drama to themselves. truly something that would want to reason awkwardness or embarrassment might want to be off limits. Sag Moon in th eighth residing house opposite sunlight, Merc, Venus, Jupiter Pisces twelfth residing house
2016-12-05 04:19:36 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Plenty of subjects shouldn't be discussed in front of children because many wouldn't be able to handle it, but no subject should be taboo in a free society no matter how abhorrent it may seem to you. Live and let live
PS what the hell is felching?
2006-10-24 01:59:25 · answer #4 · answered by Nobody200 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I guess it depends HOW you discuss it and WHO you discuss it with, if you incite hate or violence then you can be arrested, if you're expressing an offensive opinion in an offensive way it will upset people regardless of your right to free speech, if the people you're talking to have very closed minds then there will be little or no discussion.
2006-10-24 23:04:36 · answer #5 · answered by garfet 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may have the freedom to speak about any subject you want in public. However, just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you OUGHT to do it. That's where manners come in. Manners are like social lubrication -- they keep the friction down so everyone can live their lives as smoothly as possible without be offended or hurt by others.
2006-10-24 02:15:32 · answer #6 · answered by EC-S 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You can go to Speakers corner in Hyde Park and talk about pretty much anything you like. But be prepared to be berated by the public if you spout unjustifiable bigoted religious hatred. Kiddies could be about too I suppose, I don't know what goes on after dark....possibly the cottagers or cockney neds would be after you......either way I wouldn't!
2006-10-24 02:12:23 · answer #7 · answered by rondavous 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The state of the nation, Islam and asylum seekers. If you talk about that then people start saying you're a racist.
Oh and if you're not in the 'kill all the paedophiles, rapists and molesters' camp and advocate leniency (or even support/understand them) then keep your mouth shut else you get tarred with the same brush.
2006-10-24 02:06:08 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Theoretically no subject is taboo when we have the right to free speech however I think it is our communal social morality that prevents us from being to extreme.
2006-10-24 10:20:40 · answer #9 · answered by Monkey Basement 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep terrorism, race, etc. if a person from every background was present you would piss all of them of at least once the PC culture has gone mad
2006-10-24 03:38:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋