Agree or disagree with this statement . . .?

Question

Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of South Park, once defended the content of their show by saying, "Either it's all OK or none of it is."

I think this saying applies in many areas of life including free speech.

What are your thoughts?

Hence "many."

There are some fairly obvious exceptions. Like sexual desires. Obviously, child molestation is not OK.

Answer 1

There are some forms of speech which should be punished, namely speech that causes direct and substantial (not just potential) harm to others. For instance, fraud, or the proverbial yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater.

However, no speech should ever be banned simply because someone finds it offensive, regardless of how offensive it is or how many people are offended. This includes "hate speech." Speech that offends no one does not need the protection of the 1st Amendment. The 1st was designed explicitly to protect speech, political or otherwise, which DOES offend others. The cure for offensive speech is not censorship, but counter-speech.

Without the 1st Amendment, blasphemy would still be a crime, the gov't could (and definitely would) jail anyone who disagreed with them, and our culture would be greatly stunted in its development. Women would probably still not be able to vote or own property, and minorities would be treated like 2nd-class citizens at best.

Freedom is a muscle that pushes against tyranny. It must be exercised frequently and forcefully, lest it atrophy. To that end, South Park is helping to keep society free by pushing the envelope of permissivity and challenging what society calls taboo. Without such challenges to society's mores, social conservatism would continue to creep forward, until it became acceptable to ban all manner of expressions that went against whatever authorities deemed appropriate.

Answer 2

1-. Kurt Angle is the best wrestler today. - Agree 2-. Ric Flair was the greatest of all the times. - Agree, Woooo 3-. Antonio Inoki was the best Japanese wrestler ever. -Agree 4-. The Great Owen Hart was a victim of Monday Night Wars. - Disagree 5-. Eric Bischoff was the best general manager in RAW history. - Agree 6-. Chris Jericho deserve a better opponent then Mickey Rourke. - Agree 7-. Hulk hogan defeating Iron Sheik was the death of Pro wrestling. - Agree 8-. Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania 25 will never be as charismatic as Hulk Hogan vs Ultimate Warrior match at Wrestlemania 6? - Disagree BQ- Agree

Answer 3

Agreed.

Answer 4

Um.... no, not completely, actually. I disagree in that inciting a riot shouldn't be protected.

Answer 5

i dont agree