England Jails Homophobes

[Grey Day for Elcia]

Can i say "im going to fucking shoot a policeman in the face" in public? Is that llegal?

It is entirely legal to say that in the U.S. and in Australia, at least (I live in the latter).

Anywho, I think we've reached that point where our deep, personal beliefs are all that's left and the rest has been argued down to a fine point; all that's left is a difference of opinion and that's not going to change.

I'll leave it with something we will both agree with: wouldn't be nice if we lived in a world where no one hated anyone? Not through some rigid dictatorship, or through brainwashing and having political correctness drilled through our heads. But a world where everyone just let each other live their life in peace. I don't like what modern day Christianity has become, but Jesus really did hit the nail on the head--"Let he without sin cast the first stone."

Black, white, Asian, Middle Eastern or everything and anything in between; gay, straight, neither or a little of both at times; Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Atheist or Agnostic, learn to appreciate the differences and maybe you'll find something you like--courage against persecution, ideology, an interesting and alien culture to explore. If you can't do that, live and let live. Let them do their thing and so long as they aren't hurting anyone, it really doesn't matter.

 

[Womplord]

There's this thing called free speech and the UK obviously doesn't have it. They jailed people for what they believe, not for what they did, which I think is a terrible thing.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

There's this thing called free speech and the UK obviously doesn't have it. They jailed people for what they believe, not for what they did, which I think is a terrible thing.

Nah it does apply. Only when you call for genocide or mass murder does it stop applying. I like to think its fairly easy to avoid this one. Youre allowed to say whatever as long as it doesnt involve implying that you want anyone to go about brutal killing or burning of innocent people, especially when phrased in a threatening way and posted through your door. Theres a difference between speech and sending someone a letter through their door that says "I WANT TO BURN YOU". One is speech the other is creepy as fuck and borders harassment.

It is entirely legal to say that in the U.S. and in Australia, at least (I live in the latter).

Anywho, I think we've reached that point where our deep, personal beliefs are all that's left and the rest has been argued down to a fine point; all that's left is a difference of opinion and that's not going to change.

I'll leave it with something we will both agree with: wouldn't be nice if we lived in a world where no one hated anyone? Not through some rigid dictatorship, or through brainwashing and having political correctness drilled through our heads. But a world where everyone just let each other live their life in peace. I don't like what modern day Christianity has become, but Jesus really did hit the nail on the head--"Let he without sin cast the first stone."

Black, white, Asian, Middle Eastern or everything and anything in between; gay, straight, neither or a little of both at times; Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Atheist or Agnostic, learn to appreciate the differences and maybe you'll find something you like--courage against persecution, ideology, an interesting and alien culture to explore. If you can't do that, live and let live. Let them do their thing and so long as they aren't hurting anyone, it really doesn't matter.

If such a world existed id be more than happy to embrace it. Despite being an Atheist Jesus is one of my personal heros. Cant fault a thing the guy said. Carl Sagan put it another way that i also thought was elloquent.

"The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds."

Its difficult to be a real man/woman and put aside your hatreds for the sake of peace, even if you feel beyond all else youre right its always the greater and harder thing to step down and go "this view or goal isnt worth the price of hatred toward my peers". I take that view strongly, if it isnt hurting anyone or threatening their ability to live a happy and complete lifestyle live and let live. Its not a hard trend to see that all advanced societies have at some level integrated and accepted others regardless of creed or origin. While those that shun and stick to themselves lack the true power of collaberation. The pattern is obvious and the faster we see it the further we will go.

 

[Don Savik]

Pro tip. Inciting hatred and calling for prejudicial slaughter is doing just that.

Inciting hatred and calling for the incarceration of people for their interpretation of a religion is doing just that.

Gay people can't help they were born that way, Muslims can't chose what religion their family should bash into their skull.

I am aware that there are a lot of double standards, and I admit that I agree with one or two of them.

Watch some clips from Hamas TV or whatever that crap is called. Seriously. Their purpose is to incite hatred against Jews, teach children that if the time comes, they should carry out violent acts against Israel. I remember one in which there were kids in Olive Drab BDUs, balaclavas with those green bandannas, fake AK47s etc performing combat drills and crawling while a anti/Israel song was played.

If Israel captured the people who wrote that propaganda and sentenced them to jail, there would be a lot of buzz about freedom of speech, and how Israel is oppressing Muslims, etc.

TL;DR - we are biased and we will support freedom of speech, even if it calls for the death of every Jew "from the river to the sea" (i.e. the whole of Israel).

However, one thing about this article is positive. I thought that the modern UK was all about celebrating multiculturalism, giving Muslims a chance "because they come from other cultures" and other "Positive Racism" instances.

Guess I was wrong.

When the group demands another group of citizens dead, I think thats when they lose their chance. But hey, thats just me looking out for people.

You have the right to believe whatever the hell you want and to say what you want, but that doesn't make you immune to the consequences of your bullshit. It also doesn't make your logic and cultural ways immune to question and skepticism.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

Man I'd hate to be the judge who had to pass sentence on this clusterfuck:

On the one hand, you have three unhinged idiots who have at best an agenda to push or at worst are in the beginnings of a criminal conspiracy and we're lucky their so fucking stupid that they brought attention to themselves in this way.

On the other, if you value freedom of speech and I mean value it as in inalienable, unassailable right, then you need to back it up by allowing people you dispise to say their piece....if only to allow you time to aim that tomato/rock/fart bomb you have in your hand.


Ultimately I think the judge has ruled in this case that infringing the rights of free speech of these three men by giving them jail time is the lesser evil than allowing them to continue in their quest and verbally assault large portions of the gay community directly and by proxy those that either a) don't give a fuck each way or b) like minded fellows who save this shit for the pool room.


One another note, I think someone in this thread called what they were doing a 'cultural offering' or something. No, calling for the execution of otherwise innocent people isn't a cultural offering, its a fucking insult whether those who suggest it come from Somalia or Swansea. Also, its legal to say that murderers, convicted child molestors or rapists (to name the big three) should be executed, because as unsophisticated as it sounds, you're advocating sentencing policy for people convicted of a criminal offence. For the record, if it was proved someone raped another person or a child, beyond a shadow of a doubt then it would be my preference that they be put to the sword, literally if possible. Murderers too if you like, because all three crimes are vicious assaults on human dignity and safety....who you prefer to fuck in your own home on your own time is not within the same sphere by a long shot.

 

[ElPatron]

When the group demands another group of citizens dead, I think thats when they lose their chance. But hey, thats just me looking out for people.

And many (not saying all) Palestinians want Israelis dead. Why does the media paint the Israelis as evil?

Now, to those guys homosexuals are not a "group". They are criminals. To them, it's not any different from us asking for the death of spree killers or pedophiles.

You have the right to believe whatever the hell you want and to say what you want, but that doesn't make you immune to the consequences of your bullshit. It also doesn't make your logic and cultural ways immune to question and skepticism.

All I am saying is... Why is our culture immune to criticism? I am not talking about people criticizing Hollywood and sex on videogames, but about what we think to be "right" and "wrong".

 

[Airsoftslayer93]

Interesting, In my opinion the only reason that there is any arguement over this is simple homophobia, If someone came out today saying that Mix raced marriages should be illegal, and anyone who partook in them should be killed, then there would rightly be calls for their arrest. This is exactly the same situation, Just because they believe that something should be illegal, doesn't mean that they cannot be prosecuted for protesting it.

 

[orangeban]

It doesn't work like this in the States I know, but here in Britain we have an understanding about freedom of speech.

You have the right to believe what you want, and to speak what you want.

However, you do not have the right to force others to listen to you, to make your neighbourhood a hostile and unfriendly place, to make a certain group feel unsafe and to try and rally people into hating said group.

This is why these men were arrested, and this is also why the Westboro Baptist Church was banned from coming to Britain. That's simply how it works in Britain, it's how it's always worked. We're not shitting on anyones freedoms, since you've never had the freedom to do what these men did in this country.

These men could of spoken their views in their houses, or organised little bigot meetings, or even spoken it in an out-of-the-way part of a park. They cannot speak it in the middle of a suburb and they cannot actively badger passerbys about it (they were handing out leaflets).

Plus: If you were a gay person, would you feel safe walking past those men, knowing they wanted you dead? Probably not.

Right to announce your bullshit is trumped by the right for others to feel safe in their streets.

 

[MasterOfHisOwnDomain]

There's this thing called free speech and the UK obviously doesn't have it. They jailed people for what they believe, not for what they did, which I think is a terrible thing.

No. They were jailed because they then tried to make other people share their sick beliefs by distributing hateful propaganda. If they sat in their house hating homosexuals then there wouldn't be a problem here (apart from that you have three disgusting individuals...).

 

[Kuroneko97]

I was expecting just "someone said they didn't approve of a gay person and they were hauled off by cops" and was all prepared with a "this is over-reacting" speech but this?

Yeah, I'm fully okay with these hateful pricks being in jail. You can't just call for a group of people to be violently murdered and expect to not catch shit for saying that openly and in public.

Avatar:

Me:

OT: I feel this was rather appropriate...I guess I have nothing to add to the discussion. Sorry~

Captcha: face the music

 

[Conn1496]

To be honest, "England jails homophobes" is a very vague statement. I thought that this would be about people being arrested for street heckling at gay people or something, but saying a certain group of people should be killed is completely different. You could have just picked one out of 5 million traits that all three of those people share, and replaced it with homophobes, and it would have still been the same thing. I think that this is a first rate example of forum view whoring, but I'll plain out admit that it's sickening what these people did. So called "informing" the public that gay people should be hanged is just stupid, though, as many said before, telling people that anyone should be hanged is just plain out stupid anyway. I think it's reached the point where people should stop voicing their opinions unless it's their place or time, and it's quite sad considering that what I basically just said is that people should have restricted free speech in order to stop controversies like this happening. Though please be aware that I am all for freedom of speech (Unless it's idiocy like this. Because I'm pretty sure Muslims aren't allowed to kill people unless it's about defence or punishing crime, and last time I checked being gay isn't exactly a crime. Someone might have to review my knowledge on that.).

 

[Fangface74]

Isn't the real irony the fact that some homophobes are going to a place where they shall experience much 'bum love'?