France and Belgium acting to stop the Koran burners......

[Spirit of Light]

OK, so if someone says, "The earth is flat" or "The moon is made of cheese" am I supposed to agree?
When is one allowed to intervene and say, "No, that is not correct"

If it is a good thing to say to others then why not say it, if it is a negative or hurtful thing to say, why say it?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Are you suggesting that the Belgium and French governments were wrong to kick the extremist Danes who planned the Koran burning demonstrations out of their countries... were wrong, and should have allowed these demonstrations to proceed?

Should Belgium, France and the UK repeal their laws which ban hate speech,vacations and publications?

While we're all at it, should we ignore Antisemitism as well?

What say you?

Let the hate groups blow some steam off. Big deal. You don't close off the valve on a pressure cooker. You strategically allow steam to safely vent rather than have someone explode in another's face in a bad way.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Reasonable countries ban hate speech, actions and publications.

Who decides what is "hate speech"? How is it defined? It's like obscenity laws. These things are too arbitrary and that makes them dangerous. Where is the line drawn?

 

[Stevicus]

Well Belgium and France certainly have. Both countries have chucked out the troublemakers.

They're stamping down on the hate mongers now, let's hope they both acted quickly enough.

It just depends on who is in power. As we've seen, power can shift, and once it does, the kinds of speech the government might ban could change - yet still based on the same legal precedent and a desire to not offend people.

 

[oldbadger]

Law of the country shold stop them. Police is in charge of the law in the streets.

Do you agree with that?

 

[oldbadger]

I, personally, would do nothing.
I suppose if I were a leader, I would try to educate and dissuade, if that were unsuccessful then monitor

Would you follow that same policy with, say, Antisemitic publications?
Just educate and dissuade?

 

[oldbadger]

Yes, I can think of an advanced thinking country.

Pornography is acceptable if there is no coercion, and people do it willingly.
Public nakedness, no problem. Wouldn't god have given us clothes if it was offensive?

I honestly cannot think of such a country........ perhaps you'll name one?

 

[oldbadger]

Let the hate groups blow some steam off. Big deal. You don't close off the valve on a pressure cooker. You strategically allow steam to safely vent rather than have someone explode in another's face in a bad way.

So you would not legislate against Antisemitism either........ anybody could publish or demonstrate mostly anything?

 

[oldbadger]

Who decides what is "hate speech"? How is it defined? It's like obscenity laws. These things are too arbitrary and that makes them dangerous. Where is the line drawn?

Are you saying that you would not have stopped the Koran burners?

How about Antisemitic publications and demonstrations?

Where would you personally draw the line?

 

[oldbadger]

It just depends on who is in power. As we've seen, power can shift, and once it does, the kinds of speech the government might ban could change - yet still based on the same legal precedent and a desire to not offend people.

Do you think that the Race hate laws banning such demonstrations, publications and media are there just to reduce offending people?

Should the laws banning Antisemitism be repealed?

 

[Spirit of Light]

Do you agree with that?

Yes, riot should be stopped by police

 

[Estro Felino]

I'm not sure who said it BUT 'blasphemy is a victimless crime'.

Blasphemy is a law that is no longer applied in advanced thinking countries.
Views do not harm. Violence does.

If, like me, you believe god is fake; then saying so is talking truth, not blasphemy.

In our Western world atheists are free to express their views. To publish books about them in which they criticize any religion and their deities.
This is freedom of speech.
Blasphemy is a theological concept and cannot be applied in the context of the secular law.

 

[Altfish]

Would you follow that same policy with, say, Antisemitic publications?
Just educate and dissuade?

I can't remember the original wording of the question, but yes, education, etc. is the best long term strtegy.

 

[Altfish]

I honestly cannot think of such a country........ perhaps you'll name one?

Many European countries, Sweden, Denmark, Holland to a lesser extent Germany - UK was getting there but 10-years of Tory / Brexit Government hasn't helped.

 

[Altfish]

Do you think that the Race hate laws banning such demonstrations, publications and media are there just to reduce offending people?

Should the laws banning Antisemitism be repealed?

You are back to discussing 'Hate' - Demos, protests publicising racist, etc. hate should be banned

 

[oldbadger]

Yes, riot should be stopped by police

Excuse me for saying so, but you seem to step around the issue.
Should demonstrations such as Koran burning in a land where 8 million Muslims live be outlawed?

 

[oldbadger]

In our Western world atheists are free to express their views. To publish books about them in which they criticize any religion and their deities.
This is freedom of speech.
Blasphemy is a theological concept and cannot be applied in the context of the secular law.

How about publications which defend or deny the holocaust, and/or other antisemitic claims........ is that ok as well?

 

[oldbadger]

I can't remember the original wording of the question, but yes, education, etc. is the best long term strtegy.

Wow!
Not in any country around Western Europe........ in fact anywhere in Europe!
Which country do you live in?

 

[Estro Felino]

How about publications which defend or deny the holocaust, and/or other antisemitic claims........ is that ok as well?

That is not about religion or theology.
That is about people. Religious people....believers who are always a priori persons to defend.

 

[oldbadger]

You are back to discussing 'Hate' - Demos, protests publicising racist, etc. hate should be banned

Well that's the problem, because the vast majority of demonstrations (like Koran burning), publications (like printing nasty pictures which upset) and other media subject matter about Islam is all driven by people who hate.

And all it takes is for a single unbalanced nutter out of millions of peaceful Muslim to commit a terror act in response and the whole Muslim community gets picked on. I've previously even read posts on RF suggesting 'They do this, or they do that.' as a whole.

And Antisemitism is exactly that as well......... dangerous and outlawed shouldn't be picking on groups just because we don't belong to them.... is my suggestion.