Christopher Hitchens on Freedom of Speech - Part 1 of 2
Excellent stuff again. Our government should listen to this. Hate crimes indeed.
3 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I agree with so much of what he said in these 2 short clips. I'm pleased I came to a few of the same conclusions on my own a while back.
I'm not sure about how we would deal with the idea of absolute free speech and allowing the 'mad mullahs' to preach in the streets saying whatever they will.
Possibly if the laws against 'hate speech' were applied evenly this wouldn't be a problem. But then again it would maybe just go behind closed doors.
We should certainly me moving towards making the UK a truly secular state removing the charitable status of religious organisations and closing all state funded religious schools. You can't ban religion (that just creates a cause) but we can possibly educate it out.
There's a difference. Saying you hate something and here's the reasons why, is fine. Saying you hate something and then suggesting your audience should strap on a Semtex waistcoat to be rid of it is another thing entirely.
But yes, our society need to be made secular. Though I hate Labour I'm entirely in agreement with that party's republican tendencies. Our royal family and our Queen, who is the head of the state-supported church in this country, is an anachronism that needs to go.
3 comments:
I agree with so much of what he said in these 2 short clips. I'm pleased I came to a few of the same conclusions on my own a while back.
I'm not sure about how we would deal with the idea of absolute free speech and allowing the 'mad mullahs' to preach in the streets saying whatever they will.
Possibly if the laws against 'hate speech' were applied evenly this wouldn't be a problem. But then again it would maybe just go behind closed doors.
We should certainly me moving towards making the UK a truly secular state removing the charitable status of religious organisations and closing all state funded religious schools. You can't ban religion (that just creates a cause) but we can possibly educate it out.
There's a difference. Saying you hate something and here's the reasons why, is fine. Saying you hate something and then suggesting your audience should strap on a Semtex waistcoat to be rid of it is another thing entirely.
But yes, our society need to be made secular. Though I hate Labour I'm entirely in agreement with that party's republican tendencies. Our royal family and our Queen, who is the head of the state-supported church in this country, is an anachronism that needs to go.
SO HEAR
How much I love my freedom to
Speak off as so I list,
Free speech is grand--alas, they are but few
Who care to listen. Still, I must insist!
Within the future time perhaps
The possibility
Will have dissolved--men´s words kept under wraps:
So it may come to pass; today is free.
Today is free for speaking, if
Bad consequences come--
Say getting shoved more closely to a cliff--
Yet for the moment I am far from glum.
Why should I live in fear? I think
I´m weary of that vibe,
Ours but a turn around life´s skating rink,
So hear my dirty joke or diatribe.
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