So Britain doesn't actually have freedom of speech then?

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**Frazzled**

Its not April 1st so this has to be real.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/student-jailed-muamba-twitter-race-rant-103140396.html

Student Jailed For Muamba Twitter Race Rant
By Isabel Webster, West of England correspondent | Sky News – 15 minutes agoRelated ContentView PhotoStudent Jailed For Muamba Twitter Race Rant
A man who mocked footballer Fabrice Muamba on Twitter after the Bolton player collapsed has been jailed for 56 days and kicked out of university for making racially offensive comments on the site.

Liam Stacey, 21, posted insulting remarks after the player fell on the pitch during Bolton Wanderers' FA Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur on March 17, Swansea Magistrates Court heard.

The comments - which were made as the 23-year-old midfielder lay motionless on the ground - sparked outrage among other users of the social networking site.

The first of Stacey's messages began with "LOL (laugh out loud). **** Muamba. He's dead!!!"

Stacey went on to post further abusive messages, including racist posts directed to black users.

The police were inundated with complaints, including one from the former England footballer Stan Collymore who told his followers on Twitter that he had passed Stacey's messages to the authorities.

Stacey wept as he was handcuffed and led down to the cells.

District judge John Charles said the student had posted "vile and offensive" comments and that his sentence had to "reflect public abhorrence".

Swansea University has thrown Stacey off his biology course, saying he had brought the university into disrepute.

Stacey, who was told by the judge he had done "untold harm" to his future, had wanted to be a forensic scientist but will not be able to complete his degree.

Earlier, three of Muamba's Bolton teammates - Zat Knight, David Wheater and Jussi Jaaskelainen - were seen visiting London Chest Hospital, where the player remains in serious condition but is said to be making "encouraging progress".

Medics carried out CPR on the Congo-born player on the pitch at White Hart Lane and his heart did not start beating on its own again for nearly 80 minutes.

@YahooNewsUK on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook

**Hazardous Harry**

I see absolutely no problem with this.

It's the country which would condone this kind of behaviour that I think is more than a little odd.

**filbert**

racially offensive

That's the pertinent point - he has the right to say whatever he wants but using racial slurs comes under the banner of inciting hatred via speech or some such. It's the same law used to lock up Muslim clerics that preach about Jihad and so forth.

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

Britain has a more sensible form of free speech. Its allowed as long a your not being directly offensive towards somebody/group of people and you have to back up public accusations: unlike in the US where you can saw anything no matter how ridiculous or wrong you are.

**Frazzled**

filbert wrote:
racially offensive

That's the pertinent point - he has the right to say whatever he wants but using racial slurs comes under the banner of inciting hatred via speech or some such. It's the same law used to lock up Muslim clerics that preach about Jihad and so forth.

So...I'm right. You don't have freedom of speech, only freedom of approved speech.
The founding fadas were right. We needed the First Amendment.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Hlaine Larkin mk2 wrote:Britain has a more sensible form of free speech. Its allowed as long a your not being directly offensive towards somebody/group of people and you have to back up public accusations: unlike in the US where you can saw anything no matter how ridiculous or wrong you are.

Offensiveness is in the eye of the beerholder.

**reds8n**

racist posts directed to black users.

And this is what he did wrong.

I don't see the issue...? It should be legal to hurl racial abuse at strangers .....because... err....

Still, it doesn't matter because, as I'm sure everyone will recall, Frazzled has no business commenting on the issue as he's not from the country in question.

.. am I doing it right ?

**KingCracker**

Heh, no thanks. You guys can have your "Freedom of speech" Ill gladly keep mine. Sure it can be a pain in the ass at times, but at least I know I can freely say my opinions/views without being put in handcuffs for it.

**Hazardous Harry**

reds8n wrote:
racist posts directed to black users.

And this is what he did wrong.

I don't see the issue...? It should be legal to hurl racial abuse at strangers .....because... err....

Still, it doesn't matter because, as I'm sure everyone will recall, Frazzled has no business commenting on the issue as he's not from the country in question.

.. am I doing it right ?

Not really. You've almost made some sort of intelligible, if illogical, argument.

And you didn't even mention T-Bone or wiener dogs once, nor did you warn of the dangers/evils of spicy mexican foods.

**Frazzled**

reds8n wrote:
racist posts directed to black users.

And this is what he did wrong.

I don't see the issue...? It should be legal to hurl racial abuse at strangers .....because... err....

Still, it doesn't matter because, as I'm sure everyone will recall, Frazzled has no business commenting on the issue as he's not from the country in question.

.. am I doing it right ?

Well as everyone comments on US items, turnabout is now fair play.
So the argument is that only approved speech is free speech? What the hell happened to wingnuts standing on soap boxes in Trafalgar Square? Does this mean I can't stand in the middle of Trafalgar Square, under the shadow of Nelson, and explain in detail why it is wrong to be French?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Hazardous Harry wrote:
reds8n wrote:
racist posts directed to black users.

And this is what he did wrong.

I don't see the issue...? It should be legal to hurl racial abuse at strangers .....because... err....

Still, it doesn't matter because, as I'm sure everyone will recall, Frazzled has no business commenting on the issue as he's not from the country in question.

.. am I doing it right ?

Not really. You've almost made some sort of intelligible, if illogical, argument.

And you didn't even mention T-Bone or wiener dogs once, nor did you warn of the dangers/evils of spicy mexican foods.

I tried to point wiener dogs are superior, but the cats filed a complaint.

**Hazardous Harry**

KingCracker wrote:Heh, no thanks. You guys can have your "Freedom of speech" Ill gladly keep mine. Sure it can be a pain in the ass at times, but at least I know I can freely say my opinions/views without being put in handcuffs for it.

Laws are (generally) designed to reflect what society does or does not find acceptable. Amazingly, we happen to find that saying such racist and offensive statements is not acceptable.

**Frazzled**

Hazardous Harry wrote:
KingCracker wrote:Heh, no thanks. You guys can have your "Freedom of speech" Ill gladly keep mine. Sure it can be a pain in the ass at times, but at least I know I can freely say my opinions/views without being put in handcuffs for it.

Laws are (generally) designed to reflect what society does or does not find acceptable. Amazingly, we happen to find that saying such racist and offensive statements is not acceptable.

So does China.

**KingCracker**

Dont forget North Korea, OH! And Saddamn Hussein era Iraq. Oh...............wait........that kindda goes against your point doesnt it?

**Wolfstan**

Free speech, yes. Threaten and abuse people, no.

**Kilkrazy**

If you listen to Radio 4 there is a list of approved topics read out at 6:30 every day, so people know what they are allowed to talk about that day.

**Hazardous Harry**

Frazzled wrote:
Hazardous Harry wrote:
KingCracker wrote:Heh, no thanks. You guys can have your "Freedom of speech" Ill gladly keep mine. Sure it can be a pain in the ass at times, but at least I know I can freely say my opinions/views without being put in handcuffs for it.

Laws are (generally) designed to reflect what society does or does not find acceptable. Amazingly, we happen to find that saying such racist and offensive statements is not acceptable.

So does China.

Only if the laws made in China reflect what the chinese people believe as a whole think. Seeing as they don't really get much of a say in it I hardly think you're making a good point at all.

**Wolfstan**

Frazzled wrote:
Hazardous Harry wrote:
KingCracker wrote:Heh, no thanks. You guys can have your "Freedom of speech" Ill gladly keep mine. Sure it can be a pain in the ass at times, but at least I know I can freely say my opinions/views without being put in handcuffs for it.

Laws are (generally) designed to reflect what society does or does not find acceptable. Amazingly, we happen to find that saying such racist and offensive statements is not acceptable.

So does China.

Here we go... unless you are allowed to do anything you want our cousins start screaming "reds under the bed!". Contrary to the belief in the US, not being allowed to abuse people verbally is not a sign of an oppressive government.

We are fully able to post comments and make speeches telling the powers at be to "go shove it", we just can't be specifically abusive to someone or make threats.

**reds8n**

Frazzled wrote:
Hazardous Harry wrote:
KingCracker wrote:Heh, no thanks. You guys can have your "Freedom of speech" Ill gladly keep mine. Sure it can be a pain in the ass at times, but at least I know I can freely say my opinions/views without being put in handcuffs for it.

Laws are (generally) designed to reflect what society does or does not find acceptable. Amazingly, we happen to find that saying such racist and offensive statements is not acceptable.

So does China.

They execute people too....

.. like America !

**KingCracker**

So you can say "X party sucks! Down with X party!!!"
But you cannot say "So and so Sucks! He needs to feth off!" Youll get arrested?

Im not getting it. And Im still waiting for a rebuttal on my example of Saddam Hussein era Iraq. Pretty sure 90% of that country didnt share his views. But its ok, those people were just tortured and murdered for going against the laws of their country

**Orlanth**

I didn't like it because its lob sided application of law.

Many Islamic clerics had to go a long way before the law would take action, repeatedly calling for the deaths of infidels, whereas a student was jailed after a single tweet, and one that didn't call for the killing of anyone.

If equal opportunities and race relations dogma were applied evenly the jails would fuller sooner. One does not have to go far to find racism in the UK, but only some types of racist are formally unacceptable and some of those immediately actionable. Biggest problem is actually ethnic on ethnic, especially when you have two or more groups who come from mutually hostile countries. There is no beating about the bush regarding what they are saying about each other, but a blind eye is turned anyway. Furthermore some sorts of racism are actually endorsed, you can see that by taking a long look at the SNP. Over the last decade and a half a lot of English culture was suppressed as part of a wider new UK, Scottish culture was not, and a blind eye was turned to Anglophobia which has blossomed into very strongly Anglophobic sentiments.

I have friends and family in Scotland, while racism to to be 'expected' in Glasgow, but things are heating up for English born Scots in Aberdeen.

**Frazzled**

Wolfstan wrote:Free speech, yes. Threaten and abuse people, no.

I feel abused by your words. Should I contact the police in London, or do they have a special unit to contact?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kilkrazy wrote:If you listen to Radio 4 there is a list of approved topics read out at 6:30 every day, so people know what they are allowed to talk about that day.

**Orlanth**

Frazzled wrote:
Wolfstan wrote:Free speech, yes. Threaten and abuse people, no.

I feel abused by your words. Should I contact the police in London, or do they have a special unit to contact?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kilkrazy wrote:If you listen to Radio 4 there is a list of approved topics read out at 6:30 every day, so people know what they are allowed to talk about that day.

USA is not entirely about free speech either, Frazzie.

Dare you issue an opinion that Obama should be shot? If you did it would be a Federal crime, even if it remained only a sentiment.

**Hazardous Harry**

KingCracker wrote:So you can say "X party sucks! Down with X party!!!"
But you cannot say "So and so Sucks! He needs to feth off!" Youll get arrested?

Not really.
"Politician X is a useless bugger, and should feth off!" won't get you arrested.
"Politician X is a dirty n****r and he and those dirty c****s like him should be put down!" will. Really, what is wrong with that?

Im not getting it. And Im still waiting for a rebuttal on my example of Saddam Hussein era Iraq. Pretty sure 90% of that country didnt share his views. But its ok, those people were just tortured and murdered for going against the laws of their country

Wolfstan's post addresses this. Just read it again.

Frazzled wrote:
Wolfstan wrote:Free speech, yes. Threaten and abuse people, no.

I feel abused by your words. Should I contact the police in London, or do they have a special unit to contact?

Wouldn't work at all, Frazz. Now if Wolfstan had said that you, your family and pet dog were all filthy animals (on account of your skin/religion) and should be burnt at the stake then you would have grounds to make a complaint.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Then again, I'm going with Aus law here. I honestly don't know if UK law is far more extreme.

**Wolfstan**

Frazzled wrote:
Wolfstan wrote:Free speech, yes. Threaten and abuse people, no.

I feel abused by your words. Should I contact the police in London, or do they have a special unit to contact?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kilkrazy wrote:If you listen to Radio 4 there is a list of approved topics read out at 6:30 every day, so people know what they are allowed to talk about that day.

If stood in your face and abused you I'm sure I would get the "Texan" treatment, and quite rightly so. So what is the difference if I give you the same abuse / threats from over here?

**Frazzled**

Orlanth wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Wolfstan wrote:Free speech, yes. Threaten and abuse people, no.

I feel abused by your words. Should I contact the police in London, or do they have a special unit to contact?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kilkrazy wrote:If you listen to Radio 4 there is a list of approved topics read out at 6:30 every day, so people know what they are allowed to talk about that day.

USA is not entirely about free speech either, Frazzie.

Dare you issue an opinion that Obama should be shot? If you did it would be a Federal crime, even if it remained only a sentiment.

Actually thats not correct. You might get interviewed, but unless its a direct, actual threat you're ok.*

*By ok I mean you're still a moron.

**KingCracker**

"Politician X is a dirty ****** and he and those dirty ****** like him should be put down!" will. Really, what is wrong with that?

Personally I find it offensive, as Im sure most people will. The problem with it being illegal, is that its someones opinion, which now makes opinions illegal. Making opinions illegal is just one step closer to communism or worse.

Orlanth
People say similar things about Obama all the time, they arnt arrested. It gets illegal when they say they are physically going to kill the president. See the difference there?

**Frazzled**

Wolfstan wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Wolfstan wrote:Free speech, yes. Threaten and abuse people, no.

I feel abused by your words. Should I contact the police in London, or do they have a special unit to contact?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kilkrazy wrote:If you listen to Radio 4 there is a list of approved topics read out at 6:30 every day, so people know what they are allowed to talk about that day.

If stood in your face and abused you I'm sure I would get the "Texan" treatment, and quite rightly so. So what is the difference if I give you the same abuse / threats from over here?

You mean the government would challenge you to a duel, either on foot or horseback? Wow I didn't know Britain was that civilized. With some proper Tex Mex there is hope for you yet.

**Hazardous Harry**

KingCracker wrote:
"Politician X is a dirty ****** and he and those dirty ****** like him should be put down!" will. Really, what is wrong with that?

Personally I find it offensive, as Im sure most people will. The problem with it being illegal, is that its someones opinion, which now makes opinions illegal. Making opinions illegal is just one step closer to communism or worse.

"I think every female should be raped at the age of 3. I also think that every muslim man woman and child should be round up and shot." I don't know about you, but I would prefer to live in a society where saying that kind of crap doesn't stand.

I get where you're coming from, but frankly you can have whatever opinion you want. It's mouthing off that kind of junk that isn't, and shouldn't be, allowed.

**Whoopty**

Pretty sure someone should address the fact that someone made these comments on Twitter.

Twitter can now get you arrested.

For serious?

Nobody has the right to not be offended. If you don't like what someone's saying, don't listen, don't read it. It really is that simple.

"I think every female should be raped at the age of 3. I also think that every muslim man woman and child should be round up and shot." I don't know about you, but I would prefer to live in a society where saying that kind of crap doesn't stand.

You just did say it. Hurray. You should be allowed to be cause they're just words.

Sticks and stones and all that

**Wolfstan**

Frazzled wrote:
Wolfstan wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Wolfstan wrote:Free speech, yes. Threaten and abuse people, no.

I feel abused by your words. Should I contact the police in London, or do they have a special unit to contact?

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Kilkrazy wrote:If you listen to Radio 4 there is a list of approved topics read out at 6:30 every day, so people know what they are allowed to talk about that day.

If stood in your face and abused you I'm sure I would get the "Texan" treatment, and quite rightly so. So what is the difference if I give you the same abuse / threats from over here?

You mean the government would challenge you to a duel, either on foot or horseback? Wow I didn't know Britain was that civilized. With some proper Tex Mex there is hope for you yet.

Behave... it would have to be a Lamb Madras. No point invading the far east and not making the most of the food.

**FunkyLemonade**

reds8n wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
Hazardous Harry wrote:
KingCracker wrote:Heh, no thanks. You guys can have your "Freedom of speech" Ill gladly keep mine. Sure it can be a pain in the ass at times, but at least I know I can freely say my opinions/views without being put in handcuffs for it.

Laws are (generally) designed to reflect what society does or does not find acceptable. Amazingly, we happen to find that saying such racist and offensive statements is not acceptable.

So does China.

They execute people too....

.. like America !

Oh snap!