[AUSTRALIA] Strengthing laws on racism could hurt freedom of speech - Polidicks

[URL]http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/04/08/14/05/crackdown-on-racism-to-hurt-free-speech[/URL][QUOTE]Strengthening laws to make it easier to convict people for serious racism could restrict the democratic right to free speech, a NSW parliamentary inquiry has heard. Current anti-discrimination laws have failed to result in any successful prosecutions since they were introduced in 1989, despite more than 27 public complaints about alleged breaches. Premier Barry O'Farrell last year launched an inquiry to examine whether the laws are too restrictive and should be broadened beyond the current focus on physical harm. Speaking before the inquiry on Monday, Simon Breheny from the Institute of Public Affairs denied the current laws had failed. "The law is a success because it is being obeyed," he said. "The law as it stands is appropriate. However it must not be expanded to catch any form of conduct less than specific threats of physical violence. "To do so risks undermining one of our most important Liberal democratic rights - freedom of speech." Mr Breheny said people should not be able to be fined or imprisoned for "merely expressing their opinion". Mr Breheny also questioned why race would be singled out for inclusion in the criminal law and not other sensitive areas such as religion and sexism. Under the current system, complaints about racial vilification are first brought to the Anti-Discrimination Board. [/QUOTE]

Good, There should be no illegal thoughts or ideas.

ill be really lame and quote (read: loosely paraphrase) someone: freedom of speech is meaningless unless its the freedom of the one who thinks differently - rosa luxemburg

Being a shithead racist is not what the right to free speech covers what the fuck facepunch

[QUOTE=McGii;40203171]Being a shithead racist is not what the right to free speech covers what the fuck facepunch[/QUOTE] Yes, it is. Freedom of speech covers everything, that's the point of it. You can't censor someone just because you disagree with them.

[QUOTE=McGii;40203171]Being a shithead racist is not what the right to free speech covers what the fuck facepunch[/QUOTE] Freedom of speech should cover everything as long as it can't hurt anyone physically.

[QUOTE=McGii;40203171]Being a shithead racist is not what the right to free speech covers what the fuck facepunch[/QUOTE] if there are restrictions on free speech, it's not free speech. either people can say what they want or they can't.

[QUOTE=McGii;40203171]Being a shithead racist is not what the right to free speech covers what the fuck facepunch[/QUOTE] There should never be someone who decides what is or isn't offensive speech. The moment you do that it can be abused

[QUOTE=McGii;40203171]Being a shithead racist is not what the right to free speech covers what the fuck facepunch[/QUOTE] Er, it kind of does.

Does anyone here actually realise that Australia doesn't actually have freedom of speech?

[QUOTE=blehblehbleh;40203183]Yes, it is. [B]Freedom of speech covers everything[/B], that's the point of it. You can't censor someone just because you disagree with them.[/QUOTE] Nope, only in the US. In most civilized countries, freedom of speech doesn't cover hate speech, etc.

[QUOTE=aydin690;40203248]Nope, only in the US. In most civilized countries, freedom of speech doesn't cover hate speech, etc.[/QUOTE] This is true. You shouldn't, for example, be allowed to organize groups where the focus is racist. I don't care what anyone says or thinks, but that's as far as I'm willing to let people go with racist and hate opinions.

[QUOTE=Lolx0rz;40203241]Does anyone here actually realise that Australia doesn't actually have freedom of speech?[/QUOTE] What do you mean?

[QUOTE=aydin690;40203248]Nope, only in the US. In most civilized countries, freedom of speech doesn't cover hate speech, etc.[/QUOTE] Yes, civilised countries like in the EU where criticising someone backwards religious views gets you a jail sentence. Yes, civilised [sp]I know the EU isn't a country[/sp] [editline]8th April 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=Khaos-23;40203366]What do you mean?[/QUOTE] No where does it say in either the Australian constitution or Australia law that we have freedom of speech. Our Supreme court however says it's "implied"

afaik only america is the one with the freedom of speech. we don't actually have that law. just an american thing.

[QUOTE=Rusty100;40203373]afaik only america is the one with the freedom of speech. we don't actually have that law. just an american thing.[/QUOTE] One of the Australian courts ruled that freedom of speech is implied within the Australian Constitution

[QUOTE=Vodkavia;40203456]I think you should, especially in America where we have a right to assemble, but if you so much as stab a guy you don't like it's off to prison.[/QUOTE] Is there one good reason for why you should be allowed to do it? I can name plenty of reasons for why it shouldn't be.

[QUOTE=Vodkavia;40203456]I think you should, especially in America where we have a right to assemble, but if you so much as stab a guy you don't like it's off to prison.[/QUOTE] i agree, people who just stab others like it's nothing shouldnt go to jail :downs:

[QUOTE=McGii;40203171]Being a shithead racist is not what the right to free speech covers what the fuck facepunch[/QUOTE] Fuck you honky, you can't tell me what I can and can't say.

if someone really hates black people and wants to go and call them niggers all day or whatever, then so be it. you shouldn't throw him in jail for his opinions even if you disagree

[QUOTE=NuclearAnnhilation;40203517]if someone really hates black people and wants to go and call them niggers all day or whatever, then so be it. you shouldn't throw him in jail for his opinions even if you disagree[/QUOTE] Why should he be allowed to call them niggers? There is no reason and it only does harm. In fact it may even make other people start calling them niggers and who knows eventually people will start beating these "niggers" up. There are historical examples of this.

[QUOTE=NuclearAnnhilation;40203517]if someone really hates black people and wants to go and call them niggers all day or whatever, then so be it. you shouldn't throw him in jail for his opinions even if you disagree[/QUOTE] At the same time you have the right to call them "stupid bigoted redneck trash" [QUOTE=Don Ochs;40203541]Why should he be allowed to call them niggers? There is no reason and it only does harm. In fact it may even make other people start calling them niggers and who knows eventually people will start beating these "niggers" up. There are historical examples of this.[/QUOTE] Because it means you have to have someone who decides what is and isn't ok to say. A power easily abused. Next they could decree that you can't criticise a persons religion even if it's absurdly wrong, or decree that you can't criticise the government. It gives way to much power to a group of people and is way too easily abused

[QUOTE=Don Ochs;40203541]Why should he be allowed to call them niggers? There is no reason and it only does harm. In fact it may even make other people start calling them niggers and who knows eventually people will start beating these "niggers" up. There are historical examples of this.[/QUOTE] if people shouldn't have the right to free speech, what rights should they have?

[QUOTE=yawmwen;40203560]if people shouldn't have the right to free speech, what rights should they have?[/QUOTE] Free speech is fine as long as it doesn't harm anyone. Racism does.

[QUOTE=Vodkavia;40203576]It's not the word that inflicts any harm, it's our perception of the word and what people do to each other. Uttering any one of the "curse words" we frequently use today would be absolutely scandalous a few hundred years in the past. The common term nigga is derived from nigger, it's meaning is not any different and yet it's used in a friendly discourse. Being truly tolerant means being tolerant of ideas, not just people.[/QUOTE] I don't have an issue with the word itself, well I kinda do, but I didn't think that was the point.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;40203560]if people shouldn't have the right to free speech, what rights should they have?[/QUOTE] all the other rights they have?? people shouldn't have a right to hateful opinions

I have to agree that Freedom of Speech should have limits otherwise groups like Westboro Baptist abuse it.

Freedom of speech =/= freedom to inspire hate and anger telling people on the street that this or that judge is corrupt or the president is doing a horrible job, THAT's freedom of speech. Telling people on the street how horrible niggers are and how they should all die is just hate speech and contributes absolutely nothing of value to society.

It is interesting though. In Australia we're much more likely to enact less restrictive laws for these sorts of things than other countries. We also don't have an explicit freedom of speech. No where in the constitution of Australia does it say we have a right to freedom of speech. No law as far as I know either. We don't have a bill of rights. It is, of course, implied that we do and it will always be held that way, but we can go much further than the USA can in restricting freedom of speech. You won't get funeral picketing or in some cases street preaching in Australia.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;40203560]if people shouldn't have the right to free speech, what rights should they have?[/QUOTE] You could make a pretty compelling argument that the only "right" anyone has is a right to life. Rights like speech or even voting are more like privileges The only thing a government owes its citizens is protection from harm. This isn't some libertarian bullshit, it's the idea that governments can do basically whatever they want as long as its not killing its own people. Arbitrary power of the state and all. Sure I guess freedom of speech is nice to have, but its not a god given right by any means.