Tasmainia become the first Australian state to greenlight same sex marraige - Polidicks

[QUOTE=MisterMooth;32420350]Oh really? OECD says the US is. [url]http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-09-24-fatusa24_ST_N.htm[/url][/quote] I apologize. Depending on the study the UAE, USA, Australia, and Mexico are all fattest. [quote]Oppressive? Seriously? Name some examples of censorship besides the lack of an R18 rating for games, which we're getting anyway. You guys having fun with your PATRIOT Act and TSA?[/QUOTE] You guys censor your internet as well bro. You also ban books you don't like, you ban pornography, and you guys ban music. Not to mention the southern half of your country goes on sporadic banning sprees. Hey, our south might be bad, but even our conservatives believe in liberty to a great extent.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32420750]I apologize. Depending on the study the UAE, USA, Australia, and Mexico are all fattest. You guys censor your internet as well bro. You also ban books you don't like, you ban pornography, and you guys ban music. Not to mention the southern half of your country goes on sporadic banning sprees. Hey, our south might be bad, but even our conservatives believe in liberty to a great extent.[/QUOTE] I can't tell if you're joking or not.

[QUOTE=Hana-San;32420563]Vote the Sex Party!![/QUOTE] They are actually quite sane [editline]22nd September 2011[/editline] And will be my second preference

[QUOTE=MisterMooth;32420766]I can't tell if you're joking or not.[/QUOTE] I'm not. Does the truth hurt?

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32420750] You guys censor your internet as well bro. You also ban books you don't like, you ban pornography, and you guys ban music. Not to mention the southern half of your country goes on sporadic banning sprees. Hey, our south might be bad, but even our conservatives believe in liberty to a great extent.[/QUOTE] Sorry we don't let people have books on prohibited pornography, serious encouragement of crime, instructions on suicide and seditious literature. Also sorry we don't let music that promotes, incite, instruct and/or exploitatively or gratuitously depict drug use, violence, sexual activity, themes and/or any other revolting or abhorrent activity in a manner that would cause outrage and/or extreme disgust to most adults. But music is self-regulated. Australia's laws on Internet censorship are amongst the most restrictive in the Western world. [b]However[/b], the restrictive nature of the laws has been combined with almost complete lack of interest in enforcement from the agencies responsible. [editline]22nd September 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=ksenior;32420768]They are actually quite sane [editline]22nd September 2011[/editline] And will be my second preference[/QUOTE] Thus I said to vote for them. Not that I'm trying to influence your voting or anything.

[QUOTE=Hana-San;32420870]Sorry we don't let people have books on prohibited pornography, serious encouragement of crime, instructions on suicide and seditious literature. Also sorry we don't let music that promotes, incite, instruct and/or exploitatively or gratuitously depict drug use, violence, sexual activity, themes and/or any other revolting or abhorrent activity in a manner that would cause outrage and/or extreme disgust to most adults. But music is self-regulated. [/QUOTE] Justify your oppressive society however you want.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32420795]I'm not. Does the truth hurt?[/QUOTE] Firstly, our internet isn't censored. Secondly, the list of things that are actually banned here is quite small. It's an issue, sure, but it's not a massive one. You're really nitpicking here. The US is facing even bigger issues and you can't ignore that.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32420795]I'm not. Does the truth hurt?[/QUOTE] We don't have internet censorship, you fucking idiot. We also don't live in an oppressive society, we have better democracy ([url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index[/url]) and have a higher quality of life ([url]http://internationalliving.com/2010/02/quality-of-life-2010/[/url])

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32420895]Justify your oppressive society however you want.[/QUOTE] Your idiotic throwing around of the word "oppressive" shows you really don't know what you're talking about.

[QUOTE=Antdawg;32420932]We don't have internet censorship, you fucking idiot. We also don't live in an oppressive society, we have better democracy ([url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index[/url]) and have a higher quality of life ([url]http://internationalliving.com/2010/02/quality-of-life-2010/[/url])[/QUOTE] Democracy can be oppressive, and Nazi Germany had a great quality of life as well. [QUOTE=MisterMooth;32420946]Your idiotic throwing around of the word "oppressive" shows you really don't know what you're talking about.[/QUOTE] Um you guys can face jail time for saying something the government doesn't like. You can be punished for selling music the government finds undesirable. That's oppression. That's Australia.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421004]Democracy can be oppressive, and Nazi Germany had a great quality of life as well. Um you guys can face jail time for saying something the government doesn't like. You can be punished for selling music the government finds undesirable. That's oppression. That's Australia.[/QUOTE] I don't thinks so. People don't get locked up for that

[QUOTE=ksenior;32421016]I don't thinks so. People don't get locked up for that[/QUOTE] So then those anti-free speech and free-expression laws are just not enforced?

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421004] Um you guys can face jail time for saying something the government doesn't like. You can be punished for selling music the government finds undesirable. That's oppression. That's Australia.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Hana-San;32420870] Also sorry we don't let music that promotes, incite, instruct and/or exploitatively or gratuitously depict drug use, violence, sexual activity, themes and/or any other revolting or abhorrent activity in a manner that would cause outrage and/or extreme disgust to most adults. [b]But music is self-regulated[/b]. [/QUOTE] The government doesn't really have a say in music.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421004]Democracy can be oppressive, and Nazi Germany had a great quality of life as well. Um you guys can face jail time for saying something the government doesn't like. You can be punished for selling music the government finds undesirable. That's oppression. That's Australia.[/QUOTE] Hey, at least we don't have federal agents tracking people just because they have associations with Muslim communities. Much like this incident [url]http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/10/want-to-know-if-the-fbi-is-tracking-you-look-for-one-of-these/[/url]

Anyways all this over me making a joke about Australia. America may not be the best country in the world, but Australia certainly isn't better than us.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421204]Anyways all this over me making a joke about Australia. America may not be the best country in the world, but Australia certainly isn't better than us.[/QUOTE] Pretty much every metric (standard of living, happiness of the people, crime rate, economy, income equality, etc) says that Australia is, in fact, better than the United States

[QUOTE=Zeke129;32421238]Pretty much every metric (standard of living, happiness of the people, crime rate, economy, income equality, etc) says that Australia is, in fact, better than the United States[/QUOTE] But their lack of freedom certainly makes up for it in my opinion.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421256]But their lack of freedom certainly makes up for it in my opinion.[/QUOTE] The Democracy Index is an index of freedom, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index]and Australia ranks higher than the US on it.[/url] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldwide_Press_Freedom_Index]Also does on the Press Freedom Index[/url]

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421256]But their lack of freedom certainly makes up for it in my opinion.[/QUOTE] What lack of freedom? We can do a lot of things. Most of us don't feel the need to do things that would be that banned. [editline]22nd September 2011[/editline] Any way good on Tasmania for having this finally happen. Also someone can't spell Tasmania.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421256]But their lack of freedom certainly makes up for it in my opinion.[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_freedom_indices#List_by_country[/url] Compare Australia to the US. We kinda 1-up you.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;32421280]The Democracy Index is an index of freedom, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index]and Australia ranks higher than the US on it.[/url] [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldwide_Press_Freedom_Index]Also does on the Press Freedom Index[/url][/QUOTE] Both of those don't talk about freedom, just freedom of elections and freedom of press. The fact is Australia doesn't actually have free speech, it doesn't have right to bear arms.

[QUOTE=MisterMooth;32421304][url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_freedom_indices#List_by_country[/url] Compare Australia to the US. We kinda 1-up you.[/QUOTE] Haha even The Heritage Foundation says Australia has more economic freedom than the US, and their mission statement is to [i]"formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense."[/i] own [editline]22nd September 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=yawmwen;32421321] The fact is Australia doesn't actually have free speech, it doesn't have right to bear arms, it doesn't have freedom of assembly. [/QUOTE] US doesn't have absolute free speech other, Australians can own guns, and why did you snip the third thing? Doing some ass-talking?

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421321]Both of those don't talk about freedom, just freedom of elections and freedom of press. The fact is Australia doesn't actually have free speech, it doesn't have right to bear arms.[/QUOTE] My grandfather and dad both have had their gun license, and my grandfather owns a gun. Not being able to carry them around in public makes me feel a LOT safer.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;32421323] US doesn't have absolute free speech other,[/quote] Better than Australia. [quote]Australians can own guns[/quote] Normal citizens can't get handguns, semi automatic rifles, and a "genuine reason" has to be provided to buy one. Sounds free to me. [quote]and why did you snip the third thing? Doing some ass-talking?[/QUOTE] Yea, I posted without thinking.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421357]Better than Australia. Normal citizens can't get handguns, semi automatic rifles, and a "genuine reason" has to be provided to buy one. Sounds free to me. Yea, I posted without thinking.[/QUOTE] [quote=http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2001-02/02rn42.htm] The Australian Constitution does not have any express provision relating to freedom of speech. In theory, therefore, the Commonwealth Parliament may restrict or censor speech through censorship legislation or other laws, as long as they are otherwise within constitutional power. The Constitution consists mainly of provisions relating to the structure of the Commonwealth Parliament, executive government and the federal judicial system.(6) There is no list of personal rights or freedoms which may be enforced in the courts. There are however some provisions relating to personal rights such as the right to trial by jury (section 80), and the right to freedom of religion (section 116).[/quote]

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421357]Better than Australia.[/quote] Arguable. Is being allowed to harass a bunch of funeral goers with "god hates fags" signs really a symbol of a more free society? How are you supposed to balance the right of free speech with the right to not be a victim of it? Personally I'd rather be physically assaulted than verbally assaulted by a bunch of dogmatic christian retards. Having the ability to take action against blatant hate speech instead of forcing people to tie their hands in the face of it seems quite, uh, free [QUOTE=yawmwen;32421357]Normal citizens can't get handguns, semi automatic rifles, and a "genuine reason" has to be provided to buy one. Sounds free to me. [/quote] In the US you aren't allowed to trade sex for money. In Australia you can. Wow, America is telling people what they can and can't do with their own body. [i]Sounds free to me.[/i] What's my point? You aren't as free as [del]you think[/del] you've been told.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;32421398]Arguable. Is being allowed to harass a bunch of funeral goers with "god hates fags" signs really a symbol of a more free society?[/quote] Um yea and anyone who doesn't support the right of people to freely assemble and express their views politically, no matter how hated, doesn't believe in freedom of speech at all. They believe in freedom of speech when it is convenient, which isn't free speech. [quote]How are you supposed to balance the right of free speech with the right to not be a victim of it?[/quote] You don't. You have no right not to be offended by someone. [quote]Personally I'd rather be physically assaulted than verbally assaulted by a bunch of dogmatic christian retards. Having the ability to take action against blatant hate speech instead of forcing people to tie their hands in the face of it seems quite, uh, free[/quote] Having the ability to take action against people who express views contrary to your own is not freedom. [quote]In the US you aren't allowed to trade sex for money. In Australia you can. Wow, America is telling people what they can and can't do with their own body. [i]Sounds free to me.[/i] What's my point? You aren't as free as [del]you think[/del] you've been told.[/QUOTE] I'm not saying we are the most free country in the world, I'm saying we are far more free than Australia.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421021]So then those anti-free speech and free-expression laws are just not enforced?[/QUOTE] Um, what laws?

[QUOTE=yawmwen;32421448]Um yea and anyone who doesn't support the right of people to freely assemble and express their views politically, no matter how hated, doesn't believe in freedom of speech at all. They believe in freedom of speech when it is convenient, which isn't free speech.[/quote] Again, US doesn't believe in total freedom of speech either. You can't incite a riot, you can't commit perjury, you can't threaten someone, you can be sued for lying about someone. This isn't free speech. [QUOTE=yawmwen;32421448]You don't. You have no right not to be offended by someone.[/quote] When does being offended cross that line and become an actual unfair burden? [QUOTE=yawmwen;32421448]Having the ability to take action against people who express views contrary to your own is not freedom.[/quote] What about harassing views that are damaging to your reputation? Hate speech is exactly like slander, on a larger scale and with more victims. Those victims should be able to have some recourse. If a preacher is telling a community to hate gays, don't you think gays in that community are going to be more likely to be victimized in the future? That preacher is responsible for that. And here, he could be taken before a human rights tribunal. In the US, he couldn't. [QUOTE=yawmwen;32421448]I'm not saying we are the most free country in the world, I'm saying we are far more free than Australia.[/QUOTE] You're basing that on nothing and ignoring statistics to the contrary.

usa isnt even a first world country