Coming To America

I think it's positive. Europe is again looking like a great place now that the EU is attempting to shed the Christian Club image. This decade or longer conservative movement cloaked in "nationalism" has done little for the improvement of Europe. The Turkish Muslims have indeed been at the brunt of it but much of the rhetoric is hateful, non-productive and purely racially motivated. Georg Haider of Austria who recently met a horrible fate began fanning the flames of neo-nazi sentiment in Europe and now I see there are many more ready to step into his shoes.

It's easy to "support free speech" when it's speech you agree with.

But the real reason speech/expression is protected is to protect unpopular speech.
"Anti-Hate speech" legislation is, by definition, anti-speech and anti-freedom.

I disagree with Mr. Wilders, but I think it's wrong to prosecute him for his opinions.

cheers,

Even though we are allowed to say what we feel, there are always consequences for such. On this board we call it moderation or terms of service. Hate speech is not protected, because the whole idea is that one's speech not encroach on the freedoms of others. Victims of hate speech have the freedom to not have to hear such speech.

I don't disagree with that at all.

This board is "private property" - the owner sets the rules.

Not the same argument.

How is MY calling someone else a "f****t" or the "n-word" ... encroaching on their "freedom"?? Encroaching on their 'freedom' from 'what'?

I disagree.

Who defines "hate"?

someone who has repeatedly been called "don't bomb my country, sand n***er haji" by passers by on the street,
Roy

Hmmm, are the Dutch also prosecuting those who march in the streets yelling "Death to Israel" or advocating killing certain journalists? That sounds hateful to me.

Straight from WIKI.. Freedom of Speech is not unrestrained, never has been and hopefully never will.

Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship or limitation. The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes used to denote not only freedom of verbal speech but any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ide


as, regardless of the medium used. Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are closely related to, yet distinct from, the concept of freedom of thought. In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly subject to limitations, such as on "hate speech". The harm priniciple or offense principle explains in further detail who & how things are exempt from freedom of speech.