Getting tired of all these Twitter based arrests in the UK. The judicial system in this system is an absolute joke. Just down the road from me some guy decided to punch someone, for no reason at all. The guy was just walking down the street minding his own business. He hit is head hard and 6 months still lies in a bed incapable of speaking. The guy who hit him got 12 months in jail. At the same time, some idiot (and please don't think I agree with him) wore a self made t-shirt which glorified the killing of two police officers....he got 6 months. Some guy who made some very disrespectful comments on Twitter got 3 months.
I guess my point is 2 fold. Where did freedom of speech disappear to in the UK and when did we start getting so touchy?
As sensible people, when we see something that insults us on twitter we block it, unfollow or report it. We don't pick up the phone, call the police and tell them I've found something insulting! The guy who harassed an Olympian had his front door kicked in at dawn and was dragged out and arrested. I wonder would the same happen if I reported the abuse I get?
It really is a pathetic society that we feel we need to run to the authorities everytime something goes against our grain. Still, the judicial system doesn't help. We seem happier jailing people expressing their views while taking it easier on the rest of the criminal fraternity. By the way, as a tangent, can someone explain to me how you can get a reduced sentence by admitting you're guilty...where the hell is the logic in that!!!!!
As Stephen Fry once said:
It's now very common to hear people say, "I'm rather offended by that", as if that gives them certain rights. It's no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. "I'm offended by that." Well, so fucking what?'
I guess my point is 2 fold. Where did freedom of speech disappear to in the UK and when did we start getting so touchy?
As sensible people, when we see something that insults us on twitter we block it, unfollow or report it. We don't pick up the phone, call the police and tell them I've found something insulting! The guy who harassed an Olympian had his front door kicked in at dawn and was dragged out and arrested. I wonder would the same happen if I reported the abuse I get?
It really is a pathetic society that we feel we need to run to the authorities everytime something goes against our grain. Still, the judicial system doesn't help. We seem happier jailing people expressing their views while taking it easier on the rest of the criminal fraternity. By the way, as a tangent, can someone explain to me how you can get a reduced sentence by admitting you're guilty...where the hell is the logic in that!!!!!
As Stephen Fry once said:
It's now very common to hear people say, "I'm rather offended by that", as if that gives them certain rights. It's no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. "I'm offended by that." Well, so fucking what?'
If someone tells me they think I'm a knob, or they hate music that I listen too, or they think that eating meat hould be banned. Fine, I just switch off or turn away. But whatabout where members of a community get together to vicitmise school kids until they commit suicide?
I thik there has to be some point at whih we say that directed presonal abuse is not acceptable. Of course the difficulty is in deciding where that point is and how we avoid creating laws that can be used to sily suppress opinions someone doesn't like.