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Extreme or objectionable views. Express or suppress?


Express or suppress?  

37 members have voted

  1. 1. Express or suppress?

    • Nothing should be left unsaid
      23
    • Some things are not for saying
      14


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As a gay man, I have no problem with anyone who wishes to espouse the view that homosexuality is wrong, immoral, against god's law and suchlike. That is their view, and I accept that they are entitled to their view. I will of course take every opportunity available to me to counter argue what I regard as their extreme or objectionable views.

 

I take the same stance on the extreme and highly objectionable views expressed by far right-wing political parties.

 

But that liberty to express personally held beliefs and views must not cause deliberate offence or incite unrest. There must be limitations on free speech that protect people from harm.

 

And that's where I possibly have a dilemma.

 

Back in the 1970s, there was an organisation called PIE - the Paedophile Information Exchange. PIE campaigned to repeal the age of consent and to allow consensual sexual activities between paedophiles and minors.

 

I believe that such views are abhorent in a civilised society. I believe that the motives for expressing such views were - and remain - an attempt to mollify public opinion by sexual deviants. I believe that paedophiles should not be allowed to express such extreme and objectionable views. Such views are, in my opinion, a thinly veiled attempt to excuse the unacceptable behaviour of paedophiles.

 

But, if I can put up with homophobic rantings and racist propaganda, why shouldn't I also accept that paedophiles should be allowed to argue for a change in the law to permit them to have sex with children?

 

If paedophiles are only expressing an opinion, however objectionable, do any posters feel that they should be free to express their views?

 

Full story here: http://en.allexperts.com/e/p/pa/paedophile_information_exchange.htm

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