js2012 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 No, but there is a problem with a prominent member of a community showing such an appalling lack of judgement. Oh get over yourself. Its a fancy dress party and he looks like hes having fun. Appalling lack of judgment indeed:roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyfriday Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 People expressing negative views are merely exercising their right to free speech. That doesnt mean to say that they will influence in any way the decsion to build the Community Center. That's a matter for the New York authorities to decide but we can all air our opinions nevertheless but not apparently as it relates to Juan Williams who was fired by the left wing NPR recently for saying something negative about Muslims I wasn't deriding their right to express themselves, however in doing so they're articulating their intolerance to something they don't like, just as the councillors in Harrogate are who you've criticised..for their intolerance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
js2012 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 I wasn't deriding their right to express themselves, however in doing so they're articulating their intolerance to something they don't like, just as the councillors in Harrogate are who you've criticised..for their intolerance. Oh for pity sake. You and that bloody word. Look, theres no one more intollerant than your average muslim. Just read their crime charter, erm i mean holy book. Its disgusting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyfriday Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Oh for pity sake. You and that bloody word. You'll probably see I was defending the English way of life which Harleyman appeared to be criticising in his post #20, where he used the word 'intolerance'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Look, theres no one more intollerant than your average muslim. : What would you think of a muslim who said average christians are intolerant? I'd say he was thick and prejudiced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 But then doesn't that say as much about your employment laws, where in a number of states you can be fired for any reason (i remember one case that went to court where the employed was told by the employee that he voted for obama and was fired for it, court decided it was ok.) In any job anywhere today even in the UK I imagine a person can be fired for any reason but usually the reason has to be justifiable. In the US a fired employee can sue the employer for damages if he/she has a good enough case and many in fact do sue and win the case. I never heard of the case about the employee being fired for voting for Obama so really cant comment except to say that who a person votes for is a matter of confidentiality and an employer would have no way of knowing who his/her employee cast their votes for. That story doesn't sound right somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 You'll probably see I was defending the English way of life which Harleyman appeared to be criticising in his post #20, where he used the word 'intolerance'. Isn't someone who is censored for expressing an opinion or dressing up in a certain way a victim of intolerance? I'd say they were. Simply put an intolerance of free speech and expression. Either we have freedom of speech and expression or we dont have it . There is no in between. Once governments start deciding that "this is okay to say, but that's not okay to say" or "This is okay to wear but that is not okay to wear' then it's a case of getting into a morass of confusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 I wasn't deriding their right to express themselves, however in doing so they're articulating their intolerance to something they don't like, just as the councillors in Harrogate are who you've criticised..for their intolerance. A person verbally articulaing their intolerance to something they dont like is merely expressing his rights to freedom of speech and in this case the councillors were doing just that but where they cross the line is if they decide to punish that man for wearing a Nazi uniform. That would be wrong. If the KKK decided to hold a rally in a town and were denied a permit by the chief of police yet that same chief of police granted a permit to a group advocating communism or atheism wouldn't he be guilty of intolerance and prejudice? Not that I would give a damn about either of such groups but the freedom of speech and expression must essentially be blind in any true democracy. Historically one of the reasons that the founding fahers inserted the First Amendment into the Constitution was because of the intolerance of free speech in Europe Unfortunately however the right of freedom of speech and expression has been and is sometimes violated in this country also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spindrift Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Isn't someone who is censored for expressing an opinion or dressing up in a certain way a victim of intolerance? I'd say they were. Simply put an intolerance of free speech and expression. Either we have freedom of speech and expression or we dont have it . There is no in between. Once governments start deciding that "this is okay to say, but that's not okay to say" or "This is okay to wear but that is not okay to wear' then it's a case of getting into a morass of confusion. Free speech doesn't include the right to offend, harrass, intimidate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Free speech doesn't include the right to offend, harrass, intimidate. Whose to say what offends? Should the rights of free speech be curtailed because denying the holocaust offends the Jews, or saying something negatve about Muslims, Christians or any other religious groups offends that particular group? So long as it's strictly verbal and not extended to personal harassment or intimidation in the form of threats to do physical harm to those groups then that is quite acceptable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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