Cyclone Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 It's a question people ask when you've disagreed with them... What is going through their head when they say this? Do they think that free speech is something that should be accorded to only them, that it should mean you have a right to reply to their opinion? Or do they just not think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geared Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Not thinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mafya Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I think some people interpret free speech as a right to be offensive, rude, abusive, impolite etc etc and when corrected they come out with the "what happened to free speech" line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janie48 Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Whats happened to free speech? it never existed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quisquose Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 It's not something I've noticed tbh. Care to give examples? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 i think quite alot of our freedoms, including freedom of speech, are being quietly undermined, but we won't miss those freedoms until we need to exercise our right to use them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinfoilhat Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 i think quite alot of our freedoms, including freedom of speech, are being quietly undermined, but we won't miss those freedoms until we need to exercise our right to use them. Interesting. Tell you what Anna B, pm what you want to say and I'll either say it or pm what laws it might break (have they changed recently ?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 It's a question people ask when you've disagreed with them... What is going through their head when they say this? Do they think that free speech is something that should be accorded to only them, that it should mean you have a right to reply to their opinion? Or do they just not think? I was thinking of starting a thread along the lines of this, also to include the subject of simple debate conduct and courtesy. More often than not, the people guilty of crying "free speech!" will also be awful at debating/discussing, or simply have no intention of contributing anything meaningful to a thread. Examples of this are; - (as you said) when someone gives their opinion but expects that nobody should challenge it, even trying to claim it as a personal attack in some cases. -Presenting their opinions as fact or as reasons for/against something, then getting annoyed when (again) they are challenged about this -People being faced with a question which, if they answer honestly, will show their logic or point of argument to be flawed. In these cases, many a time they will avoid answering at all costs. In response to a simple question I asked recently, the poster wriggled and attempted to deviate and outright lied, repeating this over many pages, all to avoid answering the question. Some of the common responses when faced with a critical question are; -a) "Your question is a strawman, therefore I won't answer it" (when the question obviously ISN'T a strawman and they are unable to explain why they think it is) -b) "Your question isn't relavent" (when it obviously IS) -c) "I've already answered, you just don't understand the answer/don't like the answer" (when they obviously HAVEN'T answered and are unable/refuse to show a post in which they have answered) -d) "Your question is a loaded question" (when the question obviously ISN'T a loaded question and they are unable to explain why they think it is) -e) Then there's the contortionist's answer, when they take part of your question but change it to mean a different question altogether, which they can answer without risking admission that they're argument is flawed (which doesn't answer the actual question at all, a very cowardly and underhand tactic) -f) Then there's the old favourite, when someone is faced with reason and logic which they cannot counter against, they resort to attacking your post count "6,000 posts, well I think we all know what that says about you then don't we!!" Seriously? Do these people think myself and others will limp away, never to return from this near-fatal attack? These people could bow out when it dawns on them that they have no argument left. They could just leave the thread and people would retain whatever respect they had for them. They could even try thinking about it and say "actually, I've been thinking about it and you might be right". They don't though, they'll drag it out until the thread is closed or they get banned. The only outcome is the total demise of any credibility they had prior to their shambolic show of cowardice, which will be forever be in black and white for all to see. Unless they do a LOT of deleting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Hans Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I'd disagree and say it's something people say when others have said you can't/shouldn't say something rather than when you disagree with them. Give an example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 I'd disagree and say it's something people say when others have said you can't/shouldn't say something rather than when you disagree with them. Give an example. Did you just tell people to give an example of what you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.