TV / television licensing MEGATHREAD

[HbroChris]

Firstly a policeman has no powers to enter your home without a signed by a judge and countersigned warrant.

 

This is demonstrably incorrect.

 

Secondly comparing tv license evasion with arson is ridiculous.

 

Not in your proposed scenario. You're saying that being a criminal is fine as long as you get away with it. I said that was the thin end of the wedge. You surely aren't suggesting that all laws except the TV licensing laws must be followed, are you? So, where does it stop? Parking in a council bay without a ticket? Obeying railway by-laws? Having car insurance when required to? Human trafficking? Come on, where's the line?

 

Or do you want to accept that evading the licence fee is both legally and morally wrong; that wilfully doing so is criminal, and that you are in fact (as I am) advocating for some sort of change in the revenue model?

[truman]

What im saying is clear. Its above.

 

---------- Post added 09-03-2015 at 10:36 ----------

 

 

Its above. Cant be any clearer. Buy an english law book and read it.

 

Simple question ubermaus..do you think it's OK to break the law if you think you won't be caught?

[Cyclone]

So far he's spent pages avoiding answering that question, even pretending that it's already been answered when it quite clearly hasn't.

[ubermaus]

This is demonstrably incorrect.

 

 

 

Not in your proposed scenario. You're saying that being a criminal is fine as long as you get away with it. I said that was the thin end of the wedge. You surely aren't suggesting that all laws except the TV licensing laws must be followed, are you? So, where does it stop? Parking in a council bay without a ticket? Obeying railway by-laws? Having car insurance when required to? Human trafficking? Come on, where's the line?

 

Or do you want to accept that evading the licence fee is both legally and morally wrong; that wilfully doing so is criminal, and that you are in fact (as I am) advocating for some sort of change in the revenue model?

 

Well look i see laws being broken small and large every single day. Everyone has broken a law at some point in life i guarantee even you. If that makes everyone a criminal then so be it.

Or is a criminal just someone who gets prosecuted?

[Cyclone]

What im saying is clear. Its above.

 

---------- Post added 09-03-2015 at 10:36 ----------

 

 

Its above. Cant be any clearer. Buy an english law book and read it.

 

I want you to answer these questions.

 

What point are you making, do you think that it's okay to steal, so long as you can get away with it?

 

If you can get away with stealing food from Tesco, do you think that makes it okay?

 

---------- Post added 09-03-2015 at 10:52 ----------

 

Well look i see laws being broken small and large every single day. Everyone has broken a law at some point in life i guarantee even you. If that makes everyone a criminal then so be it.

Or is a criminal just someone who gets prosecuted?

 

Watching you squirm to avoid being called a thief is hillarious.

 

Are you now claiming that if you kill someone, you're not a criminal until there's a prosecution. Ridiculous.

 

If you steal, you are a thief and a criminal.

[HbroChris]

I want you to answer these questions.

 

If he is in fact watching broadcast TV without a licence then he'd be admitting to a criminal offence, which is not the wisest thing to do on the internet.

 

Well look i see laws being broken small and large every single day. Everyone has broken a law at some point in life i guarantee even you. If that makes everyone a criminal then so be it.

Or is a criminal just someone who gets prosecuted?

 

As others have pointed out, you're a criminal if you commit a crime. QED

 

I doubt you actually can guarantee that everyone has broken a law. The criminality of others does not make it acceptable to break the law yourself - if it did then you'd notice the difference in society.

 

So, I think we're now all clear on the licence, the law, and evasion. Does anyone want to talk about how the revenue model could change?

[onewheeldave]

Unless of course the "inspector" has eyes and looks through your window.

I do assume a basic level of intelligence when I post. But, for those lacking it, I'll add- make sure you've got your net curtains up

 

Unless of course the "inspector" has eyes and looks through your window.

 

You might as well argue though, that shoplifting is okay, so long as you can run fast, because you won't get caught.

 

Paying for the license is NOT optional. Any more than paying for the food you buy from Tesco. Sure, you might get away with not paying, but that simply makes you a thief.

 

I'm not a thief. My only TV is an old analogue one which I use for DVDs. Once they scrapped the analogue signal I couldn't be bothered messing around with digital, as it clearly, to me, was inferior.

 

Now, if watching TV without a license is illegal- then I guess those who do so are breaking the law. To me- no problem: a lot of laws are, IMO, stupid. And, I know a lot of very good, very moral people, who, for example, use cannabis, and, IMO, suffer unfair persecution because of it. They're breaking the law, but, IMO, are doing nothing wrong whatsoever.

 

Same with anyone with the intelligence to not pay the BBC their toll. In my eyes, the BBC are deeply immoral, with a long track record of deception, lies, dodgy business practices and harrassment of the vulnerable.

 

Now I know that, when the beeb comes calling, the thing to do is scrap their threatening letters, and, shut the door on any inspectors- say nothing, shut the door.

 

If they have a problem with that, they can come back with the police and a search warrant But, that won't happen.

 

Even though I don't have a TV that receives broadcasts, I do exactly the same, cos I think they are scum and wish to do nothing that will help them with their investigations.

 

For those who do watch broadcasts, I'll happily spread the word about how to deal with the BBC- they may be breaking the law, I don't care.

 

Cos the BBC have happily imprisoned thousand of single mothers and ran a decade long campaign of intimidation and deception, and that ****** me off way more than licence evaders breaking the law.

[ubermaus]

If he is in fact watching broadcast TV without a licence then he'd be admitting to a criminal offence, which is not the wisest thing to do on the internet.

 

 

 

As others have pointed out, you're a criminal if you commit a crime. QED

 

I doubt you actually can guarantee that everyone has broken a law. The criminality of others does not make it acceptable to break the law yourself - if it did then you'd notice the difference in society.

 

So, I think we're now all clear on the licence, the law, and evasion. Does anyone want to talk about how the revenue model could change?

 

Then the entire nation is a criminal because at some point boy or man you jave comitted an offensei. Traffic offenses i could go on...

The point is not distinguishing between a rapist and some kid who trespasses in a farmers field is ridiculous.

[Cyclone]

If he is in fact watching broadcast TV without a licence then he'd be admitting to a criminal offence, which is not the wisest thing to do on the internet.

Which is why he refuses to answer the question, and instead keeps explaining how easy it is to avoid being caught. Or so it appears.

 

---------- Post added 09-03-2015 at 12:44 ----------

 

Then the entire nation is a criminal because at some point boy or man you jave comitted an offensei. Traffic offenses i could go on...

The point is not distinguishing between a rapist and some kid who trespasses in a farmers field is ridiculous.

 

Trespass is a civil offence, not a criminal one.

Most common motoring offences are a sort of grey area where they are also not considered to be criminal offences.

[onewheeldave]

You beat me to it. I simply cannot understand this mentally that is accepting of crime that you get away with.

 

Seems like the thin end of the wedge - I mean at what level of criminality does that stop being mitigation? Assault? Arson? Breaking & Entering?

 

Is imprisoning thousands of single mothers OK?

 

No ones condoning assault/arson/breaking and entering. They're condoning not paying the license fee.

 

If this is such an issue, why not make TVs available that can only pick up stations other than the BBC?

 

That could have been done decades ago, and I'm sure that many people would be quite happy to have had the option for watching ITV/CH 4 for free, without the BBC insisting that you had to pay for their 'service', even if you were happy to just watch the others.