Freedom of Speech!

[Rockatteer]

“ Originally Posted by AzH ”

Yes they do, particularly the first link that Ryan has just quoted. A man says he is going to blow up an airport:

“Robin Hood airport is closed. You’ve got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I’m blowing the airport sky high!!”

...and he was arrested. ...and it was posted on Twitter.

That's not an opinion it's a direct threat. Threats are not an opionion therefor do not fall under the unbrella of Freedom of Speech. You seem to be having trouble understanding that.

“ Quote ”

if I walked into a police station here in the UK and said, "I F**king hate cops the F**king pigs fat b**t*rd F**ks". I would be arrested as it is a public order offence to swear. I could be charged for having an opinion.

How does being arrested for swearing equal being arrested for having a opinion? they're not the same thing.
Your not being arrested for your opinion, your being arrested for the language your using. I bet if you expressed your opinion in a more intelligent manner, you would get away with it. Or if you did get arristed you'd probably soon get off the charge. As I said earlier, freedom of speech covers your opinion, not the way you present it. This particular issue is probably one of the more common ones on forums. People think Freedom of Speech means you can swear and threaten etc; It doesn't, it means you can voice your opinion.

“ Quote ”

In Germany if you say the Nazis were right to kill the jews You will be sent to jail.

Are you going to start using China for your examples next? Just because some countries don't uphold the right, doesn't mean the right doesn't exist anywhere.

“ Quote ”

You can't use an absolute such as "We have Freedom of Speech" and then apply conditionals.

Freedom of speech doesn't and shouldn't over run all other laws and rules. If a civalized society deems that swearing in public isn't something they want, then you have to abide by that rule when expressing yourself. All it's saying is "sure tell us what you think. But do it intelligently and within our societies rules, and that same thing applies on a forum.

[AzH]

<snip>

[MjrNuT]

Well presented Rocketteer. I wholeheartedly concur, FWIW.

[Vilandra]

When people registered they agreed to abide by my rules - posting is a privilege and not a right. Therefore Freedom of Speech does not apply. We every so often get that bitchy person - either they abide by the rules, leave, or get banned lol

[LordOfSpoon]

I provide my members with a censorship free forum where they are allowed to post anything they wish as long as it is in the right forum and not to out of line. I never get a complaint about "Freedom of Speech". The more power your members think they have, the less they bitch. lol

[DavidMcHenry]

“ Originally Posted by Shawn ”

That is still bad and you can think the Terrorists for that... We have to take things seriously now days so that lives are not lost...

I thank the people who take the freedoms away in the name of security...It isn't any more secure now than it was 10 years ago, but things sure have become a lot more strict and "up tight" have they not?

There's a very, very fine line between security and freedom. People who sacrifice freedom for security, don't deserve either.

[cheat-master30]

I haven't had such members, but I'd just say that freedom of speech is something that's to limit the government (especially the US government), and because forums are private property like company land or private homes, such stuff doesn't apply.

[FullMetalBabe]

I think it's very silly of people to try and come up with the freedom of speech thing and also those who think they have a "censorship" free forum if you still censor some stuff, even if it's extreme it's still censoring, therefore not really "freedom of speech". As Rockateer said, Freedom of Speech doesn't give you an excuse to go against anything and everything, sometimes you should keep your opinion to yourself because no matter how truthful it may be, it might not be the right place to discuss some things. I have had people bring up "I am an American and we have freedom of speech", I just tell them that it's is not America, America doesn't own the internet, America doesn't own my forum therefore anything that is from the American constitution stays there, in the American constitution and my rules stay on my forum. I'd rather have many people complain about freedom of speech than a forum running amok.

[Vilandra]

It's one thing to be upset because someone has outlawed a topic, but the only time I hear members pull the "freedom of speech" card is when you're asking them not to call another member a racial slur or something lol

[FullMetalBabe]

“ Originally Posted by Vilandra ”

It's one thing to be upset because someone has outlawed a topic, but the only time I hear members pull the "freedom of speech" card is when you're asking them not to call another member a racial slur or something lol

I usually "hear" it when I ask them not to talk about x or y topic such as Hentai, sex, etc, excessive swearing, discriminatory comments and racial slurs and they come up with t he excuse of: "I have freedom of speech, I can say whatever I want" which even the actual "freedom of speech" has a limitation to that supposed freedom.