France's Right To Offend, Good Thing Or Not?

[anotheoldgit]

Having watched the mass Paris march on TV it was stated that if was a march to defend France's right to offend, is this real freedom of speach which apparently France has but the UK does not?

[THECORBYLOON]

I thought it was a display of unity and not freedom of speech.

[Gromit]

The UK has Freedom of Speech. There is nothing to stop a British newspaper from printing a prophet cartoon. There is nothing to stop someone burning a Koran.

The law across the EU is very similar, I don't know why you feel you have to rubbish Britain and become a France fanboy?

[Samuraisan]

Wouldn't they get arrested for " racism " though ?

[woofgang]

Islam isn't a race.

[Samuraisan]

I know that, but people do get into trouble for offending , and they call it " racism " I think that the true meaning of racism has been lost.

[Samuraisan]

If you point to a someone and say " that Chinese guy " you are accused of racism. Well he IS Chinese, what is wrong with that ? I read not so long ago in the DM that little 3-4 year olds were called racists because they did just that. We are all different races, so what ?

[pastafreak]

The UK has a well established history of doing offensive satire...and doing it extremely well. I'm sure what came from the pens of Gillray or Rowlandson in the 18thc was much ruder than much we see today.

http://www.oxfordartonline.com/public/page/benz/themes/BritishSatire

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00srf2d

[anotheoldgit]

Gromi

/// The law across the EU is very similar, I don't know why you feel you have to rubbish Britain and become a France fanboy? ///

Now come on Gromit as a Mod you should know it is against Site Rules to be rude to fellow ABers

[Answerprancer]

He wasn't being "rude" - there you go again accusing people of being rude just because they disagree with you.

[venator]

Hey Gromit - just post a denial of the Holocaust and see where it gets you - "free speech" doesn't cover some religions...

[anotheoldgit]

venator

/// just post a denial of the Holocaust and see where it gets you ///

You don't have to go that far in this country, just try and use the shortened version of someone coming from Pakistan.

[Svejk]

Gromit /// There is nothing to stop someone burning a Koran///
Wrong,,,,,,,,again.

[ichkeria]

Well I burned 5 yesterday and no one stopped me :-)

[Retrochic]

Just because you have a 'right to offend' does not mean you have an obligation to do so. One of my core Beliefs is that you should respect peoples rights to believe in what they like as long as it does no harm. You can respect this right without believing in it, but should not mock.

[Svejk]

Do you know what, ichi. I nearly posted 'in the same way there's nothing to stop you, say, starting a fight with the police'. Wish I had now.