[Anaesthesia]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Freedom of speech is selective Anaesthasia,you only have to look on here,you have a different opinion than some and your fcuked,people are too scared to say what they really think.

I know, and it's partly observing this, partly current events and partly pure curiosity that led me to start this thread.

It just fascinates me how others are SO affected by other's thoughts that they take violent and abusive action. From a small, safe scale (on here) to an extent that people are killed (eg Charlie Hebdo)

It's DANGEROUS to speak your mind. Yet the more people become cowed by fear of repercussion, the more of a perfect environment for bullying and terrorising is created.

Nedusa, I loved your post, as it is close to my own feelings :

"Freedom of Speech is necessary in a free thinking democracy, but the speech should not be a threat to inflict harm on someone or an incitement to harm or kill someone.

Poking fun and satirising all aspects of our lives is OK if a little unkind but satire is necessary to make social comment on a host of issues.

Deliberately publishing or speaking in a deflammatory way is not allowed and it is covered in our libel and slander laws.

Religion is always fair game for satire as it is based on fantasy not fact ie
God is a theoretical human construct part of a belief system and NOT a real human being who could take offence."

With the last paragraph, there is the huge qualifier that even if SkyDaddy is NOT a real human being, there are enough real human beings out there to cause real serious harm on his behalf.