[Merry Mockmas]

Originally Posted by BBXX

It truly depends on what the speech is and what the consequence is.

For example, you have the freedom to say that you support Trump and all he stands for and the consequence of that might be that your friend decides they don't want to be your friend anymore because you have wildly different values.

I think we've spoken about this before but sometimes words, without specifically asking for hatred, do incite it. Public rhetoric against already marginalised groups emboldens people who already hate that group to do it publicly. Which leads to abuse, harassment and sometimes physical violence.

Which means, while opinions are allowed, people - particularly those who are in positions of power - have to understand that some opinions, if it could lead to incitement of hatred, have consequences. That's not not free speech. You can still say it.

Do I think people should lose their job for their political affiliation? No.

Do I think a business can decide they do not want the custom of someone because of the very public views they have, views that can, have and might do in the past lead to legislation that negatively impacts the lives of people for the way they were born? Yes.

I'll give you a hypothetical situation. Nigel Farage wins the Election. He swiftly bans gay marriage, which invalidates my own marriage and/or effects my friends ability to marry the person they love. Let's say I own a cafe and he comes into the cafe. Do you think I should be forced to serve a man who made my life - and the lives of those around me - significantly worse because of his views and what those views led to, even though everything that came under those views was lawful and a result of free speech.

Well legally speaking under that scenario, Farage (wrongly imo) would've brought in a very controversial policy by banning gay marriage.

But under your scenario he hasn't broken any laws to warrant being banned from any establishment imo.

And to go to your friends falling out over differing opinions about Trump scenario. That isn't what I'm really on about here as someone has the right to not be friends with someone anymore for whatever reason that they want to, it's not the same as a venue trying to silence someone because they don't like their Politics, it's two totally different things.

And yeah I think we have spoke about this before actually, and I think that I'm giving a very similar response to last time.

And for me it would depend on what's being said.

Like one that I personally thought crossed the line was back when the Trump vs Hilary Election was going on, and Trump calling all Mexicans "rapists" because that is incitement imo, and going beyond the "I don't like Mexicans" rhetoric that some other American people hold.