Off Topic: The Flood
This topic has moved here: Subject: Insulting people in the UK could be Illegal.
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Subject: Insulting people in the UK could be Illegal.
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  • Fabled Mythic Member

“Strange,” mused the Director, as they turned away, “strange to think that even in Our Ford’s day most games were played without more apparatus than a ball or two and a few sticks and perhaps a bit of netting. imagine the folly of allowing people to play elaborate games which do nothing whatever to increase consumption.”

The Black Chapter!

People need to question the enforcement of the law, rather than the law itself. The part in question on the page you link is section 5 of the Public Order Act; I would hope that the offences that that part was designed to counter-act will, even if section 5 is repealed, still be tackled by section 6 (action intended to cause harassment, alarm or distress).

Obviously, people getting arrested for saying "woof" to a dog is just silly - but this isn't a question of the legislation, this is a question of someone enforcing it badly.

It's all very well saying that it is fascism that someone not have the right to insult another person, but there is more to all this than rights - every right comes with associated responsibilities. Just as it is my right to address people on this forum in a defamatory manner, it is my responsibility not to do so, because it's bad juju. If I fail in my responsibility, forum ninjas remove me from the forum, and I imagine that everyone here would endorse their decision to do so - yet flaming people in real life should apparently be subject to legal protection.

I call BS.

[Edited on 12.13.2012 9:35 AM PST]

  • 12.13.2012 9:27 AM PDT

"I don't mean to sound bitter, cold or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out"
- Bill Hicks


Posted by: Telec
People need to question the enforcement of the law, rather than the law itself. The part in question on the page you link is section 5 of the Public Order Act; I would hope that the offences that that part was designed to counter-act will, even if section 5 is repealed, still be tackled by section 6 (action intended to cause harassment, alarm or distress).

It's all very well saying that it is fascism that someone not have the right to insult another person, but there is more to all this than rights - every right comes with associated responsibilities. Just as it is my right to address people on this forum in a defamatory manner, it is my responsibility not to do so, because it's bad juju. If I fail in my responsibility, forum ninjas remove me from the forum, and I imagine that everyone here would endorse their decision to do so - yet flaming people in real life should apparently be subject to legal protection.

I call BS.


The only person, aside from myself, talking sense ITT.

  • 12.13.2012 9:30 AM PDT
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Yup.

Redacted. Never mind :)

[Edited on 12.13.2012 9:33 AM PST]

  • 12.13.2012 9:32 AM PDT

The Wonderful LeSieg!

This is why a concrete Constitution is useful. While it may be circumvented and ignored, dissenters have a starting point that can build off of indefinitely.

  • 12.13.2012 9:35 AM PDT
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  • Fabled Mythic Member

“Strange,” mused the Director, as they turned away, “strange to think that even in Our Ford’s day most games were played without more apparatus than a ball or two and a few sticks and perhaps a bit of netting. imagine the folly of allowing people to play elaborate games which do nothing whatever to increase consumption.”

The Black Chapter!

Posted by: LeSieg
This is why a concrete Constitution is useful. While it may be circumvented and ignored, dissenters have a starting point that can build off of indefinitely.
And which part of the Bill of Rights is relevant to section 5 of the Public Order Act (1986)?

[Edited on 12.13.2012 9:37 AM PST]

  • 12.13.2012 9:37 AM PDT
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Posted by: LeSieg
This is why a concrete Constitution is useful. While it may be circumvented and ignored, dissenters have a starting point that can build off of indefinitely.
I don't like the idea of one thanks to Americans always going on about it and stopping many laws that make sense just because its written down by somebody 300 years ago that its illegal.

  • 12.13.2012 9:38 AM PDT

Will this change Top Gear UK????

I love their lack of political correctness and love them insulting everything.

  • 12.13.2012 9:58 AM PDT

"I don't mean to sound bitter, cold or cruel, but I am, so that's how it comes out"
- Bill Hicks

For the cases cited about being arrested for saying woof to a dog and calling a horse ghey:

The dog was a guide dog and the guy who tried to spook it did so right next to a copper. His conviction by a magistrate was actually overturned by the Court of Appeal.

The horse was a police horse which had a copper on at the time. The guy who said it was drunk and didn't actually get prosecuted.

Basically, only Telec seems to full understand Public Order offences and the rest of you need to read up on the law.

@ the guy above - No this won't change Top Gear as these offences have existed for 27 years and Jeremy Clarkson is still at large.

[Edited on 12.13.2012 10:23 AM PST]

  • 12.13.2012 10:21 AM PDT
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Posted by: Toxifies

Posted by: Android Spartan

Posted by: Toxifies
Maybe if you didn't treat Muslims as second class citizens over there then you wouldn't have this problem.
.....What do they have to do with this?
Do you live in the UK?

They get many immigrating Muslims over there, kind of like how us Americans have Mexicans. Over there they treat them wayyy worse then we do to our Mexicans.


You don't live here so you don't know what you're talking about. Muslim's are not treated as second class citizens, they're treated above others because we're scared of discriminating them or being seen as racist. I picked up a leaflet the other day from the bank which advertises their 'Islmaic Account' yet no other religion gets it's own account. I was in Argos as well and on a moniter it told people who are not from the EU to pick up a form to allow them to not pay VAT on the items they purchase.

  • 12.13.2012 10:21 AM PDT

Face nuke

  • 12.13.2012 10:26 AM PDT


Posted by: TheBrandingIron
Will this change Top Gear UK????

I love their lack of political correctness and love them insulting everything.

To be honest I bet even David Cameron thinks this is stupid?

  • 12.13.2012 10:30 AM PDT
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Posted by: hammy111

Posted by: TheBrandingIron
Will this change Top Gear UK????

I love their lack of political correctness and love them insulting everything.

To be honest I bet even David Cameron thinks this is stupid?


Anyone with sense will.

  • 12.13.2012 10:33 AM PDT

I'm from Scotland and its going down hill.

  • 12.13.2012 10:36 AM PDT
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  • Veteran Heroic Member

A 3 Legged Goat
Nobody cares about anyone else's opinion - be it mine, yours, or a cult of angry star wars nerds - when they are enjoying what they enjoy.

Zombine
Everyone cares about opinions, that's why we socialize on a forum with strangers.

lolengland

No freedom of speech over there.

  • 12.13.2012 10:37 AM PDT


Posted by: Infinate Virtues

Posted by: hammy111

Posted by: TheBrandingIron
Will this change Top Gear UK????

I love their lack of political correctness and love them insulting everything.

To be honest I bet even David Cameron thinks this is stupid?


Anyone with sense will.

If they even dear touch Top Gear I will hang them by their balls.

  • 12.13.2012 10:44 AM PDT
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America will soon follow. Just watch.

  • 12.13.2012 10:47 AM PDT
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Hey Britain.

I bite my thumb at thee.

[Edited on 12.13.2012 10:48 AM PST]

  • 12.13.2012 10:48 AM PDT

Am I the only one who doesnt see a problem with this. I think its great!

  • 12.13.2012 10:52 AM PDT

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