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A driver of a streetcar in Austria was fired and could face legal penalties for having said “sieg heil” over the PA.Austrian Streetcar Driver Fired for Nazi Greeting Over Public Address System
The THOUGHT POLICE in action. Stuff like this might be coming to America soon depending on the election. We are only as free as the people willing to fight to uphold those freedoms.Coming soon to a radio station near you: THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE, which is neither fair nor truly a doctrine
I'm afraid you're right. This is a certain sign of a society that has given up its freedoms for apparent security.
the driver reportedly said: “Can't you take a joke?”Can we laugh at everything ? Yes but not with anyone...
Suppressing speech is a symptom of societal insecurity. If you cant win the debate on its merits then level the playing field by handicapping the other guy.
What if this had happened in Israel instead of Austria ? Freedom of speech ?
Yes. There is no good reason to suppress speech, period. I am an absolutist on this issue. I dont even care whether I agree with the sentiments expressed. Freedom of speech should be absolute, see my reasoning above.
Freedom of speech is just the other side of a requirement to listen (to all sides of the issues). Sadly when the free speech is ignorant or facetious it tends to make us less ready to live up to our responsibility to listen.
Actually Wally, I disagree that there is any right or obligation to listen to what someone else has to say. people can spout whatever drivel they want, is does not mean i have to listen or watch. It is much like folks complaining about TV Shows or video games, nobody is forcing anyone to turn the TV on. In fact, in my house the Tv is rarely on because their is not much on that I feel is worth watching. I and my wife would both rathet read a good book or play a game of chess than watch whatever tripe is on TV. It is not the obligation of the speaker to say something substantive, but rather that of the listener to pick and choose what they want to hear. They can be free to speak as long as I am free to ignore them and counter their idiocy if they display any.
My point was we as a society have to let them spout… by listen I didn't mean attentively. In fact the countering of the idiocy is paramount. The neo-Nazis in the US only get power if they are kept quite; letting them talk freely and then pointing out how foolish their drivel sounds is the key.
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