• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Muhammed a Crime? [W:636]

Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Muhammed a Crime?


  • Total voters
    186
Its simple really, they either get along with the rest of the world or they can know pain. I am NOT giving up my free speech rights to appease some jackass in a towel. Their choice, they can do what they like, but they come looking for trouble their gona find it. If they dont like the cartoons ect., they can cut themselfs off from the rest of the world and not associate or deal with them. But them attacking us and others, not their best idea.

Yeah, what jerks, can you believe how they continually refuse to just get along with us? That's the great thing about the United States. We're always doing such a lovely job of getting along with other countries, even by force when needed.

The amazing thing about this continuing argument over censorship/Muslim outrage is that most Americans seem to have completely forgotten that protest is also protected speech. It seems like any time somebody protests something, you have those claiming that their free speech is being taken away. Don Imus was fired? Where's his free speech?! Muhammad being censored? How dare those Muslims! Jerry Maguire didn't win best picture? That cute kid with glasses was clearly censored by The English Patient!
 
Yeah, what jerks, can you believe how they continually refuse to just get along with us? That's the great thing about the United States. We're always doing such a lovely job of getting along with other countries, even by force when needed.

The amazing thing about this continuing argument over censorship/Muslim outrage is that most Americans seem to have completely forgotten that protest is also protected speech. It seems like any time somebody protests something, you have those claiming that their free speech is being taken away. Don Imus was fired? Where's his free speech?! Muhammad being censored? How dare those Muslims! Jerry Maguire didn't win best picture? That cute kid with glasses was clearly censored by The English Patient!

I can care less what they protest or say. Its of no concern to me. What is of concern is when our emisaries whom are under their protection are murdered. That will get my ire. If they dont want our emisaries there they need but say so. Killing them is unacceptable.
 
Yeah, what jerks, can you believe how they continually refuse to just get along with us? That's the great thing about the United States. We're always doing such a lovely job of getting along with other countries, even by force when needed.

The amazing thing about this continuing argument over censorship/Muslim outrage is that most Americans seem to have completely forgotten that protest is also protected speech. It seems like any time somebody protests something, you have those claiming that their free speech is being taken away. Don Imus was fired? Where's his free speech?! Muhammad being censored? How dare those Muslims! Jerry Maguire didn't win best picture? That cute kid with glasses was clearly censored by The English Patient!

I dont think itès the protests that are the problem it is the violence.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

No way in Hell. If Chrisitanity can be mocked and ridiculed, so can any other religion out there. We have freedom of speech, and if anyone dislikes what others say, they are free to ignore it/change the channel/etc. This applies not just to religion, but anything else imo. The freedom to give one's thoughts and opinions without fear of punishment is precious and needs to be protected.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

In America, even douche bags have First Amendment rights.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

It blows my mind some people actually voted yes to this poll.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

It isn't the “liberal” notion of free speech that he opposes. Back in the day when those on the left were the most vocal advocates of “free speech”, it was about such things as pornography, obscenity, and crude language; not about genuine expression of controversial beliefs and opinions. It's those of us on the right who have always been the champions of genuine free speech, consisting of the freedom to hold and express whatever beliefs we will, regardless of how much someone else may disagree.
Nobody gets hurt from pornography, obscenity and crude language. Why anybody would do mental gymnastics to protect the "right" to incite violence is beyond me.
 
Simple question (I hope it's obvious I mean the Prophet Muhammed, I just couldn't include that in the title due to space limitations)?

Edit: Crap, I hit "go" before I had a chance to post the poll (and it won't let me delete my OP, so I can try again). Can a poll still be added?

Edit2: Ok, I figured it out.

No thank you. It stinks of decency laws and other BS.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

Nobody gets hurt from pornography, obscenity and crude language. Why anybody would do mental gymnastics to protect the "right" to incite violence is beyond me.

I haven't seen anyone defend a “right” to incite violence. I'm defending the right to freely express one's beliefs and opinions. If others act, or threaten to act, in a violent, unacceptable manner, in response to opinions that they do not like, then the culpability is fully on them.

A civilized society does not and cannot allow what rights it will or will not protect to be dictated by violent savages, especially those who have no standing in that society in the first place.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

I haven't seen anyone defend a “right” to incite violence. I'm defending the right to freely express one's beliefs and opinions. If others act, or threaten to act, in a violent, unacceptable manner, in response to opinions that they do not like, then the culpability is fully on them.

A civilized society does not and cannot allow what rights it will or will not protect to be dictated by violent savages, especially those who have no standing in that society in the first place.

Look, I agree with you on a lot of points, but there is something backwards going on here. You can't show breasts on TV or say the seven dirty words, but you can march down the streets of a Jewish neighbor in full Nazi regalia? That is representative of inverted priorities in my book.

We don't have free speech. It's a myth to begin with. So why fight so hard to protect the freedom to incite violence (indirectly, admittedly), yet nobody is doing anything to protect the right of network TV to curse or show nudity.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

I haven't seen anyone defend a “right” to incite violence. I'm defending the right to freely express one's beliefs and opinions. If others act, or threaten to act, in a violent, unacceptable manner, in response to opinions that they do not like, then the culpability is fully on them.

A civilized society does not and cannot allow what rights it will or will not protect to be dictated by violent savages, especially those who have no standing in that society in the first place.

people who riot or engage in violence over someone making fun of some 1500 year old religious "leader" should be shot.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

nobody is doing anything to protect the right of network TV to curse or show nudity.

The public has the right to regulate public airwaves in their interest. If you disagree with current regulations, you are free to petition society to change those regulations or use cable.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

The public has the right to regulate public airwaves in their interest. If you disagree with current regulations, you are free to petition society to change those regulations or use cable.

By your logic, the public also have a "right" not to be offended by disrespectful depictions of religious figures.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

By your logic, the public also have a "right" not to be offended by disrespectful depictions of religious figures.

Only if those depictions utilize public airwaves. The public has the right (responsibility, even) to regulate public airwaves, in a public manner.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

Look, I agree with you on a lot of points, but there is something backwards going on here. You can't show breasts on TV or say the seven dirty words, but you can march down the streets of a Jewish neighbor in full Nazi regalia? That is representative of inverted priorities in my book.

We don't have free speech. It's a myth to begin with. So why fight so hard to protect the freedom to incite violence (indirectly, admittedly), yet nobody is doing anything to protect the right of network TV to curse or show nudity.

What you call “incite[ing] violence (indirectly, admittedly)”, I call expressing one's opinions and/or beliefs, and I recognize it as one of the most basic and essential of all human rights.

By advocating the violation of this right, on the basis that someone else may respond to the exercise thereof in a violent manner, is to give violent criminals the power to determine what rights will or will not be upheld. Unlike you, I am not on the side of such criminals, and I certainly am not in favor of giving them that power. In this case, it isn't even genuine human beings, nor members in standing of our own society, to which you are advocating the grant of this power, but subhuman savages, no better than wild animals, on the other side of the world from us, who are not members of our society, and who have no standing therein. I am absolutely opposed to giving such as them even the slightest bit of say regarding what rights I, as an actual human being, and a member of civilized society, may or may not enjoy.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

Only if those depictions utilize public airwaves. The public has the right (responsibility, even) to regulate public airwaves, in a public manner.

It's on the public Internet. I don't see a meaningful distinction there.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

It's on the public Internet. I don't see a meaningful distinction there.

Right along with naked breasts and cursing.... No distinction? :roll:
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

Right along with naked breasts and cursing.... No distinction? :roll:
The point is that it should all be permitted, in all media. And if you are only going to censor one type of thing, I think your answer to the question of whether we ban boobs on TV or Islamphobic incitement on the Internet says a lot about a person's values. Nobody ever got hurt by a pair of boobs.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

Nobody ever got hurt by a pair of boobs.

I got bruises once.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

Are you complaining or bragging?

Reminiscing about the ancient past.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

I mentioned something similar in another post...there is a difference between the first amendment and common sense. It's called respect. You can make all the laws you want, but none of them will teach people how to respect.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

Nobody gets hurt from pornography, obscenity and crude language. Why anybody would do mental gymnastics to protect the "right" to incite violence is beyond me.

There's a substantial difference between actively "inciting violence" and stating something that causes people to irrationally act violent.

"GO KILL THAT MAN" as you point and usher a crowd to go mob him is problematic on the part of the speaker and those acting

"I HATE THE COWBOYS" as a Cowboys fan walks by...and suddenly a group of people that were cheering on your statement run over and mob the guy...is problematic on the part of those ACTING not the speaker.

To suggest that action taken which one could reasonably assume would not specifically promote or encourage violence in a rationally acting person should be made illegal simply because a large enough population chooses to systematically act IRRATIONAL is beyond ridiculous. More than that, it actually ENCOURAGES people to act irrationally violent and problematic to things they are offended by because doing such will ensure that said offense is made illegal.
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

You can make all the laws you want, but none of them will teach people how to respect.

Since the movie in question mocked a dead warlord, is there anything inherent to this particular warlord that demands respect vs any other warlord?
 
Re: Should The US Make Speech That's Critical or Disparaging of Mohammed a Crime?

There's a substantial difference between actively "inciting violence" and stating something that causes people to irrationally act violent.

"GO KILL THAT MAN" as you point and usher a crowd to go mob him is problematic on the part of the speaker and those acting

"I HATE THE COWBOYS" as a Cowboys fan walks by...and suddenly a group of people that were cheering on your statement run over and mob the guy...is problematic on the part of those ACTING not the speaker.

To suggest that action taken which one could reasonably assume would not specifically promote or encourage violence in a rationally acting person should be made illegal simply because a large enough population chooses to systematically act IRRATIONAL is beyond ridiculous. More than that, it actually ENCOURAGES people to act irrationally violent and problematic to things they are offended by because doing such will ensure that said offense is made illegal.
As I said, it was indirect incitement and ought to be allowed, ideally, under principles of free speech. But we haven't GOT free speech in this country anyway; so why start now, with something as odious and volatile as THIS?
 
Back
Top Bottom