(June 11, 2012 at 1:13 am)padraic Wrote:Quote:It seems to me that this whole issue revolves around the "right" for people to be able to upset and annoy other people as much as they like,
Well yes,they pretty much do have that legal right, it's called "free speech". In the US, it's protected by the First Amendment. EG the US Supreme court has confirmed Fred Phelps' right to be a hateful, homophobic bigot.
It's only free speech as long as you toe the government line as to what is acceptable "free speech". In the UK we have laws that stop anyone "inciting hate" etc so it's not free speech. Another point is that I want to hear the arguments of Islamists, so I can judge who is telling the truth, but you never get to hear their argument in the western media, it just labels them as "fanatics" or "terrorists". One persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter. What has just went on in Libya was appalling, insurgent groups trained and coordinated by British special forces to overthrow another country!
