Pope Opens Mouth; Inserts Foot

[Brian37]

"Cannot".

The quote, as I've heard differs slightly in Spanish (I think it was Spanish he was speaking) for this word.

Regardless, the people who use this threat of violence because someone might say something they find offensive, or challenging, is absolutely abhorrent in my eyes and goes against completely the idea of free speech.

Sure, you shouldn't be completely free from repurcussions for saying and upsetting people, but the people who are upset have no right to massacre those they disagree with. That's the bottom line. The very fact the pope is suggesting people should "expect a punch" is fucking disgusting.

It's been quoted plenty of times but it's still the most relevant thing I can think of in this discussion:



Well, we don't actually have freedom of speech on here, because this website is owned by Adrian. So, moot point.

Interesting. Well said.

It is interesting that he said he'd punch someone for an insult. Radical. Of all of the public figures he would be the last one I'd expect to challenge morality. Makes me think twice before questioning it. I'm putting aside my prejudice to think that. He said "it's natural", and it certainly is. If you had someone in your face winding you up to the extreme , your natural inbuilt reaction would out as a physical action. That's a fact. A result of verbal provocation is a physical reaction. People here fly off the handle verbally at provocation. They have no other choice. I like a good wind up, as you know. I've done it a lot IRL and I've pushed to the limit many times. I've never been punched in the mouth but I've had to back pedal furiously when my victim just didn't get the joke. I'm very anti violence, but I'm not naive enough to deny instinct.

Now you seem to be saying that a physical reaction equates to premeditated murder. No it doesn't. For an act to be unfair and therefore illegal it would have to be unjust. If I deliberately verbally abused you to the extent that I knew you would be driven to retaliate having exhausted all other courses of action, could you then be abused of acting unfairly? What if I killed your family? Abused them? Do you draw the line anywhere? What would redress the balance for you?
Isn't that one reason that we have the justice system? To help prevent vigilantes?
We call these acts terrorism where clearly, to the perpetrators, they feel that they are at war with us. We justify war quite easily. What's the difference here? Is war never justified in your opinion?

There's a line that you can cross when you offend people. They can be pushed too far. If I know that what I say will cause a physical reaction in you (assuming that you didn't have the mental capacity to overcome your instinct) then I think I can fully expect that reaction. In all fairness I don't think you could be judged to be acting unreasonably. It would be my fault.
I think a Muslim put it well when he said: everyone has the right to say whatever they like. They should also expect the consequences of what they say.
I'm totally against violence of any sort. I'm against war too.

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Maybe that's because you're not the one standing accused of censorship and bias. Tell me, is this a special service you're extending just for us, or do you often lose teeth in real life?

We're all guilty of bias at some point. Censorship can be good. As I said above.. I know my limits, and judge yours.
I hope you weren't promoting violence there stim?

What the fuck? No shit, you picked on my mother yes, it would piss me off, but rape is natural too, doesn't make it right or good. Cancer is natural too, but that doesn't mean we want it affecting us.

It is understandable with children in schools that cant defend themselves to stand up for the smaller and more sensitive kids. But when you are an adult and even punch someone because they call you names, you are a moron.

Please stop using the word "censorship". You give me a fucking lip twitch.

REGULATION is fine, like you cant yell fire in a theater. "Censorship" is a bullshit word and is nothing more than a call to coddle the insecurities of assholes who cant handle blasphemy.

Once you are an adult, there is no excuse for even punching someone because you got pissed at what they said.

You only have the right to say "fuck you" back, or be polite about it and explain to them why they shouldn't do that, or walk away, or protest what they do. If it is a neighbor and they are giving you a hard time by not turning down their music, or their dog shitting on your lawn, or their kids being too noisy, and they wont listen, then you call the police.

WHAT YOU DO NOT DO AS AN ADULT is demand that no one ever piss you off. If I got to silence theists every time they pissed me off there would be tons of theists in prison or dead.

FUCK CENSORSHIP! The regulation on free speech is time place and context, not "NEVER". "Never" is not a tactic, it is the demand of a bully.

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Seriously froodo, if getting pissed at your kid or your spouse does not allow you to beat the crap out of them by law, why should it be ok to beat the crap our of a complete stranger because they called you a name?