Oh I don't know, nIgHtMaRe, I think he is saying something a little more intelligent and interesting than that. *looks over the top of her glasses*
Part of the reason I approve of our RV laws is they deal specifically with inflammatory speech, operate in an open judicial process, and no-one goes to jail.
Age has affected my opinion on free speech. Twenty years ago I fully supported free speech, believing it was better to have debate in the open, as the best way of countering hate speeches. I thought allowing speech to be curtailed was just the beginning of the slippery slope. But now I am not certain any more.
Over the years I have seen people come out with stuff that is so stupid and ugly and evil it makes me want to cry, to tell you the truth, and it is accepted. People who object get called bleeding-heart lefties, PC enforcers,etc and the offenders sit back having their 'rights' protected. And the world just keeps on getting uglier.
Pauline Hanson got voted into Parliament on a rascist platform. The response to this was John Howard decided to attack multi-culturalism, in order to win back the votes from her. And he did.
When I first started teaching, I worked in a school in a very poor neighbourhood, where most of the students were children of Vietnamese refugees. One day I got to school and some members of the National front had decided to paint slogans like "Death to Asians", "Slopes go home" all over the front wall. I will never forget the bewildered, pained expressions of the six and seven year olds who turned to me for an explanation and comfort. It was remarkably like the one on the faces of the Jewish children I taught five years ago, when I was asked to explain anti-semitism.
I see free speech being curtailed every day - by politicians muzzling debate, newspaper editors keeping on the good side of the powerful, television and news programs that focus on entertainment -not information and discussion.
So, I find myself here in the confused centre on the issue - I liked it better when I was sure.
So Drew, you don't want to show us your avatar in his new toddler stage? Come on...