Calls police “scum”

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5 commentsMonday, July 7, 2008

Russian Blogger Convicted Of Inciting Hatred

Calls police “scum”

5 Comments

By Lon (WPN reader) - Tue, 07/08/2008 - 21:57

Get real

I don't like that you sucked people in by making them believe that "scum" is what got the blogger in trouble.

I live in China where free speech is non-existent and am from America where we pretend it exists when it does not run counter to political. big business marketing or special interest agendas.

The guy advocated setting police on fire in a country where voluntary social order is still at question. Had he done that in certain States n America (or for sure here) he might have been arrested by homeland secrity folks and investigated, without the right of counse,l until they determined he was not Bin Laden.

There are plenty of examples of dissdents now locked up worldwide....Do something for free speech and post about Hu Jia and a few other good people sentenced and JAILED in Iran, China, Nepal, South America......

Cheap marketing stunt with no useful purpose....

By Guest (WPN reader) - Tue, 07/08/2008 - 11:05

Not Free Speech

This has nothing to do with free speech. Free speech does not mean being able to yell "Fire" in a crowded theater. Hate speech is not free speech.

How is "the police should be dealt with by burning officers two times a day in a town square" not calling for "the inflaming of social hatred"???

The sad commentary is that if the blogger was suggesting such violence against Jews, Muslims or Blacks, the police would not even bother him. They only care about themselves.

By Guest (WPN reader) - Tue, 07/08/2008 - 13:41

Not Free Speech

Yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater is so completely different than this. That is something that can get people trampled causing injury and/or death. Obviously very direct results.

"Hate speech" as you call it does not cause direct results and requires people to agree with the person, and then take action.

More importantly you need to determine where the line is drawn between "hate speech" and say....disagreeing with the Police with a comment such as "...the police would not even bother him. They only care about themselves." That comment just might land you in jail some day with the mentality you are agreeing with. Careful :)

By Commercial Lighting Guy (WPN reader) - Tue, 07/08/2008 - 07:41

Thats what happens when you

Thats what happens when you dont live in a free country!

By ben leefield (WPN reader) - Tue, 07/08/2008 - 04:40

The Limits of Free Speech

Well I guess this is a pretty "hot" topic these days and everyone has their own opinion.

I'm not sure what the rule should be, but I think there's a difference between public and private speech and a line to drawn about inciting hatred - replacing the subject matter with a different subject matter should give a clue - for instance, would it be acceptable to the author to replace the word "police" with "Russian" or in my case "Englishman" - or for others "Muslim" or "Christian" etc.

However, this gets grey in the area of humour - reference the Monty Python work "The Life of Brian" which was pretty offensive to many Christians at the time, but accepted as a work of comedy by most...