Current News Stories and Your Opinions on Them! (1 Viewer)

ConnorGiles

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I made this thread because I have been seeing a lot of interesting stories in the papers and news websites recently and would like to hear your opinions on them.

This of course doesn't stop you bringing another news report into the thread as I like to keep updated :p

Just thought it would be nice to have some in depth conversations and hear your take on events :D

I'll start - Apparently right at this moment the two people who killed the cartoonists have hostages and are under siege by the police.

and in another place the person who shot the police woman in Paris is in a grocery store with hostages.

I honestly don't know what to think anymore....
 

statsman

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One of the stories I keep having a problem with is the US reaction to the Sony web site hacking.
The Americans are rattling their saber at North Korea and promising all sorts of retaliation.
Sony is a private company. Why does the US government care?
 

Brianwarnock

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One of the stories I keep having a problem with is the US reaction to the Sony web site hacking.
The Americans are rattling their saber at North Korea and promising all sorts of retaliation.
Sony is a private company. Why does the US government care?

As the representative of the people perhaps they don't like the idea of the North Koreans censoring what the people can watch, that's their job.

Brian
 

Brianwarnock

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I made this thread because I have been seeing a lot of interesting stories in the papers and news websites recently and would like to hear your opinions on them.

This of course doesn't stop you bringing another news report into the thread as I like to keep updated :p

Just thought it would be nice to have some in depth conversations and hear your take on events :D

I'll start - Apparently right at this moment the two people who killed the cartoonists have hostages and are under siege by the police.

and in another place the person who shot the police woman in Paris is in a grocery store with hostages.

I honestly don't know what to think anymore....

:confused:
The last sentence maybe honest but hardly starts a debate.

Brian
 

ConnorGiles

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One of the stories I keep having a problem with is the US reaction to the Sony web site hacking.
The Americans are rattling their saber at North Korea and promising all sorts of retaliation.
Sony is a private company. Why does the US government care?

I agree with Brian, censorship inside their own country from another country is not going to go un-noticed by them.

It is indeed a story that keeps popping up,

In other news of hacking, did you guys hear about the hacking group "Anonymous" targeting ISIS now? They are shutting down any Islamic Propaganda sites going due to the terrorists targeting the Charlie Hebdo office.

They claimed this as Attacking the Freedom of speech and since that is what Anonymous is about they are targeting the propaganda sites.

What do you think on this?
 

Steve R.

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The Americans are rattling their saber at North Korea and promising all sorts of retaliation. ... Sony is a private company. Why does the US government care?

I think the story is a bit more complicated.
The US is saber rattling, looking for a fight. The fact that Sony is a private company and should be responsible for its own cyber security is irrelevant. North Korea is simply an easy target for those who fan the flames of paranoia in the US.

As the representative of the people perhaps they don't like the idea of the North Koreans censoring what the people can watch, that's their job.

There seems to be some belief (rumor) that North Korea may not have been behind the attack. It has been suggested that this was an inside job. My personal take, without evidence of course, is that Sony simply picked a fight with someone (North Korea) who had the capability to fight back.

Sony, like many companies, believes it can abuse the consumer in any manner that it desires. In this case, Sony made made a highly questionable decision to produce an offensive film, even if the Kim Jong-un is a brutal dictator. Consequently, the issue really isn't "free speech" but retaliation by North Korea against the bully Sony (with the assumption that North Korea played a role).

Furthermore, this episode and the Je Suis Charlie incident point to the hypocrisy of the assertion by the US that it is standing up for "free speech". When it came to the "free speech" of the person who produced an anti-Islamic video, the Obama administration (Hilliary Clinton specifically) condemned the (vile repulsive) video and vowed (and did) put the guy (Mark Bassely Youssef) in jail. The Obama administration made no effort to protect that person's right to "free speech".
 

ConnorGiles

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I think the story is a bit more complicated.
The US is saber rattling, looking for a fight. The fact that Sony is a private company and should be responsible for its own cyber security is irrelevant. North Korea is simply an easy target for those who fan the flames of paranoia in the US.



There seems to be some belief (rumor) that North Korea may not have been behind the attack. It has been suggested that this was an inside job. My personal take, without evidence of course, is that Sony simply picked a fight with someone (North Korea) who had the capability to fight back.

Sony, like many companies, believes it can abuse the consumer in any manner that it desires. In this case, Sony made made a highly questionable decision to produce an offensive film, even if the Kim Jong-un is a brutal dictator. Consequently, the issue really isn't "free speech" but retaliation by North Korea against the bully Sony (with the assumption that North Korea played a role).

Furthermore, this episode and the Je Suis Charlie incident point to the hypocrisy of the assertion by the US that it is standing up for "free speech". When it came to the "free speech" of the person who produced an anti-Islamic video, the Obama administration (Hilliary Clinton specifically) condemned the (vile repulsive) video and vowed (and did) put the guy (Mark Bassely Youssef) in jail. The Obama administration made no effort to protect that person's right to "free speech".

Interesting hypothesis Steve.

So all in all (TL;DR)

You would say that free speech isn't being upheld even when America is the land of the free? Or did I misinterpret this?

Another story is a small minority of people in the UK writing Nazi symbols and the phrases "IslamMustDie" next to it.

They are trying to catch and imprison these people, Although it is a terrible remark to make, Isn't this also classed as "freedom of speech" ?
 
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Steve R.

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You would say that free speech isn't being upheld even when America is the land of the free? Or did I misinterpret this?
Free speech is being manipulated. When the concept serves a favored political objective grandiose faux outrage is demonstrated to support free speech.

When the concept challenges a politically correct viewpoint, free speech is (repulsively) dismissed and twisted into a different issue with the implied proposition that it may somehow violate something and thus be subject to prosecution.
 
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ConnorGiles

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So in short terms, Freedom of Speech is subject to change under certain circumstances even though it shouldn't be.
 

Steve R.

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So in short terms, Freedom of Speech is subject to change under certain circumstances even though it shouldn't be.
Yes. (One word responses trigger a forum error message, so I have to write a long winded exposition.)
 

Rabbie

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Freedom of Speech is not an absolute right. No-one has the right to shout "Fire" in a crowded cinema if there is no fire.
 

ConnorGiles

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Freedom of Speech is not an absolute right. No-one has the right to shout "Fire" in a crowded cinema if there is no fire.

Ahh, but would they claim it is freedom of speech? and would they get away with it?
 

Lady Phoenix

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Well, I believe in the right to hold an opinion. Im not a racist but if someone holds racist opinions they have every right to do so. They may noy hold any solid evidence as to why they are right, but they still have the right to hold ther opinion,

What I feel is wrong though is when someone expresses their opinion in a way that affects others either physically, mentally or spiritually.

I hold many opinions which will differ from whoever takes the time to read this post, but I dont have the right to ram it down your neck with a gun pointing at your head, threatening to shoot you if you dare to disagree.
 

ConnorGiles

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Well, I believe in the right to hold an opinion. Im not a racist but if someone holds racist opinions they have every right to do so. They may noy hold any solid evidence as to why they are right, but they still have the right to hold ther opinion,

What I feel is wrong though is when someone expresses their opinion in a way that affects others either physically, mentally or spiritually.

I hold many opinions which will differ from whoever takes the time to read this post, but I dont have the right to ram it down your neck with a gun pointing at your head, threatening to shoot you if you dare to disagree.

I agree, but wouldn't you say people who express their opinion and affect other people physically, mentally or spiritually just have "a different opinion" of the person they are expressing to?

I think the freedom of speech argument is summed up pretty well in Steve R.'s previous posts.

EDIT: Racist opinions will hurt someone physically, mentally or spiritually. I guess its just the same as any other opinion which would affect anyone in those ways. But I fully agree with your last statement, everyone has an opinion - It is when someone is ramming theirs down your throat at gunpoint where my problem starts.
 

Galaxiom

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The problem with the modern world of political correctness is that valid criticism about philosophical points of view are reinterpreted as racial bias.

For example, I believe the glorification of the Hebrew genocides in the Old Testament is disgusting but that attitude will be envisioned as antisemitism by many.

Racial and religious vilification is a screen held up as a cloak my many.
 

Galaxiom

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Well, I believe in the right to hold an opinion. Im not a racist but if someone holds racist opinions they have every right to do so. They may noy hold any solid evidence as to why they are right, but they still have the right to hold ther opinion,

They must also accept that other have the right to critique that opinion.

What I feel is wrong though is when someone expresses their opinion in a way that affects others either physically, mentally or spiritually.

Pointing out the incongruities in another person's beliefs may well affect them mentally or spiritually. It is their problem and not a reason to silence the criticism.
 

Lady Phoenix

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I agree, but wouldn't you say people who express their opinion and affect other people physically, mentally or spiritually just have "a different opinion" of the person they are expressing to?

Totally agree and its a very fine line between freedom of speech and abusing someone.
I work with a lady (A Polish immigrant to be exact) and she is always telling me how Muslims shouldnt be allowed here, halal food is disgusting etc etc. Now, she has the right to be racist in that way, but she doesnt have the right to attempt to pursuade me to be a racist also. (BTW Im not of English birth but Im of more value to the British government that quite a lot of EDL dole scroungers)

They must also accept that other have the right to critique that opinion.

Again, agree 100%. You cant publically annouce your opinion without expecting other people to have the basic human right to publically counter-announce their opinion.




Im of the opinion that if you want to hold a march or rally or whatever that suitable notice must be given. This gives everyone the right to attend or, if they prefer, avoid. For example, Im in favour of animial testing for medical purposes only. However, as its a controversal subject and I hate confrontation, if I heard of an upcoming demonstration I would actively avoid it.
The same shoudl apply for people like EDL and associated organisations. I accept they have a right to have their opinions, but I dont respect their right to go bursting into Mosques, or putting up pictures of Polish Spitfires in an attempt to demonstrate real proper English values. I think their opinions lack so much basic info, for example, how many Muslims fought in WW1 so that the EDL could have the freedom to express their opinions?
Anyway, I waffle now.
 

scott-atkinson

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Political Correctness has gone too far in my view..

Benedict Cumberbatch, apologized for making a statement where he referred to Coloured People, rather than saying Black. For me that is just ridiculous, if you say Black your Damned, and if you say Coloured your Damned...

It is just better to not say anything at al for fear of pissing somebody off somewhere..

We don't need labels full stop, we are all Humans, if a race want's to be labeled, then they are alienating themselves from everybody else..

I am not white, I am a human being.
 

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