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JDSN

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
5,129
I didnt even the news, I was just wondering why this was 16 pages, of course the free speech dolts showed up.
 

Red Arremer

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
12,259
It's not an equivalence beyond "offensive humor". There's an entire range when it comes to things like production values, style, simpicity, etc. and that's even before we get into the mess that is intent.

I'll give another example of offensive humor I've found funny. I was listening to a podcast where there was a noise that the members heard out of nowhere. Someone said "what was that?" and another member responded "it's the screams of the Hiroshima bomb victims." The abruptness, the delivery, the content itself; all enough to knock me off my chair in laughter.

I'm not going to tell anyone that had the same response to this guy's joke that they're wrong for laughing at it unless they're laughing at it for the wrong reasons. But of course, that's not something I can know, but chastising people for enjoying offensive humor regardless of where it falls on the very wide spectrum of it would be hypocritical of me. And the idea that people can be legitimately prosecuted for it is extremely scary imo.

Your example of 'humour' is pretty gross tbh. I would have stopped listening to that podcast.

Ethically and socially you are right. Someone isn't always afforded the ability to say shit in public or even social media and say "but South Park joked about that". This is why it's cheap when personal accountability is thrown out of the window to claim South Park is the cause of the alt-right. Meechan would rightfully suffer the social and ethical consequences of this going viral and him being known as the Nazi pug guy to most employers in the UK.

Do dumb shit on social media, face consequences.

The debate here is when should the state get involved with potential actions that remove rights/lead to a criminal record. I'm sure we all seen the occasional post on the old forum that got deleted and the user temp banned when it was an outright statement around presidential assassination. Do I actually think any of you who may be here now were going to go after your president with a weapon? lol, no.

GAF didn't want to take the heat for it, and yes as I said to a poster earlier the police/FBI can investigate comments even if they appear as anger/frustration/dissent or a poor attempt at humour. If they're not a credible threat however the only consequences that should arguably be faced are social and possibly private platforms or employers banning/firing you. Plus randoms, friends and maybe even family thinking you're an asshole.

Putting people behind bars for speech when it can be assessed there wasn't a direct threat or anyone specifically targeted, or there was context/intent, is worth debating.

I'm fully with you. I think putting people behind bars for this kind of thing is too much. That said, I fully believe that hate speech should be punished. We've been observing what not properly addressing hate speech especially on the internet can lead to for the past few decades, in several countries with several degrees of laws pertaining to this. And while there needs to be a clear distinction within the context of that speech being made, it still needs to be prosecuted, period.

After all, there are laws for things like libel/slander, incitement to violence, and so on. The laws against this kind of thing have seldom (if ever) been abused, and that also includes the German/Austrian laws prohibiting the glorification of Nazis/Holocaust denial, etc.

The law that Meechan is being charged with breaking is intentionally vaguely worded, and that is a problem, but if I was in the prosecutor's shoes, I probably would've gone with the actual hate speech law rather than the grossly offensive bit (and the fact you can face jail time for being 'grossly offensive' is surreal in its own right tbh), because "gas the Jews", in my eyes, especially as a Jew, is hate speech, no matter how you twist or turn it.
 

Deleted member 888

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
14,361
Your example of 'humour' is pretty gross tbh. I would have stopped listening to that podcast.



I'm fully with you. I think putting people behind bars for this kind of thing is too much. That said, I fully believe that hate speech should be punished. We've been observing what not properly addressing hate speech especially on the internet can lead to for the past few decades, in several countries with several degrees of laws pertaining to this. And while there needs to be a clear distinction within the context of that speech being made, it still needs to be prosecuted, period.

After all, there are laws for things like libel/slander, incitement to violence, and so on. The laws against this kind of thing have seldom (if ever) been abused, and that also includes the German/Austrian laws prohibiting the glorification of Nazis/Holocaust denial, etc.

The law that Meechan is being charged with breaking is intentionally vaguely worded, and that is a problem, but if I was in the prosecutor's shoes, I probably would've gone with the actual hate speech law rather than the grossly offensive bit (and the fact you can face jail time for being 'grossly offensive' is surreal in its own right tbh), because "gas the Jews", in my eyes, especially as a Jew, is hate speech, no matter how you twist or turn it.

They took this through the courts for just over 2 years and IIRC they tried to push a stronger sentence. It obviously wasn't going to stick because it is humour, albeit in bad taste, and stronger hate speech sentencing with 12~24 month plus jail sentences is often for incitement or targeted harassment.

The police snapchat dick drawing managed to pass through this 2003 communication act for being grossly offensive. That shows you how low the bar can be set to get a sentence passed under this law.
 

blinky

Attempted to circumvent ban with an alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,329
"What if someone did something totally unrelated for totally different reasons that just happened to revolve around speech even though the justifications, motives and effect are completely different"?

Not. All. Speech. Is. Equal.
The fact that you posted it with periods after each word doesn't make any better. Once you give the government the power to pick and choose who gets to speak about what, you are voting to give Donald Trump the power to go after CNN, the New York Times, and his personal political enemies. I literally can't think of a time in US history when it would make less sense for a left-leaning American to endorse politically-inspired censorship.
 

lint2015

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,810
This is bullshit and should have been laughed out of court. This sets up such a bad precedent legally, not just for the UK, but any commonwealth country. Disgusting. Now people will be going to jail for jokes. What has this world come to...
On the other hand, the alt-right makes anti-Semitic threats all the time and when challenged they often fall back on the excuse of "it's just a joke guys lol"
 

Ravensmash

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,797
On the other hand, the alt-right makes anti-Semitic threats all the time and when challenged they often fall back on the excuse of "it's just a joke guys lol"

Yeah, threats shouldn't be tolerated.

This wasn't a conviction that was based on the potential of a threat, but on it being deemed grossly offensive.

This is why courts should look at context.
 
Oct 29, 2017
4,054
The fact that you posted it with periods after each word doesn't make any better. Once you give the government the power to pick and choose who gets to speak about what, you are voting to give Donald Trump the power to go after CNN, the New York Times, and his personal political enemies. I literally can't think of a time in US history when it would make less sense for a left-leaning American to endorse politically-inspired censorship.
I get where you're coming from but it ignores the fact that there are working hate speech laws in a number of European countries, laws that have been around for a long time and the things you're concerned about haven't happened.
 

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
20,680
Once you give the government the power to pick and choose who gets to speak about what, you are voting to give Donald Trump the power to go after CNN, the New York Times, and his personal political enemies.
There have been laws against certain types of speech and contexts of speech for awhile now, such as obscenity laws, child porn laws, fighting words, libel, etc.. The First Amendment isn't all encompassing in a legal sense. You can argue that it should be and maybe I'd agree with you- maybe- but regardless we've been in the timeline of limited speech for awhile now.
 

Cream

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,316
"Death to all Jews" can be played off as just a joke now.

Pretty soon you'll only be considered a racist if you kill a minority while wearing a sign that says "I am killing this person because of racism".
 

Red Arremer

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
12,259
They took this through the courts for just over 2 years and IIRC they tried to push a stronger sentence. It obviously wasn't going to stick because it is humour, albeit in bad taste, and stronger hate speech sentencing with 12~24 month plus jail sentences is often for incitement or targeted harassment.

The police snapchat dick drawing managed to pass through this 2003 communication act for being grossly offensive. That shows you how low the bar can be set to get a sentence passed under this law.

I haven't even really read up on the police snapchat dick thing, honestly.

And the history of this particular case is what makes me believe that they're at least in part trying to set an example here.
 

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
20,680
Pretty soon you'll only be considered a racist if you kill a minority while wearing a sign that says "I am killing this person because of racism".
No, because what if the shirt means a person is killing a minority because they were racist to them? You can't be entirely sure what's in their heart.
 

Mona

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
26,151
has anyone yet mentioned the fact that the forum moderation seem to have no problem allowing the video to be posted here?

is it not considered hate speech here?
 

RedMercury

Blue Venus
Member
Dec 24, 2017
17,650
User banned (2 days): Involving another member's employment in an argument
Man you gonna talk shit about me and "Jesus, this thread" but you need receipts to show a link between the alt-right and antisemitism? Right next to your employers name? That is some bold shit.

https://www.npr.org/2018/03/19/5948...sh-journalist-links-trump-to-the-rise-of-hate here's a book on the subject and good interview

https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounders/from-alt-right-to-alt-lite-naming-the-hate

http://www.newsweek.com/anti-semitism-rising-alt-right-era-study-699218

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/nazis-racism-charlottesville/536928/
 

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
20,680
has anyone yet mentioned the fact that the forum moderation have no problem allowing the video to be posted here?

is it not considered hate speech here?
Are you trying to argue that posting a video that in one legal context was considered hate speech for the purposes of giving context to a news story is the exact same thing as condoning said speech?
 

99Luffy

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,344
"Death to all Jews" can be played off as just a joke now.

Pretty soon you'll only be considered a racist if you kill a minority while wearing a sign that says "I am killing this person because of racism".
Its not a great joke sure. But I assume most people thought Borat was funny right? Same deal.
 

Cream

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,316
Its not a great joke sure. But I assume most people thought Borat was funny right? Same deal.
I'm just saying that the argument people make that " they can decide whatever they want is hate speech" works the other way.

Anyone can decide that something hateful and racist is just a joke and they do, very often.
 

stufte

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 2, 2017
318
Man people gonna talk shit about me but you need receipts to show a link between the alt-right and antisemitism? Right next to your employers name? That is some bold shit.

I'll read your links, thanks. BUT, are you threatening me. Mentioning my employer in such a way? Is that a way to say "You can get fired for asking these kinds of questions"? I stand by my question, since I am uninformed as to the severity of the claims.
 

blinky

Attempted to circumvent ban with an alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,329
There have been laws against certain types of speech and contexts of speech for awhile now, such as obscenity laws, child porn laws, fighting words, libel, etc.. The First Amendment isn't all encompassing in a legal sense. You can argue that it should be and maybe I'd agree with you- maybe- but regardless we've been in the timeline of limited speech for awhile now.
I think you and I both agree that this video is not even remotely comparable to child pornography. If you would like to advance an argument to the contrary, feel free. Otherwise, let's please drop the obviously stupid stuff.
 

Ponn

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
3,171
anti-semetic THREATS all. the. time. I've not heard of this, why should I not ask for some links? Should I just not ask questions?

Just asking questions guyz?! Please dude, just drop it your not sly when you spent all afternoon in a thread defending a guy teaching a dog to salute to "gas all Jews"

As for freedom of speech, you can defend what you want it's your freedom but it's your image you cultivate. I won't be buying any backflip studio games.
 

Deleted member 888

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
14,361
I haven't even really read up on the police snapchat dick thing, honestly.

And the history of this particular case is what makes me believe that they're at least in part trying to set an example here.

You should because like some other examples including the #killallwhitepeople tweet, it was sentenced under this act and had someone arrested.

The courts and Government should be adult enough and legally sound to discern credible threats and direct harassment/incitement where they should be involved and when they should leave it to social consequences for being an idiot.
 

Nepenthe

When the music hits, you feel no pain.
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
20,680
I think you and I both agree that this video is not even remotely comparable to child pornography. If you would like to advance an argument to the contrary, feel free. Otherwise, let's please drop the obviously stupid stuff.
I was using an example of exceptions to free speech to argue against your notion that the government shouldn't gain the power to dictate which types of speech are acceptable (newsflash: they already have that power, just to a limited degree), of which child pornography isn't the only one. If you'd like to actually comprehend the point of my post instead of cherry picking an example to clutch pearls, feel free.

i can fathom plenty of answers, im asking so i can receive the correct ones
Then you should probably PM or ping a mod to get an answer so this thread can be shut down in case it is in violation of the rules.
 

stufte

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 2, 2017
318
Just asking questions guyz?! Please dude, just drop it your not sly when you spent all afternoon in a thread defending a guy teaching a dog to salute to "gas all Jews"

As for freedom of speech, you can defend what you want it's your freedom but it's your image you cultivate. I won't be buying any backflip studio games.

Cool, our games are free anyhow. And I am not defending the guy. I'm angry at the guy getting jailed/charged with a crime over a joke.
 

Red Arremer

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
12,259
Its not a great joke sure. But I assume most people thought Borat was funny right? Same deal.

I thought Borat was utter unfunny rubbish, and needlessly disrespectful and downright cruel to the people in the countries he went to, and especially towards Roma people. In fact I think some Roma rights group in Germany filed a complaint that the movie incited violence against them, and won.

Edit:
Also, Cohen is you know, an actual comedian. He knows what he's doing, and we know what his intentions are, whether we think he is funny or not. Cohen also is Jewish, so at the very least he is part of a minority that he kicks at (though I do think that his joking at the expense of minorities is gross).

This guy is some asshole on the internet teaching his dog to do the Nazi salute and saying "gas the Jews" repeatedly. We don't know if the guy is actually antisemitic. That is one of the big differences here.
 
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thatother

Member
Dec 12, 2017
345
I'll read your links, thanks. BUT, are you threatening me. Mentioning my employer in such a way? Is that a way to say "You can get fired for asking these kinds of questions"? I stand by my question, since I am uninformed as to the severity of the claims.

It's not really worth it. A lot of people are just looking for "GOTCHA" moments where they catch someone they think is racist. It isn't a good faith debate in the slightest. It's basically always the same people though so ignoring them goes a long way.
 

Krauser Kat

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,700
I'm a very liberal guy in general, I work with people who would describe themselves as Republican. I don't think Trump is a Nazi, I think he's an idiot. I'm not keen on putting people in easy to dismiss boxes, so when someone says that "Republicans are Nazis" and I know a LOT of Republicans (many of whom I like) It kinda rubs me the wrong way. It's shallow, lazy thinking to label all Republicans as Nazis or White Supremacists.
But them constantly enriching white people, starting wars where we kill millions of brown people and enforcing voter laws the mostly effect black and brown and poor people, de regulating states that severly harm poor and black education isnt racist.... sure hun.

we have to start looking at the effects of laws and not the letter of them to find their real intent and holding those accountable who want them in place. libertarian ism and conservatism in america rely on racist and white supremacist laws through enabling privilege and pooling of wealth with white men
 

RedMercury

Blue Venus
Member
Dec 24, 2017
17,650
I'll read your links, thanks. BUT, are you threatening me. Mentioning my employer in such a way? Is that a way to say "You can get fired for asking these kinds of questions"? I stand by my question, since I am uninformed as to the severity of the claims.
Dude nobody is threatening you, relax. It's just wild af to be here as a verified individual, basically flaired as representative of the industry and to be saying stuff like that.
 

Hellwarden

Member
Oct 25, 2017
34,079
Guy seems like a real idiot, but I don't think he should spend time in jail.

A fine should be enough.
 

lint2015

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,810
Yeah, threats shouldn't be tolerated.

This wasn't a conviction that was based on the potential of a threat, but on it being deemed grossly offensive.

This is why courts should look at context.
Certainly. I don't necessarily agree with this ruling - the video was clearly made in jest and it does appear as if the guy views Nazis at the very least in a negative light. But on the other hand, anti-Semitism isn't really something to make light of, so there comes a point when people need to be told to grow up and this is that point for this man.
 

stufte

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 2, 2017
318
Dude nobody is threatening you, relax. It's just wild af to be here as a verified individual, basically flaired as representative of the industry and to be saying stuff like that.

Saying stuff like what? What have I said that is at ALL crazy or racist? I don't agree that he should be jailed for his dumb joke. I am unaware of a dearth of antisemitism in the alt-right. What makes that wild at all?
 

blinky

Attempted to circumvent ban with an alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
1,329
I was using an example of exceptions to free speech to argue against your notion that the government shouldn't gain the power to dictate which types of speech are acceptable (newsflash: they already have that power, just to a limited degree), of which child pornography isn't the only one. If you'd like to actually comprehend the point of my post instead of cherry picking an example to clutch pearls, feel free.
The point of your post is moronic. The fact that government bans child pornography -- which involves the literal rape of a child -- is not even remotely the same thing as banning a stupid and tasteless attempt at humor. One involves a person being bodily penetrated or exposed for the sexual gratification of others. The other is a stupid joke that we can all just shrug off as stupid.

You need to look in the mirror, guy.
 

Deleted member 32561

User requested account closure
Banned
Nov 11, 2017
3,831
He's been charged, that is what happened today. It is a guilty charge under the 2003 communications act of being "grossly offensive". It can have up to a 6-month jail sentence or a fine, or both.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/21/section/127
He is being charged with "offensive speech", not hate speech.
I see.
That law is definitely problematic and I should hope people do something about it. However, he should definitely be penalized in some way for his actions, which only help to breed antisemitism and give alt-righters the impression that they're in good company. Tolerating such speech is to tolerate nazis.

I mean, the other part that's insane is that the same people who saw what the war of drugs did to their communities and advocate for prison reform are the same ones who are all "Send people to jail for this!!", like they have no self-awareness that this would be used. exactly. the. same. way. All for prison reform, all for a literally completely open-ended law that sends people to jail.
I really don't think that you can possibly be saying this in good faith without using those effected negatively by the war on drugs as human shields.
The war on drugs directly involves police officers planting drugs on the poor, especially people of color, typically black or hispanic individuals (at least, for the US's War on Drugs which is the only one I'm familiar with). They then get put in jail and are put to work. It's using the already disenfranchised as free slave labor, basically.

Punishing someone to set the example that a society doesn't tolerate Nazis is in no way similar, especially as in this case it seems this guy wasn't particularly poor.

I am unaware of a dearth of antisemitism in the alt-right. What makes that wild at all?
You must not keep up with politics very much if you're unaware of the fact that the alt-right is just a fancy name white nationalists use.
 

Deleted member 15326

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,219
The point of your post is moronic. The fact that government bans child pornography -- which involves the literal rape of a child -- is not even remotely the same thing as banning a stupid and tasteless attempt at humor. One involves a person being bodily penetrated or exposed for the sexual gratification of others. The other is a stupid joke that we can all just shrug off as stupid.

You need to look in the mirror, guy.

You really going to ignore the rest of that post and the overall point to focus on that one thing huh
 

Deleted member 25712

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 29, 2017
1,803
A little pug throwing up a salute when he hears "sieg heil," or jumping up excited when he hears "gas the Jews?!" is absurdly inappropriate and ridiculous, which is why it's funny to some people. Listening to this guy do interviews, I think that's all he was really going for: a laugh. A prank on his girlfriend. That it blew up into this ridiculous controversy is probably only going to serve the alt right narrative (which I don't think he's really a part of) that the left wants to censor free speach.

It's a distasteful joke. This one should have been let go.
 

Branu

Banned
Feb 7, 2018
1,029
I don't view people as sources of entertainment. I'm actually capable of humanising them online as well.

I'm black and an 80's child, and personally I think racism is much worse now than it was in 1982.

Difference back then is thag I could kick someone's face in without much consequence. There was a rightful fear of running your mouth off.

Now you've got the platform to run your mouth off and insult people, and just because you can't see the people you're insulting you think you shouldn't suffer.

Exactly. And instead of being crackpots on a corner spewing hate, they're now Youtube personalities with an unlimited reach, instilling their hateful ideologies into the minds of millions.

You know full well that's NOT what we are doing.

Of course it's what you're doing. You're spending multiple pages carrying water for someone who made a joke about gassing the Jews. Strikes me as defending racism. :|

Are you just spouting nonsense? What does that happen to do with anything I said? What happens when someone like Trump etc perverts these same laws to attack and jail the very people you're trying to defend?

Why do you people always trot out these extreme examples when they're so far removed from what we're arguing about right now? Which is the rise of the so-called "alt-right," the use of the internet to propagate hateful views and feed the normalization of Nazism' resurgence, and how to effectively curb any impulse among the public to openly express hate?

He is being charged with "offensive speech", not hate speech.

I mean, the other part that's insane is that the same people who saw what the war of drugs did to their communities and advocate for prison reform are the same ones who are all "Send people to jail for this!!", like they have no self-awareness that this would be used. exactly. the. same. way. All for prison reform, all for a literally completely open-ended law that sends people to jail.

What "same people"? Whose "communities"? How do you know the background of the people siding with the government in this thread? You're making some borderline racist assumptions about the people in this thread who have no problem with this guy being prosecuted for his hate speech.

remember when some republican politicians were calling BLM a hate group?

that sort of thing is exactly why this ruling can lead to issues

So, we should do nothing, when the current reality sees just one side pushing hate and the other side practically defenseless because equivocating "liberals" are worried that the laws could be turned against causes they really don't care about in the first place.
 
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