PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Fabrice Muamba: Racist Twitter user jailed for 56 days I know at best I will split opinions on here for bringing this up, but what the **** is happening to freedom of speech in this country? Don't get me wrong, Liam Stacey is a prick of the highest order, and deserves some heat from his peers for his comments, but two months in jail??? Really??? And following on from the Azhar Ahmed debacle I am seriously disturbed by the worrying precedents being set by the judicial system recently. The courts seem to have nothing better to do than to stamp down on free speech whenever the public get outraged and offended. There are violent offenders who get away with less. I expect this kind of crap in a theocratic dictatorship, not here. People should not be jailed simply for causing offense, no matter how dickish their words have been. It is a sick joke that these cases even went to court at all. Sticks and stones and all that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 (edited) If you'd asked me a few years ago I'd have agreed completely. As it is, my views have moved a bit. Criminal - yes. Jail time - no. Although I've not read the full sequence. Edited March 27, 2012 by opinions4u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 what the **** is happening to freedom of speech in this country? It is being read in accordance with Article 10 limitations, as it should be. 56 days, he'll be out in no time. Perfectly fair given what he's said/tweeted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 It is being read in accordance with Article 10 limitations, as it should be. 56 days, he'll be out in no time. Perfectly fair given what he's said/tweeted. Sticks and stones mate. Sticks and stones. He now has a criminal record and has to spend several weeks in jail for tweeting offensive things. What is fair about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie_J Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Sticks and stones mate. Sticks and stones. He now has a criminal record and has to spend several weeks in jail for tweeting offensive things. What is fair about it? Do you feel the same way about Abu Hamza then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Sticks and stones mate. Sticks and stones. He now has a criminal record and has to spend several weeks in jail for tweeting offensive things. What is fair about it? So if he'd stood in the middle of Swansea town centre with a megaphone shouting the things he tweeted at passing black people, that would be OK? Certainly worthy of a prison sentence and a criminal record. Disgusting behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 Do you feel the same way about Abu Hamza then? I don't recall. Remind me what he is supposed to have said. I can't seem to find it anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razza699 Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 In slightly bad taste but I laughed at this tweet football_shorts@football_shorts apparently Liverpool players are going to wear tshirts in support of Liam Stacey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 So if he'd stood in the middle of Swansea town centre with a megaphone shouting the things he tweeted at passing black people, that would be OK? I would class that has harassment or maybe even "disturbing the peace". So no, that would not be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebOAFC Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 If he had been sent down for the original tweet about Muamba then there might have been a freedom of speech defence. He wasn't - he's been sent down for the vile racist abuse he directed at people who objected to that original tweet. No problem whatsoever with him serving time for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I would class that has harassment or maybe even "disturbing the peace". So no, that would not be ok. What if he wrote letters and sent them through the post? I am wary of sounding facetious, I'm genuinely curious as to where the line is for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 What if he wrote letters and sent them through the post? I am wary of sounding facetious, I'm genuinely curious as to where the line is for you. That would be harassment again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 (edited) If he had been sent down for the original tweet about Muamba then there might have been a freedom of speech defence. He wasn't - he's been sent down for the vile racist abuse he directed at people who objected to that original tweet. No problem whatsoever with him serving time for it. Merely insulting people on the internet should not be a crime, whether they are racially slanted insults or not. I am amazed at how many people think that causing offense should equal jail time. Edited March 27, 2012 by PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I'm glad I'm not a magistrate. There is a danger that the nasty man who typed the nasty words ends up getting sympathy and support as a result of the sentence. Which is surely not the purpose of dishing it out. Community service for 300 hours in the heart of a deprived black area might have been more appropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 That would be harassment again Merely insulting people on the internet should not be a crime, whether they are racially slanted insults or not. I am amazed at how many people think that causing offense should equal jail time. Why is posting it on the internet not a crime but doing it in a letter harrassment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebOAFC Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 (edited) Merely insulting people on the internet should not be a crime, whether they are racially slanted insults or not. I am amazed at how many people think that causing offense should equal jail time. You just said sending a letter or shouting it in the street would be harassment, would you class sending a tweet differently? Genuine question as I don't see a difference other than tweets being more public. Edited March 27, 2012 by mikebOAFC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razza699 Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Merely insulting people on the internet should not be a crime, whether they are racially slanted insults or not. I am amazed at how many people think that causing offense should equal jail time. I dont think you realise how serious Cyber bullying is , it can be worse than normal bullying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 You just said sending a letter or shouting it in the street would be harassment, would you class sending a tweet differently? Genuine question as I don't see a difference other than tweets being more public. Why is posting it on the internet not a crime but doing it in a letter harrassment? His tweets were part of heated exchanges between his fellow tweeters. He didn't single anyone out specifically. He just lost his head whilst interacting with them. If he had singled anyone out and kept insulting them then he would be harassment (although surely you can block people on twitter so I'm not sure that would fly in my book) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 I dont think you realise how serious Cyber bullying is , it can be worse than normal bullying. Bullying = harassment. See my other post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 His tweets were part of heated exchanges between his fellow tweeters. He didn't single anyone out specifically. He just lost his head whilst interacting with them. If he had singled anyone out and kept insulting them then he would be harassment (although surely you can block people on twitter so I'm not sure that would fly in my book) But he did write directly to people with racist comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 But he did write directly to people with racist comments. He didn't harass them though. Besides, I don't think he's been sentenced for harassment. He's been sentenced for racial insults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 inciting racial hatred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Ritchie Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Those who cry for freedom of speech shouldn't be too scared to start with freedom of thought. Racism is a hate crime. Racism is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimeblue Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Similar to rioters getting the sentences they got. Any other circumstance then stealing a Mars Bar or whatever wouldn't have got them jail time. Given the publicity the whole thing was getting the judge probably had little choice. Been made an example of, no question.. He's still a cock so I'll lose no sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 Those who cry for freedom of speech shouldn't be too scared to start with freedom of thought. I've got no idea what you mean by that Racism is a hate crime Racism is not any crime by my definition. It is simply an attitude. Whether that attitude eventually informs any ACTUAL crimes, is another matter. But it is those crime that should be punished, not the racism. Racism is wrong And punishable by jail-time and a life messed up by a criminal record according to some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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