It also occurred to me, if someone says to me “You dirty bastard, I hate Collingwood supporters. You’re the scum of the earth.” I can get them locked up?
Haven't we come a long way from the Socratic method of truth seeking, Karl Popper's method of scientific falsification, the USA NAACP fighting for the rights of Nazis to protest, as well as the aphorism attributed to Voltaire regarding defending the right for people to hold and speak abhorrent beliefs.
There is, as indicated by the comments in this thread, much opportunity for satire wrt this legislation but the more Draconian the law becomes, the more paranoid citizens become about breaking it. Living on tenterhooks is no way to live, and poor mental health walks hand in hand, along the street of life, with poor physical health.
Imagine a place where everyone is closely guarding their thoughts for fear that expressions of the same may lead to their prosecution. Imagine no opportunity for spleen venting or for sharing thoughts on anything deeper than the weather, the outcome of a footy match or the price of tomatoes.
On topic, my mind turns to Israel Folau's social media activity of 2018/9 and the consequences ...specifically his sacking by Rugby Australia. I wonder how his activity would have stacked up, legally, under legislation the likes of that proposed in Victoria. At the time, I was far more against his dismissal than I was, for it, believing that his competence on the rugby field ought to have determined his fitness to play, not what he did off it ...and that, whilst he had probably breached his contract, there needed to be a serious review of what could reasonably be placed into a workplace contract, per se, for professional sportsmen, in particular, but for employees, generally.
This written, I am far more libertarian than Bible basher and was in dissonance with the substance of Folau's messaging, and I am mindful of the psychological impact people with star status can have on their followers.
I'm hazy on the details and I had not given hate speech laws a great deal of thought in any granular sense until recently. I'm still working out what I think. I recently bought Jacob Mchangama's book on the history of free speech and am looking forward to reading that. So, my opinions are still in the formation phase...
Victorians law only five years for hate speech is feeble sentence Think about the social damage & division that such speech incurs & lingers in peoples minds This type of talk unwelcome here notably in a multi-culture nation when some residents have fled the attitude being expounded by religiously based hate speeches & sadly some has been spoken by Australian born citizens of migrant parents yet such would not have been allowed in parents former country "Gratitude" biting the friendly helpful hand for desperate people Diversity is not the wonder pattern expected of it as some people don't transplant well or attempt assimilation to any extent
I clipped that quote from a posting on X. Microsoft Copilot tells me: It appears in her book "Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now". In this book, she argues that Islam needs significant reform to separate its religious aspects from its political ideology.
Gemini refused to comment :(
I do recall hearing her say more or less this in interviews on Triggernometry and elsewhere.
It also occurred to me, if someone says to me “You dirty bastard, I hate Collingwood supporters. You’re the scum of the earth.” I can get them locked up?
Sorry, Collingwood allegiance not a protected attribute 😝
Unless someone identifies as Collingwood....or a bastard.
LOL !!
Only if they don't have teeth....🥴😀👏
The woke mind worm is eating all the brains.
Haven't we come a long way from the Socratic method of truth seeking, Karl Popper's method of scientific falsification, the USA NAACP fighting for the rights of Nazis to protest, as well as the aphorism attributed to Voltaire regarding defending the right for people to hold and speak abhorrent beliefs.
Indeed we have.
There is, as indicated by the comments in this thread, much opportunity for satire wrt this legislation but the more Draconian the law becomes, the more paranoid citizens become about breaking it. Living on tenterhooks is no way to live, and poor mental health walks hand in hand, along the street of life, with poor physical health.
Imagine a place where everyone is closely guarding their thoughts for fear that expressions of the same may lead to their prosecution. Imagine no opportunity for spleen venting or for sharing thoughts on anything deeper than the weather, the outcome of a footy match or the price of tomatoes.
I agree.
Does that mean that white middle aged heterosexual males are protected now? About time, I was contemplating…
No. You are the Enemy, you privileged piece of poo pie! 1+1 = don't you dare say two, you racist scum. A to B to Hell...
So, we can channel Alf Stewart?
"Your a flaming Galah."
Or Paul Keating's classic
"All tip and no iceberg."
Methinks the law of unintended consequences means some colourful older Aussie slang and terms may come full circle and be useful.
All tip and no iceberg 🤣
Everyone is already guilty, some are more guilty than others.
" All animals are equal.
Some are more equal than others." - George Orwell, Animal Farm.
I wonder if they will start releasing prisoners to make room like they did in the UK?
Excellent piece thank you Rebekah for alerting us all to this new horror.
On topic, my mind turns to Israel Folau's social media activity of 2018/9 and the consequences ...specifically his sacking by Rugby Australia. I wonder how his activity would have stacked up, legally, under legislation the likes of that proposed in Victoria. At the time, I was far more against his dismissal than I was, for it, believing that his competence on the rugby field ought to have determined his fitness to play, not what he did off it ...and that, whilst he had probably breached his contract, there needed to be a serious review of what could reasonably be placed into a workplace contract, per se, for professional sportsmen, in particular, but for employees, generally.
This written, I am far more libertarian than Bible basher and was in dissonance with the substance of Folau's messaging, and I am mindful of the psychological impact people with star status can have on their followers.
Israel opened up a can of worms.
LINS (Life Is Not Simple).
Any opinions?
I'm hazy on the details and I had not given hate speech laws a great deal of thought in any granular sense until recently. I'm still working out what I think. I recently bought Jacob Mchangama's book on the history of free speech and am looking forward to reading that. So, my opinions are still in the formation phase...
Victorians law only five years for hate speech is feeble sentence Think about the social damage & division that such speech incurs & lingers in peoples minds This type of talk unwelcome here notably in a multi-culture nation when some residents have fled the attitude being expounded by religiously based hate speeches & sadly some has been spoken by Australian born citizens of migrant parents yet such would not have been allowed in parents former country "Gratitude" biting the friendly helpful hand for desperate people Diversity is not the wonder pattern expected of it as some people don't transplant well or attempt assimilation to any extent
[due to fears of Islamophobia.....]
"Islam is not a religion of peace. It is a political theory of conquest that seeks domination by any means it can" - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
I loved her first book. Amazing women.
I’ve heard her say similar things - do you have a link for that exact quote though?
I clipped that quote from a posting on X. Microsoft Copilot tells me: It appears in her book "Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now". In this book, she argues that Islam needs significant reform to separate its religious aspects from its political ideology.
Gemini refused to comment :(
I do recall hearing her say more or less this in interviews on Triggernometry and elsewhere.
Added: https://www.salon.com/2015/04/04/islam_is_not_a_religion_of_peace_ayaan_hirsi_ali/
Thanks