Free speech should apply to everyone

About the only thing Noam Chomsky ever said that I agree with is that if we don't believe in free expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.











To be absolutely clear about this, I an not a "free speech absolutist" because what I support is freedom of speech within the law.

If you use your freedom of speech to incite or organise criminal activity such as violent attacks on a group you do not like, or sabotage or damage public or private property, you are breaking the law and cannot claim free speech to protect yourself against the consequences.  

But if you merely express, in a way which does not commit, facilitate or encourage any violent act or other breach of the law, or slander anyone, views which other people including myself might find offensive or despicable,  then you should have freedom of speech to express those views - and those who disagree with you should have, subject to exactly the same conditions,  the right to respond in robust terms.


We really need to be able to handle the fact that some people have different opinions and not act like the characters in Tracy Ullman's alternative opinions support group sketch.



The graphic below was posted this week on Facebook as a joke, but as the saying goes, many a true word is spoken in jest ... 





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