Ive been reading some of the comments for this article and there are some really great points regarding this issue. Brandis whole Its OK to be a bigot was more about the right to free speech more than it was about the right to be a racist asshole. However, by repealing s18c of the racial discrimination act it opens the floodgates to allowing other free speech to occur. One commentator mentioned said this: Freedom of speech does not mean you can say what you want when you want to who you want just as your personal freedom doesnt mean you can king hit someone on the street or exercise road rage. Inability on the part of some to exercise restraint or self control in public is one of the significant challenges that our community faces at present as it is corrosive and cumulative. The purpose of our laws is to establish clear boundaries for this public conduct. Exactly! Another comment, which brings up something VERY important is this: With any freedom comes responsibility. In Australia we are free to chose what lifestyle we want unless it it hurts or is potentially dangerous to other people. It is not okay to express hatred or vilify people based on their difference from us. I am not a community advocate but a retired British heritage Australian who is increasingly disturbed by the emergence of racism and racist language masked as free speech. Whats is the next freedom? Maybe allowing paedophiles to preach their mantra that their behaviour is not wrong, just different. For a nation to be truly free their must be boundaries of acceptable behaviour. The basic test is if it is hurtful to an individual or class of people it is not free speech but vilification. If the Attorney-generals attitude is representative of the Governments philosophy, Australia is in serious decline. What exactly is this government trying to achieve?
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 10:24:56 +0000
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