'Hate Speech' from a veteran columnist

[Tom Bryant]

Thank you. She's 89 yrs old, has ethnic ties to the middle east, maybe a little senile, and it's probably time for her to retire anyway. The Jews will make a mountain out of a mole hill with anything they percieve as anti-semitic.

[sarcasm alert]
Why should a Jew think she is being anti-semitic when she ignores the fact that Jews have been in Israel long before 1948.

Why should Jews think she is being anti-semitic when she tells them to go back to countries where they were murdered.

It's all their fault!

Her comments were roughly the equivalent of telling an African American he ought to go back to the plantation.

 

[kyredneck]

[sarcasm alert]
Why should a Jew think she is being anti-semitic when she ignores the fact that Jews have been in Israel long before 1948.

Why should Jews think she is being anti-semitic when she tells them to go back to countries where they were murdered.

It's all their fault!

Her comments were roughly the equivalent of telling an African American he ought to go back to the plantation.

Point taken.

After watching the video, I had this feelin' that she was set up; you know, it's like someone knew that she would respond the way she did.

 

[rbell]

Where do people get the idea that the Constitutional 'right to free speech' means you can say whatever you want with no consequences whatsoever? It only means that the government cannot arbitrarily outlaw speech or punish people for saying something they decide they don't like. SOCIAL consequences of free speech are a completely different matter. Should a clerk be able to call a customer offensive names because they have the right to free speech? They can't be charged with a crime for doing it, but they can and should be fired. That is not a violation of Constitutional rights.
But Helen Thomas wasn't even fired! She resigned after many people, exercising the same right to free speech that she did, condemned her comments. No one suggested that she be arrested and imprisoned for what she said. She decided, rightly, that she could no longer do her job properly with this unremovable cloud hanging over her. If she HAD been fired, however, it would still not be a Constitutional issue.
Except for the 'yelling fire in a crowded theatre' situations, speech cannot be outlawed. But that does NOT mean that there should never be any other consequences for speech. We are and well should be held accountable socially for improper things we say, especially when they are at the level of offensiveness of what Helen Thomas said.

Nailed it.

 

[kyredneck]

Where do people get the idea that the Constitutional 'right to free speech' means you can say whatever you want with no consequences whatsoever? It only means that the government cannot arbitrarily outlaw speech or punish people for saying something they decide they don't like. SOCIAL consequences of free speech are a completely different matter. Should a clerk be able to call a customer offensive names because they have the right to free speech? They can't be charged with a crime for doing it, but they can and should be fired. That is not a violation of Constitutional rights.
But Helen Thomas wasn't even fired! She resigned after many people, exercising the same right to free speech that she did, condemned her comments. No one suggested that she be arrested and imprisoned for what she said. She decided, rightly, that she could no longer do her job properly with this unremovable cloud hanging over her. If she HAD been fired, however, it would still not be a Constitutional issue.
Except for the 'yelling fire in a crowded theatre' situations, speech cannot be outlawed. But that does NOT mean that there should never be any other consequences for speech. We are and well should be held accountable socially for improper things we say, especially when they are at the level of offensiveness of what Helen Thomas said.

Nailed it.

Be patient. I am convinced that the stage is slowly, methodically being set to usher in federal hate speech laws that will address 'the level of offensiveness of what Helen Thomas said'.

http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=66002

 

[Tom Bryant]

Be patient. I am convinced that the stage is slowly, methodically being set to usher in federal hate speech laws that will address 'the level of offensiveness of what Helen Thomas said'.

I agree with you.

But the fact is that the free market and freedom of speech did indeed work the way it was supposed to. No government stopped her from making her anti-semitic comments. Her employer just withdrew their support and others (both left and right) used their free speech to condemn what she said.

There's no need for the gov't to step in. Just let the market to support or condemn what is said.

 

[billwald]

>Why should a Jew think she is being anti-semitic when she ignores the fact that Jews have been in Israel long before 1948

Yes, but as subjects of other kingdoms for 2000 years. Mexicans were south of Colorado and west of the Rockies for several hundred years before the US obtained control. Does that give them a claim on California?

 

[targus]

>Why should a Jew think she is being anti-semitic when she ignores the fact that Jews have been in Israel long before 1948

Yes, but as subjects of other kingdoms for 2000 years. Mexicans were south of Colorado and west of the Rockies for several hundred years before the US obtained control. Does that give them a claim on California?

Sarcasim alert....

And since present day Mexicans are mostly of Spanish decent - with the Spanish conquerors having killed off most of the native people - shouldn't the illegal immigrants in the U.S. all go back to Spain?

 

[Bob Alkire]

I agree with you.

But the fact is that the free market and freedom of speech did indeed work the way it was supposed to. No government stopped her from making her anti-semitic comments. Her employer just withdrew their support and others (both left and right) used their free speech to condemn what she said.

There's no need for the gov't to step in. Just let the market to support or condemn what is said.

So true, all worked well, government should stay out.

 

[carpro]

Thomas is merely a reflection of the anti semitism that runs rampant in the Obama administration and liberals in general.

 

[rbell]

Sarcasim alert....

And since present day Mexicans are mostly of Spanish decent - with the Spanish conquerors having killed off most of the native people - shouldn't the illegal immigrants in the U.S. all go back to Spain?

I guess we're all closet mesopotamians, eh? :applause:

 

[billwald]

>And since present day Mexicans are mostly of Spanish decent - with the Spanish conquerors having killed off most of the native people - shouldn't the illegal immigrants in the U.S. all go back to Spain?

Which is why I propose a 10 year international statute of limitations for invading nations. Hold the land for 10 years and national title passes. This would nullify Palestinian claims.

 

[rbell]

>And since present day Mexicans are mostly of Spanish decent - with the Spanish conquerors having killed off most of the native people - shouldn't the illegal immigrants in the U.S. all go back to Spain?

Which is why I propose a 10 year international statute of limitations for invading nations. Hold the land for 10 years and national title passes. This would nullify Palestinian claims.

That would assume that folks like Hamas have the honor needed to hold an agreement.

They don't.