what happened to free speech

[EternalOptimist]

Do not let us forget, there are some things we are not allowed to say on CUK. Some words that make sense in the english language, but carry such a heavy message to some people that they can not be uttered by others.

bonkers, in my opinion

[Cliphead]

I have freedom of speech always. Ye's are all chunts

Except them that isn't

And then there's the borderline

Who's mammy doesn't know their out

And canny tie their own shoelaces

[alluvial]

I'm not sure why there seems to be a jumping up and down with cries of bigotry after the doughy one posted that link. Maybe there is some posting history I'm unaware of?

What I think of the article is that things are again upside down and rather one-sided. If the documentary was investigating the origins of christianity, then I'm sure that there would be some fundamentalists jumping up and down threatening the presenter with violence but everyone would just brand them as nutters and in general, apart from checking the doors were bolted and ensuring they weren't alone in a dark alley for the next few months, would more or less ignore them. It's the same when the inevitable happens to an England player that misses the deciding penalty in a major match, everyone hates him and he'll get a few threats from a few twats, but nobody takes them too seriously. However, there seems to be a perception with Islam that if you say or do anything that is likely to be contentious, that it won't be that the usual nutters are just mouthing off, but that there is a real possibility of being in physical danger. For some reason, we (British society) take these nutters more seriously and so pander to them by suppressing the contentious, that we worry may cause offence, that in reality will only be offensive to a small minority.

Free speech can only exist in a society where people are able to voice their opinion without the fear of reprisal, either directly from the state or because the state allows or encourages sections of society to take matters into their own hands. It wasn't all that many years ago that British people were proud to be able to speak their minds on any subject that they believed in. The only reprisals that could be expected was that society would censure them or that their views would be generally derided and they would be sidelined. Now, there is the everpresent fear of state sanctions with prosecution for hate crime or the possibility of reprisals from minorities that are allowed to live outside of the greater society's moral norm because the state has become ineffectual.

Me, I get worried by articles such as the OP posted and others, as it does show that freedom of speech is gradually being eroded in this country, either through state intervention or through general, perhaps misplaced fear.
I sometime wonder, what sort of society will our kids and grandchildren grow up in?

[NickFitz]

For those of you who haven't yet grasped that all that's happened is that Channel 4 have cancelled a cheese and wine party for a bunch of academics, here's the programme in question, via Channel 4's YouTube channel:

Pay attention; there'll be a test at the end

[xoggoth]

Well said Alluvial. Abuse and empty threats are one thing but any serious threats of violence should be investigated and prosecuted. Nothing raises resentment more than double standards.

[xoggoth]

For those of you who haven't yet grasped that all that's happened is that Channel 4 have cancelled a cheese and wine party for a bunch of academics, here's the programme in question, via Channel 4's YouTube channel

I think you are the one who is not grasping the point. An event, no matter how pointless /trivial etc, has been cancelled because of threats of violence

PS So where's the video? According to The Independent "Despite Channel 4’s statement, those attempting to watch the documentary on 4OD were met with an error message" and "a decision to pull a repeat screening of the documentary this Thursday was taken"

[alluvial]

I think you are the one who is not grasping the point. An event, no matter how pointless /trivial etc, has been cancelled because of threats of violence

PS So where's the video? According to The Independent "Despite Channel 4’s statement, those attempting to watch the documentary on 4OD were met with an error message" and "a decision to pull a repeat screening of the documentary this Thursday was taken"

I'm watching it now via Nick's link above. Have I got lucky?

[DimPrawn]

Is this yet another thing I should be really angry about, but actually couldn't give a flying **** about?

Just so I know if I should be adding to my "list"?

[NickFitz]

I think you are the one who is not grasping the point. An event, no matter how pointless /trivial etc, has been cancelled because of threats of violence

PS So where's the video? According to The Independent "Despite Channel 4’s statement, those attempting to watch the documentary on 4OD were met with an error message" and "a decision to pull a repeat screening of the documentary this Thursday was taken"

It's up there, in my post. Here it is on YouTube, if you prefer. Here's its page on the 4oD site (although I don't know if that works, because it whines about my version of Flash player, probably because of my Flashblocker. EDIT: Just checked, and I can't play anything on the 4oD site using Flash - good job I can play it all on my iPad's 4oD app, on which the programme in question is chuntering away as I type ). EDIT: and it's still shown on C4's site as scheduled for re-transmission on Thursday night, at 1:05am (so, strictly speaking, Friday morning).

Has anybody yet established why, if C4 think there is a threat, they haven't notified the police? One would think that would be the first thing they'd do, but instead they notify the Press. Free publicity, anybody?

[Ignis Fatuus]

What's free speech got to do with it? Free speech means they can choose to air the program if they want to. They don't want to.

Is that what you think free speech means?

I despair.