General Chat

Do you feel in the age of the mobile phone and improved facilities for travel, it is harder to impose censorship of the press, release of information about current events? Jay

Felicity, Its what newpapers have slapped on them so they can't report certain things

Nice to see such positive discussion. Everyone seems to know their 'Rights', few seem to realise their responsibilities. As for swearing - in my profession, swearing is commonplace, yet most of my colleagues restrict it when 'in public', so to speak. Writers seem to think that it is de rigeur for them to incorporate it in their 'work', often using the excuse: 'it reflects what is said in the street.' They do not seem to realise that what is seen on the screen has a heavy influence on what takes place on the street. I find it sad, but true, that so many otherwise good British films are just one long swear-fest: one well-known British actor seems to have made it his trademark (as if he were alone!). Interestingly, one recent, very good American TV series set in prison has no swearing at all (and few others I know who saw it noticed!) As for expressing opinions - we should be allowed to express them, even if they do offend other groups or individuals, providing those others are allowed to reply.

Ah yes, OCH... 'But politicians - now that is a different thing entirely. Whilst I think there is little point in shouting 'Yer all a load of rubbish' in a generalised way, if we cannot publicly criticise our politicians then we are in a dictatorship.' Does getting arrested for terrorist offences for saying 'Boo' to the PM lead the way to dictatorship?

I think Fitz means a 'D notice' - when the Home Office issues an order suppressing the release or discussion of very sensitive matters. From what I can remember, D notices are routinely issued to cover the activities of MI5 and MI6. Janet - I don't think mobile phones etc will make much difference, the press can still be gagged. When Edward V11 was about to abdicate, the whole world knew about him and his affair with Mrs Simpson - but the great majoritiy of the British public didnt know a thing, because the british press had been gagged. OK, we could now put that sort of stuff on a website, but still the media would not be allowed to publish it. (D notice). Possibly there are two different issues here - Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Information. I don't necessari;y think the two things go hand in hand. OC

very good subject, firstly we must appreciate how lucky we are to be living in a country that allows us freedom to speak our minds, just think how awful it must be to live in zimbabwe under mugabe, and his police state. having said that, we cannot allow this freedom to envelope into racist hatred, so i do think we need some control over this. bryan.

Hello Bryan, At what point does freedom of speech become race hatred?

Thanks for that, Fitz. Rob, what's the American series you're referring to? I agree with you in the respect ot 'life imitating art imitating life' and sometimes wonder what streets these scriptwriters walk down! As for the right to express an opinion, I agree with you on that too, though I think often the difficulty is in how that opinion is expressed rather than the opinion itself. Also, opinions in themselves are just that and often, people take offence where none is intended. After all, if two people disagree on something, much of the time, it makes no difference to either of them, but they still have difficulty with the concept of 'live and let live' and prefer to argue about imagined/perceived rights and wrongs.

Robert, I would see a difference between offending and being offensive - I believe offensive to be deliberate and therefore discourteous, whilst I accept that stating my opinion, politely, may offend the views of others. I would agree with you that if I expect others to listen to my point of view, then I should also be prepared to listen to theirs. Yes, we may well have to agree to disagree. Jay

I have a distrust of the 'media' .. I think, via tv etc, it has far too much sway on public opinion, eg, it tells you a bad winter is forecasted/so many will die...terrorists are everywhere? be careful The media hypes it up - its good stories Having said that -- I have free speech to moan?

hi robert, by that i refer to any religion or group, that openly threatens by word of mouth, the safety of the people of the united kingdom. bryan.

Fitz, I'm sure you have a brain too, as well as eyes and ears, and read between the lines and beyond the lines rather than just what is on the line? Jay

I agree, Fitz. The media has never let the truth get in the way of a good story. One thing that is alarming me is the hype given to the new terrorists - the increasing strictures in all the latest laws seems more inhibiting to the law-abiding than to the law-abusing. As for the latest policy of 'the law isn't giving us the results we want in court, so we will change the law...'!!! Methinks it is that terrorism has been experienced on the other side of 'the pond' that it is being hyped so much. I see it a bit more of chickens coming home to roost...

I feel certainly in this country that we were dragged into a conflict under false pretences we were told by our government about the 'weapons of mass destruction' - where is the evidence?? a question that our government cannot or will not answer and ask as we do we get no answers so as well as freedom of speech surely we are entitled to 'freedom of answers'.

Bryan, that could be read as racist! What you state, though, will be covered by many of the old laws covering the security of this country - treason, for example. I have had very little legal training, but what I have seen of the hotch-potch of laws that the present government is churning out is that they seem to be so ill-conceived, with little thought as to the Law of Unforeseen Consequences.

Jay, I do :) Freedom of speech is us here now speaking? Would I change that? No Way We really are lucky to be able to speak so freely -- even if we disagree with each other.

sorry robert, i disagree. i said group or religion, therefor not a racist remark. freedom of speech is a privilege to encompass, not denigrate. are you saying it's okay to stand in front of hundreds of people in london, and encourage followers to give their life in order to take the lives of hundreds of innocent people in this country. bryan.

TIme and time again it has been said that it is not Americans/Westerners that other countries dislike or are against, it's American/Western policies and I quite agree with your 'chickens coming home to roost' comment Rob. My own view is that some politicians were just waiting for something to happen so that they could wheel out a range of restrictive laws that would give government more power (isn't that what all the superpower politicians want?) on the pretext of 'much needed security'. Unfortunately, in the effort to stay on the good side of America, British politicians were taken in, used and abused in the process. Americans are just beginning to wake up to the idea that nation building is not necessarily in the best interests of the average 'person in the street' and they potentially have another Vietnam on their hands. It remains to be seen what they can or will do about it. Unfortunately, I think the British public have yet to see this and use their voice to object, and the American voice is quickly being stifled - see my earlier comment on the American pop star; it was not an isolated incident. Thanks for clarifying the 'D' order OC. Fitz, I don't think we're lucky to have free speech. Societies get the government they deserve. For western societies at least, we have voted in the politicians and if we let them take away our freedoms, well, we have only ourselves to blame. It's the reason why I think everyone has the responsibility to vote who can. 'Use it or lose it!' As a society we have to earn our right to free speech and work to keep it.

In some way agree with Felicity, but, what I find abhorrent in the whole of this is British arms sold to Iran/Iraq are now the same things we are fighting? Britain aka Government has a lot to answer to who they sold arms to in the first place? Arms being used against us now?

Felicity, I do believe Britain gained its free speech from WW2 Thanks Oc, I knew it was some sort of D order slapped on news