The West has lost its freedom of speech

[SirRumpole]

This case was brought up on Q&A last night.

It seems like overkill to me. The plaintiff wasn't even mentioned and now she's suing for "possible verbal abuse" or something similarly trivial.

Even if the defendants win they could be up for massive legal bills.

Doesn't seem right to me.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...-legal-blackmail-senator-20160419-go9yf7.html

 

[Tisme]

This case was brought up on Q&A last night.

It seems like overkill to me. The plaintiff wasn't even mentioned and now she's suing for "possible verbal abuse" or something similarly trivial.

Even if the defendants win they could be up for massive legal bills.

Doesn't seem right to me.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...-legal-blackmail-senator-20160419-go9yf7.html

Natives using Jew tactics to profit from the justice system. Great way to distance people from embracing minorities

 

[SirRumpole]

Natives using Jew tactics to profit from the justice system. Great way to distance people from embracing minorities

Yes, it will only increase resentment and lead to more racism if it succeeds. It seems totally laughable, the students were criticising the Uni itself and someone on the sidelines decides to make a big deal out of it, no doubt funded by Aboriginal Legal Aid; ie the taxpayer.

 

[Tink]

Agree, Rumpole, and a question that should be asked to all politicians.

Should people be fined $250,000 for SAYING something -- yes or no?

Is this a liberal democracy or North Korea?

The reason 18C should go.

 

[Tisme]

Agree, Rumpole, and a question that should be asked to all politicians.

Should people be fined $250,000 for SAYING something -- yes or no?

Is this a liberal democracy or North Korea?

The reason 18C should go.

I fear it might be a bit too late. One only has to observe how people arc up on discussion boards over comments that are obviously designed to be ridiculous, but taken as an affront nonetheless.....and the odd thing is that even many baby boomers seem to have lost that tolerance of larrikin behaviours, bending to the "establishment" they sought to unchain all those years ago.

 

[McLovin]

This case was brought up on Q&A last night.

It seems like overkill to me. The plaintiff wasn't even mentioned and now she's suing for "possible verbal abuse" or something similarly trivial.

Even if the defendants win they could be up for massive legal bills.

Doesn't seem right to me.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/que...-legal-blackmail-senator-20160419-go9yf7.html

It's a BS argument and would've been tossed out of court, with costs awarded to the defendant/s. Even if this...

"Just got kicked out of the unsigned Indigenous computer room. QUT is stopping segregation with segregation,"

...breached 18C, which I don't think it does (and the case law sets a very high bar for offence), it would be protected by 18D. The fact that she has asked to settle for $5,000 after initially claiming damages of $500,000 shows how frivolous the claim is.

 

[SirRumpole]

The fact that she has asked to settle for $5,000 after initially claiming damages of $500,000 shows how frivolous the claim is.

Yes you are right, but the fact that people have settled for $5,000 instead of risking a court case and being stuck with legal fees indicates that it's too easy to launch frivolous cases under this legislation.

That's not an excuse for 18C to be abolished, just that it should be modified to catch only the nastier forms of hate speech.

 

[Tisme]

Yes you are right, but the fact that people have settled for $5,000 instead of risking a court case and being stuck with legal fees indicates that it's too easy to launch frivolous cases under this legislation.

That's not an excuse for 18C to be abolished, just that it should be modified to catch only the nastier forms of hate speech.

Maybe what's left of the student union could have defended their members?

 

[SirRumpole]

Maybe what's left of the student union could have defended their members?

The only thing Left of the student union are the Fabians !

 

[bellenuit]

Let's hope this letter to University of Chicago new students is replicated elsewhere in the West.

 

[Tink]

Good to hear, Bellenuit.

And hopefully they have stopped going around destroying things, like ISIS.

The history is there, so leave it alone.

 

[wayneL]

It's a BS argument and would've been tossed out of court, with costs awarded to the defendant/s. Even if this...



...breached 18C, which I don't think it does (and the case law sets a very high bar for offence), it would be protected by 18D. The fact that she has asked to settle for $5,000 after initially claiming damages of $500,000 shows how frivolous the claim is.

Still, the threat of 18c even if frivolous, cost these people $5000, for fear of being unlucky enough to strike an activist magistrate. Even if it went to court and were thrown out, it would have cost money, time and stress.

The effect is the same, the stifling of freedom of speech, because people will be reluctant to say anything along these lines.

 

[McLovin]

Still, the threat of 18c even if frivolous, cost these people $5000, for fear of being unlucky enough to strike an activist magistrate. Even if it went to court and were thrown out, it would have cost money, time and stress.

The effect is the same, the stifling of freedom of speech, because people will be reluctant to say anything along these lines.

You could say the same about defamation laws.

 

[Knobby22]

Still, the threat of 18c even if frivolous, cost these people $5000, for fear of being unlucky enough to strike an activist magistrate. Even if it went to court and were thrown out, it would have cost money, time and stress.

The effect is the same, the stifling of freedom of speech, because people will be reluctant to say anything along these lines.

I agree. She has shown that if you are aboriginal, female, LGBT, Muslim, black, Asian, a minority, you name it, you can now threaten and extort with impunity using this law. It is wrong and as a minimum needs to be rewritten. It does provide a chilling effect to freedom of speech.

Our defamation laws are even more ridiculous.

 

[McLovin]

I agree. She has shown that if you are aboriginal, female, LGBT, Muslim, black, Asian, a minority, you name it, you can now threaten and extort with impunity using this law. It is wrong and as a minimum needs to be rewritten. It does provide a chilling effect to freedom of speech.

Our defamation laws are even more ridiculous.

It would help if you understood the law before criticising it. How does a female, LGBT or Muslim "extort with impunity using this law"?

 

[Knobby22]

It would help if you understood the law before criticising it. How does a female, LGBT or Muslim "extort with impunity using this law"?

You just saw it done. $5,000 or go to court. Of course you have to have the knowledge and savvy to do it.

The case is very unlikely to be won but the persons involved would have to attend court, be paraded in front of the media and miss time at university, hence the willingness of some of them to settle.

 

[Ves]

It's a BS argument and would've been tossed out of court, with costs awarded to the defendant/s. Even if this...



...breached 18C, which I don't think it does (and the case law sets a very high bar for offence), it would be protected by 18D. The fact that she has asked to settle for $5,000 after initially claiming damages of $500,000 shows how frivolous the claim is.

Some of the defendants didn't settle (including the guy who made the facebook post).

edit: Apparently there still will be a court case.

Latest here:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/hig...y/news-story/a86f5c3d65d1c1df5289bcd44bc354d2

 

[cynic]

One thing I keep noticing of late, is that some articles accessed via google, can be viewed without subscription, but are otherwise inaccessible when viewed via a forum link.

By googling "Australian article 18c", I was able to locate and read the article, without the need for a subscription.

 

[Ves]

One thing I keep noticing of late, is that some articles accessed via google, can be viewed without subscription, but are otherwise inaccessible when viewed via a forum link.

By googling "Australian article 18c", I was able to locate and read the article, without the need for a subscription.

Same for me, cynic. I found the article from a google search.

 

[Tink]

I fear it might be a bit too late. One only has to observe how people arc up on discussion boards over comments that are obviously designed to be ridiculous, but taken as an affront nonetheless.....and the odd thing is that even many baby boomers seem to have lost that tolerance of larrikin behaviours, bending to the "establishment" they sought to unchain all those years ago.

You better watch out, Tisme, as you would be the first to be fined for talking, thinking and breathing. (I am joking, are we still allowed to do that?)
Sadly people are being stopped from talking, as was pointed out by Wayne, where we can't even give an opinion.

The thing that annoys me is the constant threat that people will commit suicide, and it is wearing thin for me with this dishonesty.
If these are mental health patients, then they should deal with it, not put this across to us.

Why do they constantly bring up suicide for every cause?

Just to say, I am not of english heritage, but I do admire their rule of law.
People came to this country, and got on with it.
We all added a bit, but we never changed the fabric, imv.

Just my thoughts.