Man jailed over racist messages

[puddleduck]

Germaine Greer came out and abused Steve Irwin after he died, why doesn't she get sent to jail?

She didn't launch a racial attack on him though did she? People are allowed to have an opinion, and not everyone will agree. Having an opinion is fine, being racist is not.

 

[DJ Ager]

She didn't launch a racial attack on him though did she? People are allowed to have an opinion, and not everyone will agree. Having an opinion is fine, being racist is not.

Exactly, there is having an opinon, but being racist is wrong! :

 

[sachin]

As Sureshot said,this guy says he isn't racist,just wanted to stir up trouble. And he also had Alot of Porno (The punishable stuff)........Seems a bit mental...I wonder if he had a medical check up?

 

[nightprowler10]

So 33 counts of Child pornography is 4 times less severe than race hate crimes?

Could be that he got a tougher sentance this time around since it was a second offense?

 

[andrew_nixon]

Exactly, there is having an opinon, but being racist is wrong! :

I doubt any rational person would disagree with you about racism being wrong, however, the fact remains that in a free society people must be allowed to have any opinions, no matter how unpalatable. Sending people to prision for saying/writing something racist is simply wrong. I'm not defending the guy, he is the scum of the earth, but he should have the right to say what he wants.

 

[Adarsh]

I'm sure racism does not come under freedom of speech, or does it?
Anyway, I do think it's a bit harsh. People shout various slander all the time and they go unpunished, but typing over the internet and he's got a jail sentence. Even then, it should only have been 3 months, IMO. Not 3 years.

 

[nightprowler10]

I doubt any rational person would disagree with you about racism being wrong, however, the fact remains that in a free society people must be allowed to have any opinions, no matter how unpalatable. Sending people to prision for saying/writing something racist is simply wrong. I'm not defending the guy, he is the scum of the earth, but he should have the right to say what he wants.

We don't know exactly what the guy said in the forum, but whatever he did say, possibly could've been interpreted as a hate crime, for which many countries have strict laws against.

That said, I agree that people should be allowed to say what they want. Even though it may seem that talking racist crap about a man who has been brutally murdered should have some consequences, it really goes against the spirit of the phrase "Freedom of Speech".

 

[andrew_nixon]

I'm sure racism does not come under freedom of speech, or does it?

All speech comes under freedom of speech. Otherwise what's the point in having freedom of speech?

 

[manee]

However, just like many many other things, there are different rules than basic human rights on the internet.

 

[rickyp]

its not freedom of speech excluding racism. Im totally against racism but andrew is right, its wrong for someone to be jailed over this, he has a right to say whatever he wants

 

[ZoraxDoom]

I agree with Tassie. It's almost like the Dean Jones incident. Too harsh a punishment over almost nothing. All he did was say stuff, big whoop. It's taking this political corectness thing too far. It is like calling a person fat, ugly, stupid, etc. But that isn't considered discrimination, like if you say a person is useless if he is fat (And people do believe that), whay is this such a big issue? Because of history? By gones should be bygones. Imprisoning him will just fire up other racists. Stupid really, what has this earth come too..

 

[Kev]

If he was charged it must have been with encitement to create religious/racial hatred (I forget the exact legal phrase). There is a difference between being a racist and enciting racist hatred (legally at least).

Under the current laws you are allowed to be a racist but you cannot stir up racist violence.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Violence is another thing, but whow can you get violence via a forum over the internet?

 

[Kev]

Its incitement to violence, calling for the killing of people for example.

 

[puddleduck]

Exactly Kev. If he had mentioned in his postings that more of those killings should take place, or more people should follow their example, then he is inciting racial violence, and deserves the punishment. Funnily enough, I do agree that the punishment for airing his views is technically wrong in terms of the right to free speech. However I also feel absolutely no sympathy towards the chap, and he, in my opinion, got nothing worse than he deserved, people of his ilk deserve little to no compassion.