Guy got arrested for making racist comments on twitter about Muamba

[arekgreenman888]

Racism is against the law in the UK.

So is sexism, and ageism to be politically correct.

 

[D.P.]

I completely fail to see why his comments require a legal punishment. People are saying that free speech doesn't mean consequence free speech but the public reaction to this, along with possible sanctions from groups he's associated with (the football club he plays for, his university) mean he wouldn't just "get away with it". What value to society is there to locking the guy up? Does that make racism go away? Does it suddenly make Muamba better?

It may make other racists keep their mouth shut.

 

[mmj_uk]

I can gurantee you would care what people said about you if it grew out of control, starting trending or became the cool thing to jump on.
It would definitely affect you one way or another. How about if someone starting randomly tweeting awful, unjustied words about any of your loved ones, are you suggesting you could just move on and forget about it?
I'm guessing you've never been bullied?

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

An old nursery rhyme that I was told growing up (pre-authoritarian nanny state).

 

[mmj_uk]

Just a small point. As I understand it racism is not illegal.

If person X says "I don't like black people" he hasn't broken the law.

Where is becomes illegal is when it incites violence or racial hatred.

If person X says "Black people should all be beaten up" then he has crossed the line.

Also if the racism becomes abusive it breaks the law.

If anyone is stupid enough to listen to person x and commits an act of violence it's then that the police should get involved.

How many times has someone on OCUK said that the middle east/iran/syria should be nuked? should those people be arrested and thrown in jail?

 

[RDM]

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

An old nursery rhyme that I was told growing up (pre-authoritarian nanny state).

Shame it is wrong. Having an anti bullying policy of "Just ignore it" isn't really going to work very well.

 

[RDM]

I was thinking more broadly about employment law and other parts of noncriminal law.

Ah right, I see where you are coming from now. I was more thinking along the lines of it not being illegal to dislike, hate or think you are superior to other races. It may well be illegal to act on those feelings in certain circumstances, but it should never be illegal to have those feelings or be able to express those feelings in a non-work environment.

 

[AdladUK]

I can gurantee you would care what people said about you if it grew out of control, starting trending or became the cool thing to jump on.
It would definitely affect you one way or another. How about if someone starting randomly tweeting awful, unjustied words about any of your loved ones, are you suggesting you could just move on and forget about it?
I'm guessing you've never been bullied?

Please don't tell me what would and would not effect me based on your own sensitivities.

I'm a grown man. I couldn't care less about what people say online about me or any of my loved ones. This is part of what's called growing up and not being treated like a baby your entire life

 

[LabR@t]

Please don't tell me what would and would not effect me based on your own sensitivities.

I'm a grown man. I couldn't care less about what people say online about me or any of my loved ones. This is part of what's called growing up and not being treated like a baby your entire life

Too many people have been 'nannied' there whole life. Blame Labour.

Then again I just don't get/do social media but meh I am anti-social.

 

[semi-pro waster]

This thread demonstrates a perfect clear line between those ocuk's members who truly believe in liberty and those who believe in tyranny (but possibly don't know it yet).

oh and **** the police state, the police should arrest business men with suites who steal tax money and not some stupid ass hole with ****ed up comment on stupid site.

waste of time / resources.

Is "truly believe in liberty" your way of saying that there should be no consequences for anything you say? If so that has never been the case in the UK and indeed there is almost nowhere in the World where you can express absolutely any opinion without potentially facing some consequences.

I'd also point out this isn't a police state, it's not even close to one at the moment.

how can it be justified when a few weeks back a gang of somalian girls beat a girl up whilst billing her a white bitch and as they said they were drunk and not used to drink they got suspended sentences.

the thought police are at the door got to go,,,:-/

Again, just because another sentence is arguably wrong doesn't mean that this one is also wrong. It's perfectly possible that this one is at the correct level and the other should have been much harsher - I don't think that's the case here in that I think a prison sentence is somewhat disproportionate to the crime, some form of sanction probably was merited but what that needed to be is up for debate.

Too many people have been 'nannied' there whole life. Blame Labour.

Then again I just don't get/do social media but meh I am anti-social.

Labour were last elected from 1997 to 2010 - I'm not convinced we can blame all societal ills on them since it's a limited timescale and they aren't responsible for every parenting decision.

 

[LabR@t]

Labour were last elected from 1997 to 2010 - I'm not convinced we can blame all societal ills on them since it's a limited timescale and they aren't responsible for every parenting decision.

Those who grew up before then don't seem to have this victim mentality and take offense at every opportunity and often on someone else's behalf.

 

[spudbynight]

Yes quite. The act of racism is illegal (a mind is free, so thoughts do not count). If you shouted in the street "**** OFF *******!" Then you could be arrested for a racially aggravated s5 public order offence.

If you shouted in the street "**** OFF ******* im going to batter you" then you could be arrested for a racially aggravated s4 public order offence.


Fully star out all swear words.

You haven't given an example of "the act of racism". You have just shown an example of racist abuse.

As I said earlier racism itself is not illegal to the best of my knowledge. There are lots of actions which are illegal if racially motivated though.

 

[spudbynight]

If anyone is stupid enough to listen to person x and commits an act of violence it's then that the police should get involved.

How many times has someone on OCUK said that the middle east/iran/syria should be nuked? should those people be arrested and thrown in jail?

Well you have to take context into account. If I said that I was unhappy with my experience today in the local Chicken Shack and we should take off and nuke the site from orbit (it IS the only way to be sure) it is pretty clear that I am not being serious.

If someone else suggested going back at midnight tonight to brick the windows in then that is something which could be taken as serious despite it possibly being a joke.