Free Speech but only if I agree

News Hub reports

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/01/concern-over-simon-bridges-freedom-of-expression-twitter-claim.html

Simon Bridges comes out with some sensible suggestions on why free speech is important. The most obvious being that giving some nutters the ability to rant out in the open, let’s us know what they are thinking and where they are.

But The chairperson at the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties, Thomas Beagle has different thoughts.

As usual the supposed free speech advocates in our community groups believe in free speech, as long as they agree with what is being said.

Beagle said it was also hard to say if New Zealand Twitter accounts, including people pushing conspiracy theories and far right ideas, should have been allowed to remain on the platform.

What is far right? I have been accused of being far right because I don’t hate Trump.

There is nothing wrong with the laws we have which is, “don’t incite violence.” There is a lot wrong or at least problematic with trying to create hate speech as a crime.

Perhaps a law should be created saying, “it’s okay to be offended!”

Who decides who has gone too far right, or left for that matter. But for some reason this isn’t an issue, or is it?

Who knows where the line is that says we have gone over it with our opinions. But apparently we will have people tasked with assessing if we are dangerous or need punishment. I wonder if they will be called the Thought Police?

If the past 12 months has taught us anything, it is that our leaders have worked out they can push through unpopular laws during a crises.

I think we have entered the era of non stop crises, emergencies and the silencing of critics or critical thought.

If you need any evidence of the perils of hate laws, go check out some of the so called “Hate Speech” crimes in the UK. And what has come under the branch of Hate Speech.

Is this what we want here?

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