Freedom of Speech?

[Soner]

Sorry, if your post upsets members then it will be deleted. I have deleted 2 posts as I have had emails from members not approving - so no freedom of speech on this forum when it comes to attacking people. If anyone likes a really good arguement by provoking people on forums then you already know that there are other forums you can post on. Keep away from Kibkom - you are just wasting your time.

Please read forum rules.

[Edi]

Thank you for this, let's hope we can support each other rather than insult, it is easy to sit back and enjoy the argument caused by one post.

[johnerebus]

Excellent. This should keep this forum friendly, informative and helpful. Well done

[LooseBoots]

This goes to prove that this is not a Happy Clappy forum but a friendly one.

Quite agree with you Soner.

[Marions]

I love debate, and good discussion, but I don't like anything that might cuase hurt to others being discussed. One has to question the reason for wanting the discussion. If one is seeking to find answers to help oneself or help others, then I guess everything is justified, but if it is for any other reason, then soemtimes we have to ask ourselves how our thoughts will be received. thanks Soner for reminding us how to respect others - lest we forget.

One thing I do miss is a good healthy discussion group, and it would be good if we could do that here, but it is always better face to face as one can read body language. But I guess we can't have everything.

[paddywack]

When you deny freedom of speech,you are denying a basic right of personal expression.Since the demise of 44,admitted it was sometimes vitriolic, there has not yet been a forum where there has been a heated discussion,everybody seems to not want to rock the boat.What is the point of having a forum where people fawn to the owner/moderator because a member posts something that is not offensive generally but offends them personally.

[Sandman]

Last post is a good example of the reason for the demise of 44.
If there is a mere whiff of vitriol - cut them off!!

[Mel7348]

Call it discussion/debate, Im with everyone on this. Stick to the thread subject . Heated forum discussion is healthy.

ISSUES not personalities. FAWNING does not come into it ETHICS do!.

[elizabeth]

I'm all for freedom of speech and must admit that I would like to see discussions on the new forums being allowed to flow a little more, however, when someone posts a thread that is deliberately offensive and plain attention seeking ( even though the person has a forum of their own which is extremely restrictive) then those posts should be removed.
Most of us are fully aware of the reason for the downfall of 44 and I would hope that the members on here conduct themselves in a manner that will allow debate without the hate and insults that brought down 44.

[iancrumpy]

Was DC's post "deliberately offensive"? - the only really unacceptable part of his post was his use of the word "homo" ... and I put this down to him not being a native-speaker. The rest of his post was unfortunately (at least from my point of view) what a large percentage of the population feel on this issue.

[johnerebus]

If anyone wants a real argument, wants to insult me, or my mum, I'll be in N Cyprus September to November and suggest we settle this face to face over 5 rounds with the following conditions

1. I have my osteopath in my corner to look after my bad back

2. I have my optician in my corner to change my long distance glasses for reading glasses so that I can trade verbal blows close up

3. I have an oxygen cylinder in my corner to help my breathing

4. Each round to last no more than 1 minute, allowing 25 seconds to reach my opponent from my corner, 10 seconds for a discussion / argument / name calling / tongue poke out / making menacing faces etc and 25 seconds to enable me to return to my corner and rest for 10 minutes before the next exhausting round

5. I'm allowed to use my London Freedom Bus Pass to make my escape.

So there! Anyone wanna try it?

[kiplet]

Great post johnerebus, it made me laugh

[Soner]

[Marions]

If I use my freedom of speech to offend and hurt others, then I do not consider I have a RIGHT to use it in that way. If I use my freedom of speech to help find answers to questions and help others, then I hope I DO use it. If I need to THINK before I use my freedom of speech, then I must satisfy that need.
If I genuinely want answers to questions, and if I invite others to share their thoughts on a subject in order to help me find MY truth, then I welcome theirt freeedom of speech. When I was in Austrlaia I had a 'class' of some 30 adults from different backgrounds and understandings of life, faith and ethics, and we shared and we learned and everyone was free to speak their understanding, but n the grounds that they were helping to find truth.
My personal opinion is that if anyone posts on here and it causes offence, then there is little use in the posting. when the one about homosexuality was posted, my question would be 'What is the reason for the posting'. Did the one posting the thread REALLY want to be helped in THEIR understanding of the subject matter, or were they preaching, or were they 'stirrring'.
I thinkSoner is wise to try to 'keep the party clean'.
Unfortunately, there are some people who seem automatically able to offend. maybe it is because of linguistics, but I heard today of someone who was approached to help in a very difficult and nasty situation, and when approached by a much respected person in the community was rude to them twice in an extremely unacceptable manner and as the person who asked for help said 'One doesn't respond like this here!' So it seems sometimes that it is not just words that offend, but it is also manners, - so I am with Soner all the way that if someone posts on here and it is bad words and bad manners, then in the interests of Utilitarian Ethics - delete!
Or in the words of the Buddha 'Do no harm'. and I hope that Kibkomers might adopt that as the golden rule for this forum,.

[LooseBoots]

Well said Marian. Agree 100 %.

[BLUE BUTTERFLY]

I have a saying, as long as people are not hurting me or mine, then let them get on with their lives. Cruelty towards children or otherwise defenceless beings, I will also not tolerate. These are my opinions, I am using freedom of speech, without offense.
----------------Edited by Moderator--------------
He says he is worried that his grandchildren, by seeing the word 'homo' on television so often may turn out to be gay.
Is he not worried that if they watch the news that they may turn out to be rapists, murderers, football hooligans, or corrupt politicians?
Ian crumpty, I do not agree that most of the population has a problem with 'this issue', where do you get this idea? I know a lot of people but not one of them is anti gay, Interesting to note that the ones who are, tend to be male, what are they afraid of? Maybe that 'truth will out'

[cyprusishome]

DC has a far greater command of the English Language both spelling and grammar than many English people.
His posting is to attract just this sort of thread from "angry people"!! Guess what? It worked!!!
As for the subject matter, you just have to walk around Amsterdam to see freedom of choice but there are also fanatical right wing elements worrying many there.

[erol]

"NY State Senator Proposes Banning Anonymous Free Speech on the Net"

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=24775

The proposed bill itself

http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/S6779-2011

[iancrumpy]

Blue Buuterfly wrote "Ian crumpty, I do not agree that most of the population has a problem with 'this issue', where do you get this idea? I know a lot of people but not one of them is anti gay".

Firstly Blue Butterfly, at no point I have I said that "most of the population is ... anti-gay" - if you actually read my post, then you'll see that I wrote that a "large percentage of the population feel the same on this issue (of too much coverage of homosexuality on television and in the media). I chose my words carefully, because, like everyone else, I don't know the actual figures on this.

As you know, I am very much pro-gay-rights, however I am also a realist and am aware that, yes, a "large percentage" of our members (albeit silently) would support DC on this matter ... am I allowed to write "matter" Blue Butterfly

As I wrote above, we don't know the actual figures, but it should be noted that Obama's stance on gay marriages could (unfortunately ) lose him the presidency.

With regard to DC's post, if indeed he wrote "homo" to be deliberately offensive and provocative, then removing the thread was the appropriate action.

iancrumpy ... please note the correct spelling of my name

[Soner]

Iancrumpy, I am guessing that the incorrect spelling of BlueButterfly was intentional.

I would really love to close this post. What's the weather like in North Cyprus? Been nice and hot in London.

[yea-ok]

Hetro phobic springs to mind what ever happened to hetros right to be represented in the media ?

[Dutch-Cypriot]

@ iancrumpy: (...) With regard to DC's post, if indeed he wrote "homo" to be deliberately offensive and provocative, then removing the thread was the appropriate action. (...)

▶ In another (deleted) post I've explained that the word homo in my native tongue (Dutch) is just short for homosexual. Lesbians are often called lesbo's. In both cases no offense is meant - in the Dutch language. I didn't know so could not realise that the use of the word "homo" is - if this thread is to be believed - obviously not acceptable in the English language.

Just for the record.

[Soner]

Thanks for clarifying DC.

I think this topic can close now.