@knoxyasignalman@cleanupbritain I’ve often wondered about doing this in some places locally. My carrier bag and grabber can only deal with a little at a time. It would definitely get a reaction but from a local authority rather than the tossers themselves.
This is the most important video about October 7 that you should watch. No gory content — just a conversation with an Israeli mother whose house was entered by Palestinian civilians.
She explains how that changed her liberal beliefs about peace with Gaza.
'That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.' Christopher Hitchens, author and humanist, died on this day 2011. His cutting dialogues, insights, eloquence, wit, and candour are sorely missed.
@PicturesFoIder I long for the innocent days of still being nine years old when I would have said “adidas” - all day I dream about sex” (which my schoolmates and I thought was hilariously naughty at the time). 😂
@GSpellchecker I agree and liken your stance to (and I know it’s not the same point, although is linked ) Sam Harris recent “Making Sense” where he recommends US educational establishments recently guilty of hypocrisy, “should be extremely tolerant of controversial speech” & challenge it openly
I've just seen that this person (Fiona Ryan) has been arrested and charged for posting this song online (below).
Some quick thoughts that may lose a few people along the way...
First, the obvious one. The song absolutely is antisemitic. There is no doubt about that. She's an antisemite. She's also an antisemite by her own admission.
She's also painfully ignorant about the nature of the conflict, which is precisely what you should expect from anyone that lives on Tik Tok. It's embarrassing.
She's also completely misrepresenting what happened to her when she says she's been arrested for being "anti-genocide".
Under UK 'hate speech' and 'malicious communication' laws, she has almost certainly committed a crime by posting antisemitic content of this kind. And Jews (and everyone else) have every right to demand that these laws apply to this antisemitic woman too.
But this is where I may lose people. The question for me is should the state be able to prosecute you for the *opinions* you voice? Even hateful, 'offensive' ones? Should we even have 'hate speech' laws in the first place?
My answer remains "no". This is the part where some people will bend over backwards to turn a defence of free expression into an endorsement of the hateful speech in question.
The truth is, my answer is "no" because I believe censorship is at best ineffective and at worst counterproductive. Arrests won't suddenly eradicate antisemitism. It'll just push it further underground, being left to bubble away without an opportunity for society to challenge it in the open before it boils over. Personally, I like to know where the hateful antisemites are.
"Sunlight is the best disinfectant" as they say.
People will reflexively disagree by pointing to Nazi Germany and where antisemitic speech leads.
The problem with this however is that antisemitic speech *was* illegal in the run up to Hitler's election. Every time the editors of antisemitic publications (Der Stürmer) were hauled in front of the courts, their subscription base simply increased. Again, censorship is at best ineffective and at worst counter-productive.
I understand the idea of not criminalising hateful speech will make many feel uncomfortable. But many of us oppose hate speech laws because we believe state overreach is much more dangerous than hateful words can ever be. If we must invoke Nazi Germany again, it was the state that carried out atrocities and criminalised any dissent. This is another reason we shouldn't allow the state to decide what we are permitted to say aloud.
Because, keep in mind, the same laws used here (in the UK) are the same ones currently being used to go after people for posting memes, rap lyrics, jokes and misgendering. Once you allow the state power of this kind, it's almost impossible to get it back. And you cannot be sure for what means the next elected government will invoke these same, dangerously subjective laws.
As a rule, when things like this happen I always ask "would this speech be protected under the First Amendment of the United States?". The answer here is "yes". And the American First Amendment remains the gold standard for free expression anywhere on the planet.
https://t.co/gWFresGxnt
@JamesWh00229823@narstar3@gilliand25 Except that was a children’s program that chose a literal rainbow as its title and logo. No one was asked to watch it, interpret the logo as something else, and rave about it to virtue signal about inclusion. Context is important.
@Hardley76@GSpellchecker I suppose (and this is a reach) you could argue the bombing happening on 21st December, this time of year, has added to the perception? 🤷🏼♂️ but it’s a retro logo (very famous airline, also appeared in the original Bladerunner etc) not my choice for a festive jumper but harmless.
@GSpellchecker “If images of living men in underwear horrify you more than images of dead women without underwear, I really don’t know what to say.”
Abso-fucking-lutely. I was gobsmacked at the reaction of some commentators.
@GSpellchecker I definitely cringe at some moments on HIGNFY (I think I always have right back to 1987 - 1995 era & definitely did a couple of times in this episode) but still love it, always have a couple of belly laughs. Some guest hosts and panellists are better than others. Suits me sir!
@LordCLQTR@cleanupbritain@RachelBentleyNB@adamvaughan_uk Has the scheme started properly in Scotland (or was it pushed back to 2024? I think it’s set for 2025(?) in England. And no provision for deposits on glass bottles 🤦🏻♂️ which is so crazy…
@LordCLQTR@cleanupbritain@RachelBentleyNB@adamvaughan_uk I’m going to guess there will be an electronic receptacle “machine” and a smartphone app/card to register for to enable you to get monetary credit. I think from there it will be taken to a proper recycling centre for further sorting and proper washing. It will help a little 🤞🏼
@on_scotland@cleanupbritain@RachelBentleyNB@adamvaughan_uk Cumulative effect over days, weeks, months and years, of a minority of absolute tossers who don’t give a crap, possibly exacerbated by thinking others don’t give a crap, and who knows, maybe those “others” (local authorities. General public) don’t give enough of a crap… 🤷🏼♂️