New Law Could Make Gay Jokes Illegal

reply to post by paul76


I'm sorry, but that was pretty funny.



Jasn

It was funny !!l Just people take things far too seriously these days!! and some use their differences as a crutch!! and lose their sense of humour!!

I think thats a sad way for humanity to be!! in fact I think its the humans sense of humour that has got the race thus far !!

And I have been victimised because I am a bald person ...some people can be really nasty !! but I can laugh at it !!

So how far does this go.. next no jokes against people with bald heads people that have a nervous twitch, ginger hair..now someone even tried to get antidiscrimation laws about that ( look it up sure its about somewhere !)...


Just getting very silly ! I think !

reply to post by shuck


Well I think Don Imus tested your theory and he's out of a job.

reply to post by intrepid



Not for long, I hear he is comming back on the radio. But I got your point.

The power of words...Yes I think a sense of humour is just about dead on its feet!! However I don't appreciate this guys sense of humour!! from what I have read ...sounds a bit of a pratt!

People aren't against this because they want to see gays get bashed... they are against this because the loss of freedom as a whole is done in small steps. They take away your right to say this... and it simply shows them how easy it would be to take away your right to say other things.

Sure, it's just wrong to make fun of gays. And yes, speaking aggressively toward them for their sexuality is already an offense, it's discrimination, and slander. So why bother tacking on a new law that does what the old ones already do?


It wouldn't matter what verbal remark was being banned... banning speech is simply wrong. As I said, if they can pass this, how hard would it be to pass a law declaring it illegal to say anything negative about a political party? How hard would it be to strip you of all your rights of opinion other than those the government deems legal?

Freedom is striped away from you in small parts. Small enough that you won't notice the change until it's too late. Each step will seem logical, but that's because you can't step back to look at the final picture.

reply to post by SimiusDei


In Scotland, bullying in the workplace is supposedly not tolerated (Ive never experienced it or know someone who has, so I cant say)

As someone mentioned earlier, it depends on who says it and why... Where I work, we take the pi.. out of each other quite frequently. To an outsider listening in it would probably sound quite bad! But the fact is we all know each other, we don't pick on any "real" sensitive issues and overall its just a bit of a laugh. We are perfectly respectable toward people we don't know well or people who don't "join in".

I dont know about other places, but in Scotland we have this " ah its just a bit of a laugh " mentality... its always been here and probably always will. Even if they make taking the pi.. illegal.. youll find itll still be done on a regular basis between people who really do know each other and know the limits



[edit on 9/11/07 by dawa]

reply to post by dawa


Same here. I call all of my black friends ni**er (and not with an "a") and they call me cracker and white trash.....but guess what? We don't give a damn. It's funny and it's just words.

However, I have been out with my friends before and had a group of black guys try to get my friends to turn on me for me saying "THE N WORD" (

Right. It's wasting our legislators time which should be used on things more important for the society.

No it is about protecting individuals against slander no matter weither they are straight, gay or what ever.

I'm not sure how it is in Scotland, but, here in the states, if someone calls you a faggot at work (or any other slur with the exception of "white" slurs) it's immediate grounds for termination.

They are disciplined, (not mutch help really), verbal warning, written warning and then sacked. Witht his new law will mean that they can be sacked on the spot.

I attended a funeral a couple of months ago for a coworker that killed himself. He had been the recipiant of slurs by a vocal few. Why? He was gay.

I am sorry to have heard that, what that guy must have went through, dreadfull, Im a gay guy, when fellow workers tell a joke weither targetting a woman one of his mates or a homosexuals as a joke, I just laugh it off, but when it comes to comming up to you in front of everyone and saying it outright, in your face, that is what I find offensive, and threatning, no one would dare even try and bring me down at my work anyways. I would have them sacked. Or take the employer to an employment tribunal if they did not do anything about it.

Whatever happened to people having a little backbone and just ignoring the idiots who feel the need to attempt to debase them?

You ignore it, it gets worse, you stand up to them an tell them where to go, it gets worse, you tell your supervisor, they deal with it, it gets worse (cause now his friends all know), make snidey remarks when passing you, you go higher to your line manager, then you are told you are the one causing the problems... See where I am going with this??? On top off that you are suppose to carry on working, while under the stress off being hassled at your work everyday, until either they give up or you hand in your notice..

Sometimes people are in a no win situation.

Originally posted by SimiusDei
It's all about perspective and learning to turn the other cheek and find humor when humor is there.


Jasn

No, it's all about intent. What were the words meant to do. Carlin said that.

reply to post by intrepid


Dammit intrepid, why you gotta go and pull GC out on me?

reply to post by spencerjohnstone


If a word (or words) can break someone's spirit, I pity them when they have to face the rest of life's challenges.


Jasn

It's all about perspective and learning to turn the other cheek and find humor when humor is there.

There come a point where the humour just runs out of it, going through it either every day or every period (goes quiet for say one week then it starts up again) it does start to become annoying) Looks at the cases who have been brought to court as a result of slanderous remarks made towards them.... How many have been successfull?

Alot fo these cases go unreported. Why? Because either the victim leaves their base of employment to go else where rather than stay and put up with crap like that.. or go further and do something drastic as has been posted before...

What I see here in America is the lose of morality and respect. I get what you're saying about it being a law, but I'm a smoker and can't smoke in public places or at work, this law states that you can't tell gay jokes in public, and a workplace for the most part is public. I doubt if you tell one out in the streets that you would get in trouble.

reply to post by spencerjohnstone


You know, once upon a time kids were taught to ignore hurtful words and that it was nothing but a sign of someone being simple minded.

What does it say for ANY group when the government has to step in on their behalf because they don't have the "ability" to just let the words slide off of them?

If someone is being ignorant, let them be ignorant. Eventually, that ignorance will catch up to them in a VICIOUS way.



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



In all honesty, I have a VERY hard time feeling any kind of sympathy for the verbal attacks that some gay people take. As I have said before, when a group just HAS to make a big deal about themselves (gay pride parades and such) and goes above and beyond to draw attention to themselves, they MUST be prepared for the positive AND NEGATIVE that attention that comes.

Is it wrong to verbally assault a gay person because they are gay? Of course it is.

Does the government have a right to arrest someone for uttering a slanderous word? HELL NO!

Freedom of speech CAN NOT be limited to ONLY speech that we are comfortable with. If that is allowed to happen, you can rest assured that little loss of freedom will NOT be where the loss stops.


Jasn

reply to post by Solarskye


In regards to loss of morality and respect, you know I'm with you 120%.

Morality, in this country AND the world, seems to have all but disappeared.


Jasn

reply to post by Solarskye


It is not about making jokes, it is about going up to someone's face and saying it outloud for everyone at your work to hear or even if they dont hear many cases it happens, weither you gay, straight, have a different ethnic background, or if you support a different football team. It happens. The legislation proposed is to protectr gays as well if i may add, transsexuals as well as DISABLED people from being discriminated against. Is that not a good thing??????????

In regards to loss of morality and respect,

In todays society there is a lack off respect for anyone, respect is earned nowadays not given... Alot are more self centered think about oneself than everyone else. aIm no angel I give respect where it is given it is a two way thing ya know.

[edit on 9-11-2007 by spencerjohnstone]

reply to post by SimiusDei


But if you go into a bathroom and see your name there and it say, "May ____ burn in Hell" that's going to get to you after some time. My coworker was in his 40's, not a child. The results can be cumulative.

Next, let's test your freedom of speech SD. Call your local FBI detachment. Give them your REAL name and address. Then tell them you are going to assassinate the President. Would you be willing to try this experiment?

Seriously... the people who are defending this.... WAKE UP! Let me put it this way. Banning the use of a word goes far beyond dictatorship. It infringes on basic rights and freedoms. Say they ban all swear words in existance.

For starters every single person on this earth would be fined or go to jail. Think about this. They are taking away your right to speak your mind! Personally I would rather DIE then let them take this away from me!