I think freedom of speech requires simple decency and common sense.
Politicians are good at making things blurred.
If someone would find my avatar insulting, I really wouldn't mind changing it. I have another of a very cute little duck, allthough he looks a bit sad. Still he's cute :P
But in that case I wouldn't be deliberately insulting and since I'm not out to hurt peoples feelings, I would try to make the situation better. Off course you can't please everyone and I'm not saying you have to.
It's just that people don't think of others or the possible impact of what they are saying. And allthough they get really angry if someone ignores their rights they are all too willing to ignore the rights of others.
You could perhaps say that my problem is with the calling upon rights they are not willing to give someone else.
Or perhaps I'm simply too pessimistic. :)
If someone would find my avatar insulting, I really wouldn't mind changing it. I have another of a very cute little duck, allthough he looks a bit sad. Still he's cute :P
But in that case I wouldn't be deliberately insulting and since I'm not out to hurt peoples feelings, I would try to make the situation better. Off course you can't please everyone and I'm not saying you have to.
It's just that people don't think of others or the possible impact of what they are saying. And allthough they get really angry if someone ignores their rights they are all too willing to ignore the rights of others.
You could perhaps say that my problem is with the calling upon rights they are not willing to give someone else.
Or perhaps I'm simply too pessimistic. :)
That's why there are laws and courts and judges.
On the other hand, we can't live our whole lives worried about whether what we say is going to hurt someone's feelings or not. Sometimes truth hurts.
I'm not familiar with this politician (or with much of current Dutch politics). Is he, like several other European right-wing populists, indulging in Muslim-bashing in order to capitalize on not-quite-explicit racism, or is there some other dynamic at work here?
I'm not familiar with this politician (or with much of current Dutch politics). Is he, like several other European right-wing populists, indulging in Muslim-bashing in order to capitalize on not-quite-explicit racism, or is there some other dynamic at work here?
No, that's him all right.
About the Freedom of Speech thing: it is Wilders though who keeps using HIS Freedom of Speech to try and limit other people's FoS. He wants to ban the Koran. He wants to limit what imams can and cannot say during sermons (and deport them if they cross the line).
Yep, taking but not giving. I wonder what the elections are going to be like? I am definitely not voting for him though, that much be clear.