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wingnutx
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Free speech falls prey to 'human rights'
#1826839 - 08/18/03 02:59 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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http://www.nationalpost.com/commentary/story.html?id=18E39E85-588D-4A2E-A59B-43352407DF70
Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' Ian Hunter National Post
Monday, August 18, 2003 Time was when freedom of speech was considered the cornerstone of democracy. No more -- at least not in Canada. Of course, Canadians are not very keen on democracy, either, being content to be ruled in perpetuity by a combination of courts and the Liberal party.
Freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and by Section 2 of our Charter of Rights. Everyone likes rights on paper; for that matter, we like free speech, too, as long as the speech in question is soothing, anodyne and we happen to agree with it. We don't much like freedom for speech that offends us, or with which we disagree.
Take the case of British Columbia high school teacher Chris Kempling. Mr. Kempling is an exemplary teacher, as principals and students, past and present, have attested. But Mr. Kempling is a Christian and, as such, he believes homosexuality is "not something to be applauded," to use his own words. A majority of Canadians may agree with Kempling on this, but the human rights industry and the pseudo-intellectuals do not agree with Mr. Kempling, and therefore we must all keep silent.
The British Columbia College of Teachers suspended Mr. Kempling for "conduct unbecoming a teacher." This decision just might be understandable if Mr. Kempling had expressed his views in school. But he didn't. He expressed them in a letter to the editor of his local newspaper. So, off with his head! -- well, not yet his head, so far just his teaching licence.
Then there was Hugh Owens, a Saskatchewan prison guard, fined for citing (not quoting, just citing) Bible verses that condemn homosexuality.
Then there was Toronto printer Scott Brockie, hauled before our version of the Inquisition -- a human rights tribunal -- and fined for turning down printing business from homosexual activists.
And the case of the Christian couple in Prince Edward Island who shut down their bed and breakfast rather than be forced to condone homosexual acts under their own roof.
But perhaps I had better stop there; I am no longer sure that mentioning the ham-fisted totalitarianism of Canadian human rights commissions is safe. Perhaps overnight it has become "offensive" (in Canada, synonymous with illegal) to point out what human rights commissions are up to. When you cease to be governed by the rule of law and are governed instead by the caprice of judges, you can't be too careful.
This trend to subordinate free speech to offended feelings is not confined to Canada, although this is one area (often, I think, the only area) where Canadians may justifiably claim to be world-beaters.
When the Vatican issued its categorical statement on homosexual unions last month, it was denounced by all the sort of people the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation would consider putting on a panel.
In The Globe and Mail, for example, columnist Heather Mallick warned the Pope henceforth to stay out of Canada -- on pain of, well, something akin to ex-communication from the sistership of all right-thinking (which is to say, left-thinking) cognoscenti. She also wrote: "Churchy people have no say in government, and that's all she wrote." I confess to finding that sentence frightening precisely because it is true.
To Mallick I say, fair enough, this is why free speech exists: to allow people like you to sound off, restrained only by the law of defamation, without the fear that by speaking your mind you are likely to have your livelihood removed or wake to hear the midnight knock upon your door. But how come Heather Mallick enjoys that right but not Chris Kempling? Why is any form of rhetoric allowable so long as it is directed against the Roman Catholic Church, but fawning subservience is the only thing permissible when the subject is gay rights?
As soon as the Vatican's statement was released, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties warned Catholic bishops there that any distribution of it, even in churches, could lead to prosecution and jail under Ireland's "hate crime" laws. Likewise in Canada, any biblical or religious objection proffered against homosexual "marriage" is routinely descried either as "homophobia" or "hate."
This is an effective political technique because it scares many people into silence. But it is fatal to free speech and, ultimately, it is fatal to democracy.
We need to remember that free speech does not mean freedom for the speech we agree with. Such speech needs no legal protection. If free speech means anything, it means protecting the speech we find disturbing, abhorrent, offensive.
Put simply: In Canada it is the Chris Kemplings whom the law needs to protect, not the Heather Mallicks.
Ian Hunter is Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Law at the University of Western Ontario.
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luvdemshrooms
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: wingnutx]
#1826844 - 08/18/03 03:02 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Excellent. Nice find.
-------------------- You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for that my dear friend is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it. ~ Adrian Rogers
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shakta
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: wingnutx]
#1826853 - 08/18/03 03:04 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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I could not agree with him more. I support gay marriage, but everyone should have the right to not do so. This is typical of leftists though. It is OK for them to say whatever they want, but not OK for others to disagree verbally.
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Azmodeus
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: wingnutx]
#1826856 - 08/18/03 03:05 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Free speech is one thing, but a teacher talking in an elementary classroom is different. He should not be addressing the issue, and for him to say homosexuality is "not something to be applauded," to use his own words, is dispicable...at best. Same as if a teacher were to say "is something to be applauded".
-------------------- "Know your Body - Know your Mind - Know your Substance - Know your Source. Lest we forget. "
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shakta
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Azmodeus]
#1826861 - 08/18/03 03:06 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Did you read the article? It specifically states that it wasn't in the classroom, otherwise I would agree with you.
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Azmodeus
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: shakta]
#1826870 - 08/18/03 03:08 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Well skimmed it actually....but if it wasn't in the classroom, then I agree with you!
-------------------- "Know your Body - Know your Mind - Know your Substance - Know your Source. Lest we forget. "
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Malachi
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: shakta]
#1826871 - 08/18/03 03:09 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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"pseudo-intellectuals" are the only kind of intellectuals who would stand up for gay rights... right?
-------------------- The ultimate meaning of our being can only be fulfilled in the paradoxical leap beyond the tragic-demonic frustration. It is a leap from our side, but it is the self-surrendering presence of the Ground of Being from the other side. - Paul Tillich
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shakta
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Azmodeus]
#1826873 - 08/18/03 03:10 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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I personally think teachers should not interject their opinions into things at all. Show both sides and let the kid decide for themselves.
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Azmodeus
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: shakta]
#1826877 - 08/18/03 03:12 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yeah, lets teach how to make descisions and think rather than give them sterotypes and 'facts'.
-------------------- "Know your Body - Know your Mind - Know your Substance - Know your Source. Lest we forget. "
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Malachi
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: shakta]
#1826878 - 08/18/03 03:12 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
shakta said: I could not agree with him more. I support gay marriage, but everyone should have the right to not do so. This is typical of leftists though. It is OK for them to say whatever they want, but not OK for others to disagree verbally.
hmm... which party made mass murder into an excuse to enfoce nationalism? oh yeah... not the liberals. THAT'S UNPATRIOTIC!! SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!! KILL THE COMMIE!!
-------------------- The ultimate meaning of our being can only be fulfilled in the paradoxical leap beyond the tragic-demonic frustration. It is a leap from our side, but it is the self-surrendering presence of the Ground of Being from the other side. - Paul Tillich
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shakta
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Malachi]
#1826880 - 08/18/03 03:12 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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What are you talking about? I just said I support gay rights, and everyone elses right to agree with me or not on the subject.
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Azmodeus
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: shakta]
#1826886 - 08/18/03 03:13 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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^^^ racist! ...sorry.... edit-...shit....shit....shit....that was NOT a flame....it was my lame attempt at a joke!
-------------------- "Know your Body - Know your Mind - Know your Substance - Know your Source. Lest we forget. "
Edited by Azmodeus (08/18/03 03:14 PM)
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wingnutx
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Azmodeus]
#1826893 - 08/18/03 03:14 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
This decision just might be understandable if Mr. Kempling had expressed his views in school. But he didn't. He expressed them in a letter to the editor of his local newspaper.
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shakta
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Malachi]
#1826896 - 08/18/03 03:14 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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I don't think any party did that, just extremely right leaning jackasses. I would fight for your right to say what you want. The thing that libbies forget is others have the right to disagree with them.
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wingnutx
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Malachi]
#1826899 - 08/18/03 03:17 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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I support equal rights for gay people.
NO ONE has the right to be free from criticism.
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Malachi
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: shakta]
#1827113 - 08/18/03 04:17 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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if by "extremely right leaning jackasses" you mean "half the country" then yes, that is correct.
-------------------- The ultimate meaning of our being can only be fulfilled in the paradoxical leap beyond the tragic-demonic frustration. It is a leap from our side, but it is the self-surrendering presence of the Ground of Being from the other side. - Paul Tillich
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shakta
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Malachi]
#1827117 - 08/18/03 04:20 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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I disagree. I don't think half the country was saying that. I think most of the country thought they were wrong though.
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Rono
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: shakta]
#1827120 - 08/18/03 04:21 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
The thing that libbies forget is others have the right to disagree with them
That is a very broad and innacurate statement...Luvdem would even vouch for that.
I made an intelligent Anti Bush post at a site that leaned to the right, and I was banned in minutes...so much for free speech.
-------------------- "Life has never been weird enough for my liking"
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Azmodeus
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Rono]
#1827134 - 08/18/03 04:24 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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What site? I enjoy that political view...
-------------------- "Know your Body - Know your Mind - Know your Substance - Know your Source. Lest we forget. "
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wingnutx
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Re: Free speech falls prey to 'human rights' [Re: Rono]
#1827135 - 08/18/03 04:24 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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which one?
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