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fucktoyprincess -> RE: Disrespect And Its Damage (1/28/2012 7:45:25 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: stellauk
quote:
ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess
If free speech means anything, it means you can call any of them names.
Really?
So why then don't parents encourage their kids to answer back and call them rude names? Wouldn't that be teaching them the principles of free speech?
My post was only referring to people and how they spoke about politicians. You've quoted me out of context. The "them" in my sentence is referring to the politicians that I specifically mentioned in the earlier sentence.
I am absolutely NOT talking about what kids do on the playground (and do not believe the OP was referring to things like that in his post, but if I am wrong, then I have misinterpreted.)
There was an article in the NYT yesterday about people who have turned down knighthood. In 2003, the British poet Benjamin Zephaniah turned down the Order of the British Empire from the Queen because it reminded him of "how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalized". He also responded, "Stick it, Mr. Blair and Mrs. Queen." My point is that in a free society, he should be free to refer to the Queen in the derogatory manner in which he did. Their roles as PM or Queen do not make them above criticism or even condescension. You know, "God save the Queen, fascist regime, and all - bless the Sex Pistols. If free speech means anything it means we can refer to our politicians in derogatory ways if we so choose (YOU are free to NOT use derogatory language to refer to a politician just as Zephaniah has the right to refer to them in a derogatory way if HE chooses). I have tremendous respect for both Zephaniah as a poet and the concept of free speech. And I would never criticize him for being out of line for choosing the words that he did.
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