Freedom of Speech

[Pervertedneighbor]

It seems to me that most people will support your
freedom of speech as long as you agree with
everything they say.  If you happen to have an
opinion or view that differs from theirs, and you dare
to share it in a public forum, you are seen as the enemy.
Then again, sometimes, they just want to attack you
anyway, because in the past you said something they
did not like.  (Sounds like McCarthy-ism, I know, but
there you go.)  Sometimes they greet you at the gate
and say, "I don't want him to speak here at all."

[IdleBoast]

Many people on many boards forget that they do NOT have freedom of speech on the internet, unless they actually own the website upon which they speak.

Sites owned by others count as private property (they are not public, they are publicly visible, like somebody's front yard is publicly visible land, not public land), and you do not have freedom of speech on private property.  That is why website moderators & admins are allowed to remove or edit comments without having to get a court order.

Even when you have a right to free speech, you do not have a right to be heard, listened to, agreed with or to have your opinion respected even acknowledged. You also do not have the right to step over the line from self expression and opinion to defamation and libel.

Wherever you possess a right of expression, others also possess an equal right to disagree, argue and ridicule your opinion.

And why should they not consider your current or future words in the context of your known past words? Do you not have an expectation of the style of a new song, based on what you have already from that artist?

In short, your post reads to me as if you are crying victim, purely because other people here do not agree with your expressed world-view, and have the temerity to tell you so as publicly as you expressed yourself in the first place.

[Lois]

You have the right to post what you like here.  You really seem to be upset that no one agrees with you and they let you know it.  This is not a freedom of speech issue, except maybe you don't agree that others have the right to disagree with you?

[Pervertedneighbor]

There you go, thinking I was talking about myself.

[RopeFiend]

You have more freedom of speech here than elsewhere, as long as you keep it in the appropriate areas and it doesn't break the laws of the USA.

If you post kiddy porn or espouse a fondness for young flesh (in graphic terms, and not a fantasy), I *will* shut it down.  With prejudice.  We shoot child molesters here in TexASS.

On the flip side: Joan and I rarely agree, particularly on politics.  That hasn't stopped me from giving her a WOO or two.  I don't read everything she writes, particularly in the political sub-section of 1408, 'cos I'm purely not interested.  She probably has a perfectly valid point-of-view IN HER OWN MIND, but I don't really care in that political arena.

[Katiebee]

Reading the OP, is seems evident that there is confusion about what freedom of speech means.

It does NOT mean your ideas are not critiqued, argued against, or ridiculed. Nothing in that phrase indicates anything except that one may express themselves.

All speech has consequences, and nothing protects you from those consequences.

[Athos_131]

#Resist

[MissBarbara]

There you go, thinking I was talking about myself.

You seem to be making a habit of being vague, but I'll take what you say at face value.

So, if you weren't talking about yourself, who are you talking about? And what forums are you talking about? Some clarification, and at least a couple of examples, would illuminate your point.

And, as others have pointed out, "being seen as the enemy" or "being attacked" or even being told "I don't want him to speak here at all" isn't even remotely a violation of freedom of speech.

P.S. McCarthyism has absolutely nothing to do with being attacked for something you said in the past. Look it up...

[jbbooks]

Just read all the posts here and find the topic very interesting.

[Katiebee]

Not necessarily bulling either. If people oppose what you say, is that bullying?

[Katiebee]

That could indeed be true. However, that is not the same as bullying. Communication solely by the written word is not as easy and simple as people assume. Clarity is often lacking, people on both sides of a posting can make assumptions based upon their own understandings and miss the point, or fail to make the point they think they are stating.

[_priapism]

[IdleBoast]

That could indeed be true. However, that is not the same as bullying. Communication solely by the written word is not as easy and simple as people assume. Clarity is often lacking, people on both sides of a posting can make assumptions based upon their own understandings and miss the point, or fail to make the point they think they are stating.

A good point.

You may notice that my sentence-structure and tone changes on topics like this, and my answers are sometimes longer than may seem necessary, precisely because I am trying to fill the communication void left by a lack of tone of voice, body language and facial expressions.

[Katiebee]

I disagree.  Your characterization is much too simplistic.

[Lois]

It seems this argument has been going on for a long time.

[phtlc]

Freedom of speech is a key issue with me yet I'd say that I have far greater freedom of speech here at KB than I do in real life and certainly more than one could ever hope to have on a university campus.

[SloppySeconds]

You are 100% Spot On.   Well said

[MissBarbara]

You are 100% Spot On.   Well said

I'd be curious to know what personal experiences you base your assertions on.

Of course there's a very wide acceptance of freedom of speech on KB. That's the whole point of the board. Given only a few board proscriptions and general anonymity here -- and the fact that it's the interweb -- this board is hardly a basis of comparison with real life.

Meanwhile, I've been on college campuses, in one way or another, since 1998. Things you read on right-wing web sites don't necessarily reflect the realities pf life on college campuses today.