For those of you not aware, Count Dankula (Mark Meechan) was recently convicted of a hate crime for making a joke video on YouTube. He taught his pug to make Nazi salutes and get excited to "gas the jews". It was an entirely satrical video to irritate his girlfriend. He may be looking at going to jail for 6 MONTHS because of this video.
Count Dankula convicted for Nazi pug antics
The loss of FREE SPEECH in the UK
Every day in the UK, we lose more privacy, more freedom. This sentencing may shake the last remnant of freedom of speech, and means we must live in fear of making jokes, dare it offend someone then we will be imprisoned.
On the 23rd of April 2018 (Monday), there will be two protests. One in LONDON to get the attention of MPs, the general public, and other government. The other in NORTH LANARKSHIRE (scotland) where he is being sentenced.
There are potentially 100s of people going to each protest. I hope that many of you here on Steemit are willing to fight for freedom of speech and will come to these protests.
Speakers Corner
In the UK, we've sadly been forced into "speakers corners" to be able to express ourselves, and even that isn't guaranteed.
The largest of such is Hyde Park in London, which has been visited by people such as George Orwell (the writer for the book 1984), Karl Marx, and Vladimir Lenin.
In 1999, a ruling based on the EU convention of Human Rights told the UK that we have the right to express ourselves freely, even if what we say is offensive.
The ruling famously established in English case law that freedom of speech could not be limited to the inoffensive but extended also to "the irritating, the contentious, the eccentric, the heretical, the unwelcome, and the provocative, as long as such speech did not tend to provoke violence", and that the right to free speech accorded by Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights also accorded the right to be offensive. Prior to the ruling, prohibited speech at Speakers' Corner included obscenity, blasphemy, insulting the queen, or inciting a breach of the peace.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speakers'_Corner
With this ruling on Monday, Speakers' Corners across the UK are at risk of being shut down, censored. Another piece of Free Speech in the UK chipped away. We move towards becoming China, North Korea, Iran. It's not okay.
End Quote
If you care about freedom of speech, you must FIGHT FOR IT. A famous quote from Martin Niemöller, relating to the Holocaust:
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
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You mentioned Orwell!
Here is a quote I often remember!
"A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims, but accomplices."
That's why I stopped voting ages ago.
That is your personal PROTESST.
Fair enough, again a form of personal expression as are "Donkey votes" etc. etc. etc.
But never forget:
"It has been said that for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing."
or the more common use of that original 1916 version:
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
So your voice (vote) is extremely important.
So true @jackmiller. Good men doing nothing is how we got where we are now. 🐓🐓
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No, because whoever gets voted, they're all part of the same club that perpetuates the same agenda. I don't want to be part of that. Even if I voted for a less-funded party with grandiose world-solving proposals, the evil ones still win. I refuse to stand in line with the sheeplings only to waste my time with this public charade. So when the status quo continues, I can truly bitch about it and say: I didn't vote for those jerks.
Carlin got it right. He expresses exactly my stance on the matter.
But would it not be better if you could have supported a lesser of two evils?
Ya. He was pretty far left of me, ideologically, but as much of a prophet as anyone ever has been, if there is such a thing.
I understand your protest, not knocking it. Just wanted to point out that your VOICE is just as important as every other voice out there.
Voting systems are put together by those who hold the reigns of power and often enough, as you just made it very clear they tend to abuse that power and make a "charade" out if it.
Hence your actions as an individual are those that can make a difference, no matter how you make your voice heard. The key is in making it heard and striving towards the implementation of changes that could bring about an end to the "charade".
i think i feel your pain. i can totally relate
i think i can relate. i feel your pain
There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.follow me and show some love. ♥♥♥
That won my vote from the first quote. That said, if good men in small numbers do something. Good men are attacked and destroyed. There has to be huge numbers of very intelligent and corruptible men and women. To make a difference
although I wouldn't agree that registering your person, to a vote. Is a good idea. A vote is only there to keep track of people.
Voting is mandatory in Australia, and our politicians are all corrupt...
There you go, they put a gun to your head: VOTE BITCHES. So much for democracy and freedom.
they take power of military anyway
Thank you. These people did not get where they are by a coup. And as far as I am concerned they did not fall from the sky.
Who do you hate the most average Joe?
Average Joe: Politicians and lawyers!
Something happens.
Average Joe's Response: The government should do something to prevent this!!!!
Government gets bigger to "solve" the problem and forces itself into the peoples lives.
Average Joe Why can't the government leave us alone?
Love the quote because its scary accurate.
It is not now (if it ever was) the government's job to preserve free speech. It is to control thought.
If you want to know who is in charge, look at who may not be criticized.
At question time in House of Commons, no question may be asked about the Bank of England.
Now, apparently, anything bad said against jews may get you 6 months in jail.
& if it makes you feel better, Australia went through a similar thing back in the 1980's!
thanks for sharing this!
https://steemit.com/politics/@bgrerdgn/good-bye-donald-trump
how did you know?
Good people who do not vote deserve the representation they get.
Indeed, the UK is almost becoming a police state. Your government spy on you at a rate that would make the NSA cringe and hardly anyone seems to care. There have been numerous cases like this over tweets and such.
Freedom of speech is the corner stone of a free society, allow them to start by curtailing it when you speak about things like this that many agree are taboo, and the rest are slow to speak out about in case their arguments are twisted to make it appear they are agreeing with the content rather than someones right to speak. That's the thin end of the wedge, soon it will be complaints about the the authorities. Then you wont be able to speak out about politicians, then its game over...
Oh and since they are monitoring all of your communications (and doing their best to backdoor, outlaw and byass encryption), perfectly lawfully in many cases because no one seems to really speak out about that either, it won't be just publicly shared videos, next it will be whats app groups then private messages to your friends...
One persons rights don't stop where anothers feelings start
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
As much as this joke may offend, censoring it isn't the right answer. In fact, just burying something instead of resolving it head on is the easy way out, not the right way out.
We all need to come together an create a system of our own that will overthrow this kind of Government and its laws to restrict our opinions, thoughts and facts. If we unite now we can illiminate this harsh reality of fighting for own voices to be heard..
That's called anarchy, which is rules without rulers which would likely follow natural / moral laws. Governments have a monopoly on the use of violence to enforce man-made laws that can turn totalitarian at any given time, as you are finding out with what words you can use and who you can and can't criticize!
Its not just the government's fault mate, its a huge bunch of these far-left socialists lesbians that are supporting all that
You believe far-left lesbians are the problem?
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Sad state of affairs that we are now in where a joke is taken this far and a man risks imprisonment for satire. I upvoted and resteemed this important issue.
It is a if virtue signalling has been taken to a whole new level as we need to punish people who may offend others in order to not look bad. Little do they know...
Our country has become a sad joke.
Come on now. Pay your bills, embrace islam and shut up. Progressive western dream come true :)
/sarc
Silly me. People SHOULD be prosecuted for upsetting feelings.
/sarc +1
🎶 Feeeeeeelings 🎶
🤣
From my own perspective or opinion, freedom of speech gives every human a right to live life without the fear of the unknown. Every human must rise up and fight for its freedom because its is the real reason of our existence.
Yes, freedom, free will and love. These are the purpose and features of our lives.
Every human should love each other!
I am not from England, but I support all of you!
The reason of our lives is probably love. But we will eventually get to know the truth.
We are temporary visitors on this Earth.
All the always wanted are to shut us up. First they complained of North Korea being under Authoritative rule but yet they are doing thesame. We will stand cos our freedom cannot be taken away
I am totally in support of these protests. Something needs to.be done now and really fast. We can't sit and watch them take away our freedom of speech too after they have taken almost all our rights away from us. That's so bad.
You are speaking out. Many are not. Very sad indeed. Keet it up. Icu. Voted you for a witness.
I want to firstly acknowledge the poster, then go ahead to show the poster that i am fully in support of the protest. U see even in my own country you will be told.. "Freedom Of Speech is guaranteed but freedom after speech is not not guaranteed"
One thing should be clear here, nothing is free of criticism, even Jesus himself was a victim of this. But we need to change things, the fact that someone says his or her mind doesnt mean they will have to die for doing so.
Where is the freedom?.... We must fight for freedom, for freedom comes by struggle.
I fully support this demonstration. We can not sit and see that they have taken almost all rights from us. Very bad.
the end of freedom of speech? Anarchism is the way to go to stop the power of the authority for abusing this. We must fight for freedom of speech great post @someguy123
Voltaire is one of my favorite of the greatest mind, he challenge the government, especially free speech, that's what is so very important that we should value and fight for our one of the precious rights.
How the fuck did this country allow itself to become Orwell’s nightmare?
I know, it’s because they dumbed everyone down in shit schools, forced PC down their throats making them too afraid to speak out and distracted them with shit TV and free handouts.
Easy really, I’m ashamed of what this country has become.
not sure what he should be prosecuted for. he joked about something that never really happened.
The Nazi Gas chambers are the biggest hoax in history, a complete fabrication.
Even Jewish researchers like David Cole have completely debunked them.
Every freedom there is limitation. When your free speech already inflict and crossed beyond the boundary of others - then in there your freedom ends
I'll just leave this here...
I love Steve Hughes
Personally, I don't think the holocaust will ever be a laughing matter and should forever remain taboo. And if that means fuck free speech? Then, yeah, why not. Maybe what he did was one of those fucking annoying social experiments? He sought attention with something so crass and got it. He'll no doubt get a book deal after it, eh?
Won't repeat myself any more after I've discussed it in the following thread which you may find interesting:
https://steemit.com/freedom/@johngreenfield/freedom-of-speech-it-s-a-joke-you-f-and-king-c-nts-or-count-dankula-and-the-nazi-pug#@zool237/re-johngreenfield-freedom-of-speech-it-s-a-joke-you-f-and-king-c-nts-or-count-dankula-and-the-nazi-pug-20180330t171702326z
Youre right, the holohoax has been thoroughly debunked, its not up for debate anymore. Jewish communists tried to overthrow the government and so the German people voted in the National Socialists, who eradicated unemployment and turned a country in a greater depression than the United States into the largest economic power in Europe - all long before war broke out about 6 years after their rise to power. The war was over the Danzig, not Jews in camps and that narrative only came about afterwards. The numbers have been thoroughly revised with single camps that supposedly had 2 million being reduced to a mere 80k like Majdanek. The allies initiated a campaign of bombing civilians and apartment blocks, the Jews were in work camps and died of starvation and typhus towards the end of the war, after even the troops themselves couldnt be fed, due to the supply lines being bombed.
After the allies took control, people continued to starve and were tortured in allied camps. The Russian side was particularly brutal, beating people with oak table legs and starving them while brainwashing them with the communist manifesto. In the end, Eastern Europe was given to communist genocidal manics, including the Danzig, and all of Poland. Great job, youre the bad guys.
Oh, and now you want to put people in prison if they point out historical fact. This is why you were deported in the first place, you rotten subversive weasel. Go advocate banning freedom in Israel, or for open borders and miscegenation - over there.
Hey, I've never been deported and I'm certainly no Mustelid. You're probably just confused. Have a nice day.
I totally agree, free speech is one thing but taking the piss out of what happened in WW2 is disgraceful. I think people forget that millions of "real" people died in that war, people were executed, tortured, had limbs blown off, were prisoners of war, forced into manual labour and a whole host of other horrific things. In my opinion its still to early for satire, a lot of us still had grandparents and great grandparents who fought in that war, some who never returned. One day satire maybe fine but i think in this moment in time it is still too fresh. One great book to read is man's search for meaning.
What is upsetting for me is the hypocrisy. Looking at it through the lenses of an outsider, I was always taught that Western democracies were the gold standard as far as governance was concerned. now to see all this happening is just shocking. As I wrote in a response here. These officials did not get there by a coup. They did not fall from the sky. They were elected by the British people. Sorry if I come off as being rude, but I am beginning to wonder if this is the land of Shakespeare and Newton.
Honestly Britons, is this the best you can do?
Are you aware that the "they" in the Niemöller poem were the Nazis? "They" were the guys who this Dankula asshole seems to be fanboying.
The poem was not about freedom of speech. It was about the freedom to exist, and not be taken to a Nazi death camp.
Oddly enough, Niemöller was an anti-communist, and also a lukewarm supporter of the Nazis, until the Nazis put the church under Nazi control.
Niemöller reminds me of all these people who are kind of tolerating Trump, or maybe even like Trump. Oh, he's just going after immigrants and Muslims. Oh, who cares about the transgender people. Oh, he is kind of rapey, but so are my friends.
Some times last year a bill was rumored to be passed in my country (Nigeria) to restrict social media users from openly criticizing the government.
There was uproar and the government slided it out.
Imagine if such a bill was passed and approved.
Though freedom of speech shouldn't be a yardstick for litigation and slandering.
Hey @someguy123 we tried to sign up for Golos via AnonGolos and never got our account. It said you needed to “load up on more Golos”... Can we get a refund of our 0.05 LTC if AnonGolos is fucked? The account we tried to set up was @encryptdcouple and we even emailed you...
The freedom of speech is very important especially for the democracy to prosper. But whenever we are giving the speech and trying to prove something or even accusing somebody one should do this with logic and valid proof on why he is saying this on what grounds
Until you command the right to self defense, your rights will be quickly eroded and you will be replaced by a culture that doesn't value freedom of speech, individualism, nor any of the guiding principles that we've taken for granted in western civilization.
God slay the Queen.
We already live in such a country. Someone criticized Barbara Bush, pretty harshly, and lost her job.
There should consequences for stupidity. If in 2018 someone thinks it's okay to make such video using that phrase! then something is seriously wrong. Hopefully he will learn the hard way.
Freedom of speech does not give you the right to hurt someone with your words or be insensitive. You may try and spin this all you like, I am a firm believer in the bible saying "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" You can only say what you have believed even in times of jokes.
What will you be defending next?
If you want a rally on the Freedom of Speech in UK please do not reference this material or video. London is full of minorities who can see themselves being the next video subject unless of you are with the BNP then it may seem okay to you.
Even if you were offended by his joke, you should still be on his side of the trial. We must defend the right to free speech especially strong for people whom we most disagree with. These censorship policies are extremely dangerous, and if history repeats itself will lead to serious suffering.
I think he's appealing the decision (he got crowdfunding help for it) and the higher courts will overturn his conviction.
Absolutely, this is really serious. It is shocking to me in the US that UK courts are ruling context is irrelevant and someone's subjective feelings are all that matter. I've never attended a rally or protest, but I would go to this if able.
When it comes to free speech, "use it or lose it." To paraphrase Christopher Hitchens: "One has to suspect the motives of those who are determined to be offended." If you don't stand up and protest these encroachments on liberty, ever more will be lost.
AMEN
Not losing it just in England, here in Spain many rappers have been sentenced to jail for writing songs... and another guy is in prison for a TWEET we are losing our freedom of speech and our rights, the only way forward is expressing ourselves on the street
This situation is a litmus test for the populous. If there is not overwhelming support in favor of the right for a living to express an opinion anymore in this world... We will hate to see the results from the message that humanity would be sending to those who "rule"...
Yesterday in Spain, before a soccer cup's final between Barcelona and Sevilla, people were searched at the entrance by police and military officials who were looking for yellow globes - a harmless sign of protest from the Catalans - against the government and the self-proclaimed king that nobody voted for.
Singers and tweet users have been put in jail. Even asking for public consultation has been considered an act of crime like the childish yellow globes.
On the other side, politicians praying for democracy have been caught in corruption endeavors and some of them still remain in their public positions.
it's all a cake of hypocrisy serving through media and other channels to feed the circus while freedom is sliced or even controlled like some rulers do with their own people.
There have been references of these kinds of oppression in books and in some complex movies. One film in particular which reflexes on the figure of Guy Fawkes ponders about this premise:
If this simple idea could linger enough in people's minds, we will have different world today.
Literally convicted for making fun of neo-Nazis. Smh...
Free speech is an illusion.
Sad situation is a joke where we are now.Every person will fight for his independence because it is the real cause of our existence.
yes you are right
Is there any real freedom of speech when certain things are labelled as hate speech or politically incorrect? What is stopping others who wish not to hear something from just walking away or turning off that which is upsetting to them?
Hate speech is like a threat of violence.
Wouldn't that be a threat then and not hate speech? Freedom of speech means you have the right to say anything, just like other have the right to not listen.
I don't think you can ignore a threat. So threats virtually negate the "right to not listen."
To me, hate speech is like a threat.
Did you see the video in question? Where was the hate speech? And no, hate speech is not a threat, it's words of hatred, just word's nothing more.
I moved from Birmingham to Poland, because I was watching this whole situation creep up on people, the silencing of the many to empower the few, and when I had my skull smashed in (fractured) by 4 Pakistanis for walking home in Smethwick, their area as they said, (whites not welcome) I did not want to let my daughter grow up there, I made front page of the local rag, that said I could not "run fast enough" get a load of that, not even a mention of the racist nature of the attack, the UK looks doomed from where I am sitting, I hope you manage to get it back somehow, to that beautiful place I grew up in.
that's true ... as we see now, many freedoms are taken sadistically by unfeeling people. I feel sad .. but that's the reality😢
This is a brave step and to do this need great Heart.respect for your rising voice. USA is totally a political country. By the way freedom first otherwise life is like a boundary of zoo.
Its daft whats gone on, to be more specifically correct, the dog raised his paw, no higher than normal, hardly a salute.. the worlds gone too politically correct, no ones allowed to make a joke anymore, unless you're a comedian then it's allowed within reason..
Being a dumbass and using social Media as a bail out....
No bud.... he is more than likely a twat looking for "followers" and somehow benefiting from his own stupidity.
life is full of decisions and consequences...you gotta learn to deal with them.
In my humble opinion, the video was offensive and unnecessary, I am neither Jewish nor undecided by Judaism, but putting myself in the shoes of a Jew would feel deeply offended by this joke of bad taste if we can qualify as such. It is not a question of curtailing freedom of speech, but of responsibility with which we speak in public. it is about respect to thousands of families who were enslaved and tortured, psychologically and physically, in the concentration camps. I say Freedom comes with Responsibility.
comen on baby
If freedom of speech begins to be curtailed then democracy will be destroyed. Let us therefore raise the awakening to freedom of expression in public as a form of struggle for the aspiration to be conveyed to those who take the policy. It is also a part of Human Rights. We appreciate this post @someguy123
Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain... To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices - today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it. Kevyn Aucoin
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/kevyn_aucoin_358534
Your thought is truely extraordinary. I am with you. Hope for your success..
verry good. folower me because we are friend.
How awful it must be to me one of these social justice warriors, whether it's in government or in safe spaces. The perpetually offended must have zero joy in their lives as they pick apart every action from opening doors for a lady to telling someone you like their haircut. Micro aggression, privilege, blah blah blah. They must be so miserable, not on a daily basis but every single second of their chemically induced lives. I pity these brain washed victims. But they're responsible for their own lives and it's time for them to take control, see how ridiculous this is and get over it, move on. When does that point come? Maybe when you're part of a crowd yelling "burn her!" To an NRA representative. Or perhaps when you're jailing someone for making a joke with their dog. Regardless of how anyone feels about the dog doing a Nazi salute, it's free speech and it is a god given right. Law does not permit us these rights. In the U.S., our constitution does not give us these rights. They are given to us at birth, these documents simply recognize them for what they are. Just as it's anyone's else's right to be offended, walk away and get on with their own life away from mine or who's ever offended them. Go to your safe space with your crayons and construction paper, with your stuffed animals when you're 24 years old if it makes you feel better. As for me, I'm going to express myself As a free man of this planet, a few human being, until they come and shut me up permanently.
Wow, that country is going from bad to worse, the good thing is that there are still people willing to make a difference.
God...people is more crazy everyday...