The Freedom To Not Be Offended

Originally posted by neformore

Freedom of speech = freedom to offend?

Really?

And what if someone enacts their freedom to respond, and kicks the crap out of the person enacting their so called "freedom to offend", or shoots them dead for the offense you caused?

Offending people for the sake of it just because they have "freedom of speech" just makes someone an ass.

Freedom of speech is a treasure, and a responsibility. Not an excuse for being a moron.


Edited for context.

[edit on 21/9/09 by neformore]

[edit on 21/9/09 by neformore]

Agreed 100%. Free speech is not a license to say what you want... Well, scratch that. It IS, but it does not absolve you of the responsibility of what you say.

Too often people feel that because they can say anything, they will say it and we're losing our ability to be civil because of that.

I can absolutely disagree with someone and still be their friend, but I think strangers can't do that as easily because there is no common ground and people are more likely to dislike each other when there is no common ground to start from.

Great post.
S+F!
I totally agree with what you're saying.

I haven't read through the whole thread but I found it really enlightening. I'll stop labeling myself from now on as any one thing... I'll stop labeling other people to what they don't deserve. Labeling gives ways to unintelligent discussions and straw-men... this was nicely put in the OP.

Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is the "Freedom to be Not Offended" mentioned. If that were an inalienable right, then there would have never been a Constitution...

Further, freedom of speech only applies, strictly, to the right of the citizen to petition the government for redress of grievances.
Not to racists to spout anti-black/white/brown/yellow/plaid rhetoric.

And, if anyone cares to do the research, they will find the federal government has outlawed certain hate groups. They and the local officials simply do not vigorously pursue the enforcement of these laws.

Originally posted by KneonKnight
Nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is the "Freedom to be Not Offended" mentioned. If that were an inalienable right, then there would have never been a Constitution...

An interesting thought, but I'd like to point out that I never once mentioned the US Constitution in my OP, nor any of my posts. I'm English, and whilst I do believe in the US Constitution, on behalf of you lot over the Atlantic, this thread wasn't meant to be a reiteration of or comment on it.